The situation in the global market for hemp building materials

The global cement industry accounts for about 8% of carbon emissions. In an effort to reduce their carbon footprint, various cement and concrete manufacturers in the world's developed economies have announced a roadmap to achieve zero CO2 emissions in concrete production by 2050 and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by a quarter by 2030. One of the ways to achieve the implementation of this kind of indicators is the use of reinforced concrete, as well as other building materials made from hemp raw materials, which, during their manufacture and operation, absorb more carbon than is necessary for their production. 

France is undoubtedly the leader in the number of construction projects in which various types of building materials or technologies are used that involve the use of hemp raw materials during the construction of buildings or structures . In addition to the fact that the use of hemp building materials in the territory of the above mentioned country has a long history, the use of hemp as an alternative method of construction was born in France in the 80s of the last century. Government officials were actively looking for materials that could be used to renovate centuries-old buildings . Based on the results of the studies carried out, the French government consideredhemp materials are most viable due to the fact that the plant allows moisture to pass through without the risk of mold or pests . That is why the number of projects already implemented in France, during which hemp building materials were used, according to experts in the hemp construction market, ranges from hundreds of thousands to several million. 

As the global market for modern cannabis breeding develops and a number of other economically developed countries of the EU and North America are interested in the creation of building materials, during the creation and operation of which a “negative carbon footprint” appears, this segment of cannabis breeding began to be actively developed in the current century in the Netherlands and Germany , UK, Canada and in the last few years the USA. For example, at the moment in the most highly developed country in the world, there are only about 200 projects, during the creation of which hemp building materials were used. 

Commentary of the specialists of the Association "Ukrainian technical hemp"

“ In Western Australia, a village of fire-concrete was built ,” “ In the Netherlands,“ streaming construction of panel-frame structures made of fire-reinforced concrete was launched ” , in Austria, the construction of prefabricated hemp houses on an industrial scale is being established , in Sweden, the largest construction site is being erected using environmentally friendly construction materials based on hemp and lime , in 2020 “ British architects“ launched into series ”low-carbon hemp houses ”, Italian construction companies are switching to technologies involving the use of fire  - resistant concrete - these are materials on construction topics that have been published over the past few years only for pages of the specialized electronic edition of national cannabis growers.

In 2020, the Dutch company "HempFlax" acquired the German manufacturer of insulating materials from hemp fiber "the Thermo Natur GmbH & Co" . Last August, Canadian firm Global Hemp Group signed a contract to purchase over 800 acres of land in the US state of Colorado, initiating the HAIZ project, which aims to develop affordable hemp-based housing over the next two decades. “ The Belgians are investing 5 million in expanding the production capacity of a plant that produces hemp blocks, ” and from 2021 a project is being implemented to erect buildings and structures from hemp building materials on the business island in Zweinard .

The global cement industry accounts for about 8% of carbon emissions. In an effort to reduce their carbon footprint, various cement and concrete manufacturers in the world's developed economies have announced a roadmap to achieve zero CO2 emissions in concrete production by 2050 and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by a quarter by 2030. One of the ways to achieve the implementation of this kind of indicators is the use of reinforced concrete, as well as other building materials made from hemp raw materials, which, during their manufacture and operation, absorb more carbon than is necessary for their production.

The hemp construction market in our country has not yet seen much change. At the moment, several dozen construction companies or individual construction market specialists are implementing one or several projects based on the exclusive properties of the hemp plant. Unfortunately, none of the plants for the primary processing of the fibrous part of the plant has yet been able to implement large-scale projects for the mass production of hemp building materials. In addition, the traditional national construction market is not yet very actively interested in materials and technologies that involve the massive use of hemp raw materials. Based on the information circulating in the market, as well as comparing it with the materials of our foreign colleagues, we can say that in the segment of using hemp building materials and technologies for their use, Ukraine is currently a clear outsider.The global cement industry accounts for about 8% of carbon emissions. In an effort to reduce their carbon footprint, various cement and concrete manufacturers in the world's developed economies have announced a roadmap to achieve zero CO2 emissions in concrete production by 2050 and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by a quarter by 2030. One of the ways to achieve the implementation of this kind of indicators is the use of reinforced concrete, as well as other building materials made from hemp raw materials, which, during their manufacture and operation, absorb more carbon than is necessary for their production. 

France is undoubtedly the leader in the number of construction projects in which various types of building materials or technologies are used that involve the use of hemp raw materials during the construction of buildings or structures . In addition to the fact that the use of hemp building materials in the territory of the above mentioned country has a long history, the use of hemp as an alternative method of construction was born in France in the 80s of the last century. Government officials were actively looking for materials that could be used to renovate centuries-old buildings . Based on the results of the studies carried out, the French government consideredhemp materials are most viable due to the fact that the plant allows moisture to pass through without the risk of mold or pests . That is why the number of projects already implemented in France, during which hemp building materials were used, according to experts in the hemp construction market, ranges from hundreds of thousands to several million. 

As the global market for modern cannabis breeding develops and a number of other economically developed countries of the EU and North America are interested in the creation of building materials, during the creation and operation of which a “negative carbon footprint” appears, this segment of cannabis breeding began to be actively developed in the current century in the Netherlands and Germany , UK, Canada and in the last few years the USA. For example, at the moment in the most highly developed country in the world, there are only about 200 projects, during the creation of which hemp building materials were used. 

Commentary of the specialists of the Association "Ukrainian technical hemp"

“ In Western Australia, a village of fire-concrete was built ,” “ In the Netherlands,“ streaming construction of panel-frame structures made of fire-reinforced concrete was launched ” , in Austria, the construction of prefabricated hemp houses on an industrial scale is being established , in Sweden, the largest construction site is being erected using environmentally friendly construction materials based on hemp and lime , in 2020 “ British architects“ launched into series ”low-carbon hemp houses ”, Italian construction companies are switching to technologies involving the use of fire  - resistant concrete - these are materials on construction topics that have been published over the past few years only for pages of the specialized electronic edition of national cannabis growers.

In 2020, the Dutch company "HempFlax" acquired the German manufacturer of insulating materials from hemp fiber "the Thermo Natur GmbH & Co" . Last August, Canadian firm Global Hemp Group signed a contract to purchase over 800 acres of land in the US state of Colorado, initiating the HAIZ project, which aims to develop affordable hemp-based housing over the next two decades. “ The Belgians are investing 5 million in expanding the production capacity of a plant that produces hemp blocks, ” and from 2021 a project is being implemented to erect buildings and structures from hemp building materials on the business island in Zweinard .

The global cement industry accounts for about 8% of carbon emissions. In an effort to reduce their carbon footprint, various cement and concrete manufacturers in the world's developed economies have announced a roadmap to achieve zero CO2 emissions in concrete production by 2050 and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by a quarter by 2030. One of the ways to achieve the implementation of this kind of indicators is the use of reinforced concrete, as well as other building materials made from hemp raw materials, which, during their manufacture and operation, absorb more carbon than is necessary for their production.

The hemp construction market in our country has not yet seen much change. At the moment, several dozen construction companies or individual construction market specialists are implementing one or several projects based on the exclusive properties of the hemp plant. Unfortunately, none of the plants for the primary processing of the fibrous part of the plant has yet been able to implement large-scale projects for the mass production of hemp building materials. In addition, the traditional national construction market is not yet very actively interested in materials and technologies that involve the massive use of hemp raw materials. Based on the information circulating in the market, as well as comparing it with the materials of our foreign colleagues, we can say that in the segment of using hemp building materials and technologies for their use, Ukraine is currently a clear outsider.