This week on the Hemp Show, we're talking to Jake Waddell from the Hemp Building Institute about the future of hemp construction, building codes and embodied carbon.

Hemp-lime construction has come a long way — from early experiments in a garage to an officially recognized building material in the International Residential Code.

Environmental Product Declarations, or EPDs, are changing how sustainability is measured in construction and what that means for hemp-based materials.

And even when government funding for climate-forward projects gets cut, the people driving this industry keep finding ways to move forward.

"Now we have codes. We've had a lot of progress and movement into making hemp-lime construction more of a realistic prospect rather than just a really good idea," Waddell said.

We also discussed why EPDs are critical if hemp is going to be recognized for what it does best. Waddell explains that when hemp-based materials lock carbon into a building, that carbon stays out of the atmosphere for decades — a measurable climate benefit that current systems often overlook.

"Trapping carbon in a building keeps it out of the atmosphere — and that's a real benefit," he said.

All that and more.

Hemp Building Institute

hempbuildinginstitute.org

International Code Council – Appendix BL

codes.iccsafe.org

NYSERDA – Energy Research & Development Authority

nyserda.ny.gov

HempToday.net

hemptoday.net

Americhanvre Cast Hemp

americhanvre.com

Hemp Education and Marketing Initiative (HEMI)

hempinitiatives.org

New Zealand fiber-materials venture shifts processing line to streamline production logistics

hemptoday.net/new-zealand-fiber-materials-venture-shifts-processing-line-to-streamline-production-logistics/

Americhanvre Cast Hemp

americhanvre.com

HEMI – Hemp Education and Marketing Initiative

hempinitiatives.org