Living in a house made of 'cannabis'‘
- Breathable, eco-friendly, fire-resistant, moisture-resistant, and temperature-regulating material.
- ‘'If there were more awareness, everyone would live in a healthy home and wouldn't continue to suffer from discomfort, get sick, and pay energy bills for heating and cooling.'.
That hemp has many uses beyond the recreational and therapeutic applications of the sativa species (marijuana) has been known for a long time. Although this plant has been stigmatized in recent decades, the reality is that it has historically been used to make a multitude of products, from clothing to paper. Even the sails of the ships Christopher Columbus used to travel to America and the American flag under which the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 were made from this material.
German architect Monika Brümmer, based in Guadix (Granada), recognized the virtues of hemp during her university years and in 1999 founded Cannabric, an ecological architecture studio that uses biological materials in its projects, especially hemp. Since then, Brümmer has manufactured her own cannabrics, hemp blocks that replace conventional bricks in her constructions. But that's not all; she also produces prefabricated panels, hemp fiber for mortars, insulating blankets, and acoustic dampening felt.
“And new products are constantly emerging, such as the high-density 100% plant-based pellets, which are used for dry slabs or acoustic and thermal insulation between floors or in cavity walls,” notes Brümmer, passionate about a material that, in addition to being an efficient temperature regulator, is breathable, ecological, and produces fire- and moisture-resistant compounds. “It’s like a skin that protects us from radiation, noise, and the elements,” she adds.
Another advantage of these bricks is that they don't require pillars or any other vertical support structure to build the walls. Furthermore, hemp can be used interchangeably in new construction and renovation projects, such as those developed by Cannabric in rural and tourist homes, and even in caves.
The use of hemp in construction is not new either. As early as the 1990s, buildings began to be erected in France using materials derived from this plant, where there was no prohibition. Currently, several companies are beginning to emerge in the United States that also work with cannabis, benefiting in part from the legal opening regarding marijuana in recent years.
In case anyone still associates this material with drugs, Brümmer clarifies that industrial hemp “has a very low THC content (the psychoactive component of cannabis), nothing compared to marijuana.” The varieties used to produce this material, which is usually combined with natural binders, have a THC content of around 0.31%, a percentage far lower than the 51% to 101% THC found in hallucinogenic and therapeutic varieties. Despite this, anyone cultivating hemp must meet a series of requirements, as the architect points out.
Brümmer acknowledges that, for now, this type of eco-friendly construction isn't very widespread, and for her, the pleasure of doing what she loves takes precedence over profitability. “Conventional bricks currently have more customers, just like unhealthy food or synthetic drugs, which are consumed more than natural medicine. If I were to dedicate myself to selling concrete blocks, I would earn my living by manufacturing quantity, not quality of life,” she explains.
The price of materials is therefore directly related to low demand and limited production. Cannabric sells its lightweight mortar starting at 135 euros per cubic meter. In the case of insulating pellets, a pre-made product, the price rises to 300 euros. “This will change when consumers start demanding it,” continues Brümmer, who concludes: “If there were more awareness, everyone would live in healthy homes and wouldn't continue wasting money on poorly constructed houses, suffering discomfort, getting sick, and paying maintenance and heating bills.”.
Fountain: www.elmundo.es
http://www.elmundo.es/economia/2015/07/16/55a37698268e3ee4588b456e.html