Demand for hemp construction materials is growing

Prague - Interest in building materials made from hemp is growing in the domestic market as well as abroad this year. The demand has also been positively influenced by the strong koruna, which has made imports of materials cheaper. However, prejudices about the plant among parts of society still prevent a wider adoption of hemp-based building materials. This follows from a survey conducted by ČTK among experts in building materials and hemp products.
    "The reason is the growing demand from customers for natural and ecological insulations," Pavla Hesová told ČTK regarding the increasing demand for hemp construction materials. "Many clients are requesting hemp insulation as a replacement for mineral and glass insulations," she added.
    The growing use of hemp building materials is expected to continue in the coming years. "This is due both to economic and environmental reasons. Its strength lies particularly in its rapid renewability; wood takes decades to grow, while hemp is an annual plant," explained Jiří Bydžovský, an expert on building materials from the Faculty of Civil Engineering at VUT Brno. According to Michal Ruman from the Konopa association, it is also a health-safe material that insulates while also being breathable and does not attract mold.
    Experts believe there are not many disadvantages to using hemp in construction. "There are hardly any expressed negatives, rather we are simply not used to working with it in construction; after all, the foundations of construction here are based on the use of conventional materials, particularly ceramics (bricks, roof covering) and concrete," said Bydžovský. In the building materials market, hemp competes not only with traditional materials but also with other alternative materials, such as straw, pure clay, or sheep wool, noted Ruman.
    According to Bydžovský, hemp is most commonly used in the Czech Republic for thermal and acoustic insulation. The Brno Faculty of Civil Engineering is reportedly currently developing construction materials based on hemp, such as so-called cement-hemp boards.
    Wider adoption of hemp building materials is also hindered by prejudices, as some people associate the plant only with its intoxicating use. "A certain group of the population will probably never accept these materials," Ruman said. Another portion of society is apparently falling into the opposite extreme. "A certain (part of the population) is so focused on the intoxicating use that many other applications do not interest them, and they remain loyal to the conventional offer," he added.
    According to Ruman, a significant part of people, however, is open to other uses of the plant alongside its intoxicating effects. This, however, theoretically brings one pitfall - hemp grown for construction purposes does not contain intoxicating substances according to Bydžovský.