We strive to help Australians build their homes with a natural and sustainable building material that will take care of both them and the environment.
A decade ago, Andi Lucas - a driven Tasmanian hemp entrepreneur - suffered through an event that changed the trajectory of her life. She lost her tiny home, in one of the worst bushfires Tasmania has ever experienced. She lost everything overnight.
In the aftermath, as she began to pick up the pieces and delved into what her new home might look like
She was determined to build back better. She became determined to find a suitable material that didn't leach toxic chemicals and would also be completely resistant to bushfires.
This search actually changed the whole course of her life, because she has not only gone on to build two hempcrete cottages down on Bruny island, with our help of course, but today she is one of Australia’s leading hemp processors and successful entrepreneurs in the space.
When we talk about hempcrete fire resistance, funnily enough, people often ask us if you could “smoke the house”.
One could surely try but it also simply doesn't catch on fire.
Hempcrete is certified to the highest Bushfire Attack Level of Firezone
Here in Australia, a fire test was documented to simulate ember attacks during wildfires, where there is a potential for fuel to accumulate at the base of the walls.
No damage was observed on the 200 mm thick walls, which were exposed to a 600 mm high flame, burning directly against the wall for a period of 60 minutes.
In fact, Hempcrete has become a common option for people who live in the highest fire danger zones in the country, and it also is certified to do so.
These remarkable properties led Andi to make the choice to use Hempcrete for the walls of the two hempcrete cottages down on Bruny Island in Tasmania, which we had the pleasure of installing for her.
You can actually view the houses, and even have a look for yourself and stay in them too by clicking here.
Ensuring home safety from fire is one of RespiraBuilt’s top priorities.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read our case study. We spend a great deal of time writing about Hempcrete. That’s because our purpose at RespiraBuilt is to help as many people as possible to insulate our homes with a naturally grown, carbon-sequestering carbon-based lifeform that not only provides the best thermal comfort but also has a genuinely positive impact on the environment, and your bank account!
See you in the next blog post for Pillar #4: Hempcrete, completely carbon-negative
Will, RespiraBuilt