Hemp-based Community Building Opens in Idaho

photo via idahobasecamp.org

The cannabis community knows all too well how versatile hemp can be. Even just over the past few years, evidence of hemp being used for food, clothing, fuel and as a building material have made headlines. The latter has now become a reality, as the one of the first public-use building has been created from recycled materials, mainly hempcrete, in Idaho.

Known as the Borah Basin Building, this hempcrete construction received its funding through $27,000 that was raised on Kickstarter. It took three years for Hempitecture, the company who built it, to complete the project.

The founder of the company, Mattie Mead, began exploring the use of hempcrete when he was a senior in college. Back then, he was searching for natural building materials that could “create more insulating, more efficient, and less energy-intensive homes.” Mead also reported that he’s found multiple benefits to using hemp. “And through that study hempcrete stood out to me as above and beyond one of the greatest options for creating a building that is not just energy efficient but is also healthy,” Mead said. “So in essence our building and our walls are carbon sinks—they take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. Whereas most other building products are carbon positive—they put out more carbon dioxide than they absorb.” The building is made up of 75 percent recycled materials.

The idea to build the building came from a desire to have a unique community space in the area. According to Whitney McNees, the organization’s co-director, noted that prior to construction, there was only “yurts and camping” but nowhere to organize large events for big groups. “It opens up opportunities for more retreats and educational experiences, as well as extends our season of use to a four-season facility,” McNees said.

This is first of many steps that U.S. citizens are taking to ensure that proof of hemp’s usefulness is abundant.