Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Hemp-based materials, with their significant
technical, economic and environmental quali-
ties, cannot be considered without reference to
the entire production process that stretches
from plant cultivation to its ultimate use as a
building material. These qualities could not be
exploited without the network of competent
professionals, including architects, entrepre-
neurs, distributors and others, who are able
and willing to respond to the needs of end
users and the proposals of manufacturers.
Further improvements will require manufactur-
ers to take into account the concerns of these
professionals, while farmers will need to take
into account the problems and challenges fac-
ing the manufacturers. In turn, further progress
and development will require researchers to
unlock new doors and move development for-
ward. Those involved in this production line/
industry are collected together in the organiza-
tion
Construire en Chanvre
(Building with
Hemp), which seeks to promote the use of
hemp in the construction industry while provid-
ing a structure and representation for the
industry
(http://www.construction-chanvre.
asso.fr/)
. The website also provides the organi-
zation's code of practice.
It would appear, therefore, that the mater-
ials produced using hemp possess a number of
advantages that can benefit from further devel-
opment in the construction sector. This sector
is concerned increasingly with quality in the
broadest sense, and therein lies a real opportu-
nity for the industry.
Notes
1
The thermal resistance, denoted R, expresses the ability of a material to resist changes in temperature.
Expressed in m
2
. K/W (Kelvin per watt), the index R is calculated as the ratio of the thickness in metres to
the thermal conductivity of the material. The higher the R, the higher the product is isolated. R reports the
conductivity of the material to the thickness of material installed. R = thickness in metres/thermal conductiv-
ity of the material (R = e /
λ
).
2
See Bibliography [12]
3
Professional rules on hemp wool and/or performance of mortar and concrete structure of hemp are avail-
able on the website of the association Building with Hemp:
http://www.construction-chanvre.asso.fr.
4
Source: G.C. Gosselin (1987) Protection des structures contre le feu - Méthodes de prédiction. Regard
sur la science du bâtiment, CNRC.
5
Contact:
http://www.construction-chanvre.asso.fr.
6
A technique of decorating a surface.
7
Definition of life cycle assessment (LCA): stroke is the extent of resources required to manufacture a
product or a device for building and quantifying the environmental impacts of this production. According to
the ISO, it is the 'Compilation and evaluation of energy consumption, raw material uses and releases to the
environment and assessing the potential impact on the environment associated with a product, or process,
or service on its entire life cycle'. The life cycle of a product, process or service brings together the phases
of manufacturing, processing, use and destruction.
