America’s First Hemp Home Actually Pulls CO2 From The Air

The ravages of climate change are already being seen in extreme weather, people displaced, and average global temperatures creeping up and up every year. Fortunately, hemp has been making a serious comeback in the United States. 5 states have legalized hemp-based building materials and people are taking advantage.

One of the first homes to be built out of hempcrete, a concrete-like material made primarily of hemp, is the 3,400 square foot Push House, built in Asheville, North Carolina.

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Hempcrete is an excellent insulator with an insulating quality of r-2.5 per square inch. It’s also able to capture airborne pollutants over time, absorbing carbon from the atmosphere when it’s grown and after it’s been placed.

The home was outfitted with 30 salvaged window frames fitted with insulating glass that allow daylight in without too much heat. The home cost $133 per square foot to build.