The Hempcrete Book: Designing and building with hemp-lime
Ebook
Overview
A comprehensive practical manual for professionals and self-builders, this innovative book explains the many benefits of building with hempcrete.
Hempcrete is a building material with excellent, environmentally friendly properties. It’s made from lime and hemp shivs (a waste product from hemp fibre growing) and can be used for walks, floor and roof insulation. Hempcrete is breathable, absorbing and emitting moisture; this helps regulate internal humidity, avoiding trapped moisture and mould growth, and creating healthier buildings. It provides excellent acoustic and thermal insulation, and it is lightweight, which reduces construction costs.
Whether you’re working on a new build or are planning a renovation, The Hempcrete Book tells you everything you need to know to get started with hempcrete. It describes how to source and mix it, and provides a detailed account of construction techniques, highlighting potential pitfalls and how to avoid them. With fully illustrated design notes and examples of completed builds, this book is a powerful tool for any eco-builder.
A comprehensive practical manual for professionals and self-builders, this innovative book explains the many benefits to building with hempcrete.
Hempcrete is carbon-negative, non-toxic, strong, insulating, breathable.
A detailed practical manual on using hempcrete (hemplime) in new builds or restoration for architects, builders, surveyors and self-builders.
Foreword by Professor Tom Woolley
Introduction
Part One: Principles of building with hempcrete
History and uses of hemp
Hemp in construction
An introduction to lime
Key concepts in sustainable building
Getting the basics right
Variations on the hemp–lime mix
Performance of hempcrete in a building
Tools and equipment
Health and safety
Planning the build
Focus on self-build 1: Agan Chy
Part Two: Hempcrete construction
The hempcrete wall: an overview
Foundations and plinth
The structural frame
Shuttering
Mixing hempcrete
Placing hempcrete
Floors, ceilings and roof insulation
Finishes for hempcrete
Practicalities on a hempcrete build
Restoration and retrofit
Focus on self-build 2: Hemp Lime House
Part Three: Designing a hempcrete building
Design fundamentals
Indicative detailing
Focus on self-build 3: Bridge End Cottage
A look to the future
Resources
This book provides clear guidance through its photos, text and sketches on all aspects of building with this ‘deep green’ material and takes our early work forward into the mainstream. It is a must-have for anyone planning to build with hempcrete, whether in renovation or new build projects.
The book contains lots of good advice and general good building practice... I would recommend this book to anyone working in the field of sustainable building.
Any architect, designer, owner or builder thinking of building in hemp or using lime in their build should obtain this book before they start.
Eco-friendly and sustainability issues are now a key element in the design process and the authors of this publication proudly affirm that Hempcrete buildings can provide affordable, healthy, energy-efficient and sustainable accommodation.
They have a great knowledge of their favourite product, which they willingly share here with those eager to embrace this relatively new wonder product whose origins date to ancient times.
Truly comprehensive and enormously helpful. I wish we’d had this guide when building our Hempcrete homes in Swindon!
If you are interested in learning more about using living materials for construction and how to use hempcrete for your upcoming projects or tests, I encourage you to get this book today. It is by far, the most detailed version on the market and completely easy to understand.
- Title: The Hempcrete Book: Designing and building with hemp-lime
- Authors: William Stanwix, Alex Sparrow
- Series: Sustainable Building
- Publisher: Green Books
- Print Publication Date: 2014
- Logos Release Date: 2024
- Pages: 368
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Ebook
- ISBNs: 9780857841223, 9780857841209, 0857841203, 085784122X
- Resource ID: LLS:9780857841223
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2025-04-22T12:28:38Z
Alex Sparrow works for one of only a handful of companies working with hempcrete in the UK and the only one to work with self-builders. Alex works on the strategic development of the company but still regularly takes the opportunity to get his hands dirty on the building sites. Beyond the day-job, he is also a freelance writer on natural building.
William Stanwix is a qualified building surveyor and founder of a growing UK company which specialises in new build and restoration with hempcrete and other natural building materials. Along with ongoing construction projects, Will provides consultancy, technical design and training for people interested in building with hempcrete and other natural building materials.