Essential Hempcrete Construction - (Sustainable Building Essentials) by Chris Magwood (Paperback)

About the Book

Essential Hempcrete Construction is an illustrated guide to this affordable, renewable method, from procurement to finish. This indispensable manual covers material properties, applications, specifications, code-compliance and climate data, rounded out by step-by-step instructions and budgeting information.

Book Synopsis

The essential guide to hempcrete - a strong, versatile, environmentally friendly, energy-efficient natural insulating material

Hempcrete is a versatile, energy-efficient natural insulation material, useful for walls, roofs and floors. Made from the inner stem of the hemp plant mixed with a lime-based binder, it is a very strong, lightweight and breathable alternative to manufactured insulations. Essential Hempcrete Construction is a fully illustrated practical guide to this affordable, renewable method, from procurement to finishing.

Going well beyond the scope of many natural building books, this indispensable manual includes a complete introduction to hempcrete, packed with all the information you need to determine whether it's the right choice for your project. It covers:

• Material specifications, testing and building code references and climate data
• Detail drawings for design reference
• Tool lists, and complete step-by-step instructions for mixing and placing hempcrete
• Finishing and maintenance techniques
• Budgeting and labor estimates
• Additional resources.

Essential Hempcrete Construction is part of New Society's Sustainable Building Essentials Series. Series editors Chris Magwood and Jen Feigin have scoured the world of sustainable building to bring you the techniques and systems that deliver measureable benefits in terms of greater energy efficiency and reduced environmental impact. Written by the world's leading sustainable builders, designers and engineers, these succinct, user-friendly handbooks are indispensable tools for any project where accurate and reliable information are key to success. Get the Essentials!

From the Back Cover

The essential guide to hempcrete - a strong, versatile, environmentally-friendly, energy-efficient natural insulating material

"Essential Hempcrete Construction is an informative and easy to read guide/ instruction manual to building with hemplime. This book is a time (and money) saver - worth every penny."
- Greg Flavall, Hemp Technologies Collective

"Magwood has years of experience of natural building and sound construction practice and this book provides excellent, well-illustrated, guidance."
- Tom Woolley, author, Low Impact Building, Building Materials, Health and Indoor Air Quality , and Hemp-Lime Construction

"In a field that is often beset with more wishful thinking than honest appraisal, Essential Hempcrete Construction stands out as a well-researched in investigation into the potential and promise of hemp-lime systems in the contemporary built-environment."
- Tim Callahan, co-author, Building Green and founding partner at Alembic Studio, LLC

"...Hemp as a building material is one of the most important uses of this plant. Essential Hempcrete Construction explains this new technology in a clear and concise manner. With this information anyone wanting to use this material will have a great starting point."
- Steve Allin, Director, International Hemp Building Association and author, Building with Hemp

"Magwood has combined his deep understanding of building science with some fortuitous hands-on experience of working with hempcrete to craft this timely and detailed guide to the essentials of hempcrete construction."
- Kelly Hart, www.greenhomebuilding.com

Essential Hempcrete Construction is a fully illustrated practical guide to this affordable, renewable method, from procurement to finishing. Going well beyond the scope of many natural building books, this indispensable manual includes a complete introduction to hempcrete, packed with all the information you need to determine whether it's the right choice for your project. It covers:

• Material specifications, testing and building code references
• Detail drawings for design reference
• Tool lists, and complete step-by-step instructions for mixing and placing hempcrete
• Finishing and maintenance techniques
• Budgeting and labor estimates
• Additional resources.

Containing over 100 illustrations and photographs, Essential Hempcrete Construction presents best practices from experience, research and sound building science and the practical step-by-step information needed for highquality hempcrete construction.

Chris Magwood has designed and built some of the most innovative, sustainable buildings in North America, including the first off-grid, straw bale home in Ontario. He is co-founder and director of the Endeavour Centre for Innovative Building and Living, and is the author of numerous books on sustainable building including Making Better Buildings and Essential Prefab Straw Bale Construction .

New Society's Sustainable Building Essentials Series aims to provide the highest quality information on sustainable building methods and materials. Editors Chris Magwood and Jen Feigin have scoured the world of sustainable building to bring you the techniques and systems that deliver measureable benefits in terms of greater energy efficiency and reduced environmental impact. Written by the world's leading sustainable builders, designers and engineers, these succinct, user-friendly handbooks are indispensable tools for any project.

About the Author

Chris Magwood has designed and built some of the most innovative buildings in North America, including the first off-grid, straw bale home in Ontario which became a fifteen-year research project into the implementation of sustainable building materials and technologies. He is a director of the Endeavour Centre in Peterborough, Ontario where he teaches hands-on workshops and is a lead instructor for the Sustainable New Construction certificate program. Chris is co-editor of the Sustainable Building Series and author of several previous books on sustainable building, including Making Better Buildings , More Straw Bale Building and Straw Bale Details . He is a regular contributor to Mother Earth News , Home Power and The Last Straw Journal .