Chris Magwood - Essential Hempcrete Construction: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Praise for

Essential Hempcrete Construction

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

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

Hempcrete/hemp-lime construction is one of the simplest and most effective
and affordable solutions for sustainable, healthy and energy efficient building available to
mainstream builders and self-help enthusiasts alike. Magwood has years of experience
of natural building and sound construction practice so this book
provides excellent, well-illustrated, guidance.

TOM WOOLLEY, author, Building Materials, Health and Indoor Air Quality;
Low Impact Building; and Hemp-Lime Construction

Essential Hempcrete Construction is an informative and easy to read
guide/instruction manual to building with hemp-lime. Magwood has been able to
simplify the data for us and compare costs to other conventional building materials,
he has also managed to keep it brief and to-the-point so as to quickly help
us make an informed decision to build with hemp-lime or not.
This book is a time (and money) saver - worth every penny.

GREG FLAVALL, Hemp Technologies Collective

Essential Hempcrete Construction is an exciting manual for homeowners,
building teachers, building officials and contractors. Filled with photos and
drawings that help all of us make choices that are ultimately going to
support long lasting buildings. Solid and fun to read.

SUKITA REAY CRIMMEL, coauthor, Earthen Floors

Chris 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. By simply mixing the lightweight core
of hemp stalks (an agricultural byproduct) with lime it is possible to make an insulating material that
can handle moisture without decomposing, has good structural qualities and thermal performance,
is nontoxic and fire resistant, naturally sequesters carbon, and is ultimately completely recyclable.
With the successful use of hempcrete in Europe for over a decade, hopefully this book will
help usher in a new era of industrial hemp production in North America.

KELLY HART, www.greenhomebuilding.com

Chris Magwoods easy-to-read, thoughtful, and practical book on building
with hempcrete is a must-have for my work as a designer and builder focused on resilient,
natural, and low carbon construction. In a world increasingly threatened by climate change,
practical solutions are needed now to lower our collective ecological impact as a building trade.
Essential Hempcrete Construction is a critical tool in our toolkits.

ACE MCARLETON, coauthor, The Natural Building Companion, and cofounder,
New Frameworks Natural Design/Build LLC

Its amazing to me that, in the 21st century, we still have to educate people about
the many uses for industrial hemp. With this book, Chris Magwood presents an irrefutable
endorsement for hemp. Its simple common sense for building a better futureliterally!

DAN SKYE, editor-in-chief, High Times magazine.

Essential Hempcrete Construction provides an excellent pathway towards creating
buildings that are more ecologically sound, healthful, and beautiful. This guide is amazingly
comprehensive materials, techniques, costs, building science, illustrations, recipes,
pros and cons and more yet concise and readable. Great information for
experienced natural builders as well as do-it-yourself neophytes.

GAYLE BORST, Registered Architect, Pres/CEO of Stewardship, Inc.,
and founding member, Design~Build~Live

Copyright 2016 by Chris Magwood.

All rights reserved.

Cover design by Diane McIntosh.

All photos Chris Magwood, unless otherwise noted. Thumbs up Art: AdobeStock_23490949

Printed in Canada. First printing June 2016.

This book is intended to be educational and informative. It is not intended to serve as a guide. The author and publisher disclaim all responsibility for any liability, loss or risk that may be associated with the application of any of the contents of this book.

Paperback ISBN: 978-0-86571-819-7

eISBN: 978-1-55092-613-2

Series ISBN: 978-0-86571-821-0

Inquiries regarding requests to reprint all or part of Essential Hempcrete Construction should be addressed to New Society Publishers at the address below. To order directly from the publishers, please call toll-free (North America) 1-800-567-6772, or order online at www.newsociety.com

Any other inquiries can be directed by mail to:

New Society Publishers

P.O. Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC V0R 1X0, Canada

(250) 247-9737

New Society Publishers mission is to publish books that contribute in fundamental ways to building an ecologically sustainable and just society, and to do so with the least possible impact on the environment, in a manner that models this vision. We are committed to doing this not just through education, but through action. The interior pages of our bound books are printed on Forest Stewardship Council-registered acid-free paper that is 100% post-consumer recycled (100% old growth forest-free), processed chlorine-free, and printed with vegetable-based, low-VOC inks, with covers produced using FSC-registered stock. New Society also works to reduce its carbon footprint, and purchases carbon offsets based on an annual audit to ensure a carbon neutral footprint. For further information, or to browse our full list of books and purchase securely, visit our website at: www.newsociety.com

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Magwood, Chris, author

Essential hempcrete contruction : the complete step-by-step guide / Chris Magwood.

(Sustainable building essentials )

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Issued in print and electronic formats.

ISBN 978-0-86571-819-7 (paperback).--ISBN 978-1-55092-613-2 (ebook)

1. Hemp. 2. Concrete. 3. Plant fibers as building materials.

4. Aggregates (Building materials). I. Title.

Series editors

Chris Magwood and Jen Feigin

Title list

Essential Hempcrete Construction