At TransMineral USA, we have recently been following a hempcrete building project from Beate Kirmse and her husband, Bern Galvin. The structure, in Rolling Hills, California, is the first permitted hemp building in California. The walls are formed from hempcrete, which is the result of a mixture of lime and hemp. Since hemp is not allowed to be industrially grown in the United States, it has been near impossible to successfully get a permit to use it in a structure. According to Hemp Technologies, a supplier of hemp hurds, hempcrete has a superior R-value to other green building options. The thickness of hempcrete can be adjusted to meet the thermal requirements of the structure’s climate. And, among numerous other advantages, hempcrete is the perfect substrate for earth and lime plasters, such as natural hydraulic lime.

For the Rolling Hills project, Beate Krimse called our office and discussed the project. We agreed that using NHL 3.5 and EcoMortar® F-2 would be a good combination for the exterior walls. NHL 3.5 was used for the scratch and brown coats, while the EcoMortar® was applied as the exterior finish coat. Find more details on Beate’s post, Breathable Lime Finish.

To follow the couple’s project, please visit their website: http://www.beatekirmse.com