Getting the basics right - The Hempcrete Topic: Designing and Building with Hemp-lime - page 108

In the second example, a full year after application the 'hemp-limecrete' bore no similarity
to any hempcrete we have ever seen, despite being recommended for exactly the same uses
in the manufacturer-supplier's technical sheet. The material was clay-coloured and visually
resembled an earth wall containing pieces of whole hemp plant, and a year after building
it was still registering 100-per-cent moisture levels and had black mould on the surface,
with mushrooms growing out of it (see photo above right). The material was so soft that
a finger could be pushed into the surface with light pressure. The end result was that the
UK self-builder had to pay to have all the material removed from the wall and the frame
altered and treated with fungicide before contracting us to re-cast the walls using proper
hempcrete materials.
Unfortunately, the current state of the hempcrete market in the UK, with its rapid growth
in demand for hempcrete materials in the absence of any widely agreed industry standards,
provides the ideal environment for irresponsible or unscrupulous people to market mater-
ials that have not been subject to rigorous standards of production and testing. Until such
UK industry standards are developed, builders wishing to use hempcrete in the UK would
be well advised to stick to the three binders described in this topic (see Chapter 6 ). If you
are considering the use of an alternative hempcrete material, always ask to visit buildings
that have been built using it, and ask to speak to previous satisfied users of the product.