The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded a grant of approximately $6.2 million to the Nashville-based nonprofit Hemp Building Institute.
Hempcrete (photo credit: TaoClimate).
The grant will support the development of hempcrete, a sustainable building material made from hemp. This funding is part of the EPA’s broader $160 million initiative to promote environmentally friendly technologies across various industries.
Hempcrete, a sustainable construction material, combines hemp hurds with a lime binder, resulting in a lightweight, concrete-like substance. It is valued for its insulating qualities and environmental benefits, making it an increasingly popular alternative to conventional building materials. The grant from the EPA is intended to promote the use of biogenic materials, such as hemp, soy, and straw bale, by developing environmental product declarations (EPDs) and life cycle assessments (LCAs) that measure the environmental impact throughout their life cycle.
The initiative, named The Biogenic Building Materials Project, will be implemented in Maryland, Tennessee, California, and Alabama. It will see collaboration with various partners, including EntreVator, a Maryland-based business incubator; Alabama State University; the California Straw Bale Association; and the Parsons Healthy Materials Lab at The New School in New York City.
Jacob Waddell, president of the Hemp Building Institute, expressed optimism about the grant, noting, “This is a significant win for hemp and other natural building materials.”
The project aims to develop an open-source database for biogenic materials and to offer education, training, and technical support to encourage broader use.
This funding is part of a larger effort by the EPA to support 38 organizations across all 50 states, focusing on combating climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the construction sector.
