USHBA's 2025 Hemp Project of the Year Award!
Voting has closed.
Results will be announced on September 28, 2025
at our annual members only meeting.
We’re celebrating innovation, sustainability, and community impact in the hemp industry.
Below, you’ll find this year’s featured projects.
Hemp Project Submissions - 2025
Small Projects
Hemp Casita
Project Lead: Right Coast Hemp
Type: Small
Year Built:
USHBA Region: 2
Location:
Description/Materials: Hemp Flooring and Hemp Batt Insulation.
A hemp building project we sponsored with KSU Master Architect Program - now on tour-
Penn State, Cornell, Delaware Valley
were beginning a collaboration with Vocationsl schools!
Partner Organization: Hempitecture
Hempwood- Greg
Kelly Rippel -
KState 105
KSU
Angel Romero, Jr. of Stuc-go-Crete
Greater Topeka Partnership
GoTopeka
First on display at the Kansas State Fair then Dodge City, and Topeka
Performance Notes:
Troubles encountered: Wear and tear
The Eureka Hemp House
Project Lead: Chrissy Backman
Type: Small
Year Built: 2025
USHBA Region: 9
Location: Eureka, Ca
Description/Materials: Hemp Batt-Insulation & Cast In Place.
This 700-square-foot accessory dwelling unit (ADU) was designed to be proof-of-concept for factory-built tilt-up hempcrete construction, paving the way for future residential and commercial applications.
This project represents the first permitted hempcrete tilt-up wall building in California, designed to meet the state’s seismic and wind requirements without the use of plywood sheathing. Our firm, Backman Building Services LLC, developed a unique structural solution using compression X-blocking between studs and strategically placed seismic hold-down restraints to achieve lateral load resistance. Wall panels were factory-assembled with integrated framing and reinforcement, laid down horizontally, and fitted with form boards to create the desired wall thickness of 10 inches. Hempcrete was produced in batches with a hydraulic mixer mounted to a skid steer, then poured and screeded into the horizontal panels. After 2 days, the panels were tilted up, the form boards were removed, and the panels continued to dry in the factory. Once fully cured, the panels were transported on a flatbed to the site and erected in a single day. This approach significantly reduced construction time and minimized site disturbance.
This ADU was designed and built to support multi-generational living, providing the homeowner with a smaller, efficient residence while their adult children can occupy the main house. The ADU was envisioned not only as a comfortable, independent living space but also as a demonstration of sustainable construction practices that meet California’s stringent building codes.
Passive heating and cooling strategies are integrated into the design, including clerestory vented windows for natural ventilation and south-facing orientation to maximize solar gain in cooler months. High-performance features such as a vapor-open roof assembly using Pro Clima weather barrier, energy-efficient Ephoca heat pumps, triple pane windows and Lunos HRV ensure year-round comfort and reduced operational energy use. Solar and battery backup system will keep this all-electric home achieve net-zero energy usage. Hemp wool batt insulation and continuous rigid hemp panels from Hempitecture were used in all non-hempcrete assemblies. Additionally, the homeowner salvaged old-growth redwood from an existing shed on the property and upcycled it to side the clerestory and gable ends of the ADU, adding both character and a strong connection to Humboldt County’s heritage
The hemp and lime binder were sourced from European partners in France, who also participated in an on-site workshop to help our team and local volunteers learn advanced factory-pour techniques. This hands-on knowledge exchange helped bridge international expertise with local construction practices, furthering the viability of hempcrete in the U.S. market. The resulting building is carbon-negative, fire-resistant, moisture-regulating, and thermally efficient—setting a precedent for scalable, code-compliant hempcrete construction in California and throughout the United States.
Partner Organization: Backman Building Services, LLC
Indigenous Habitat Institute (IHI)
Building Lives by Building Structures (BLBS)
Shobe Engineering, LLP
College of the Redwoods
New House Construction
UAB Megamas
Haven Electric
Performance Notes:
Blower door test will be completed once construction is finalized.
HVAC: Ephoca Wall Mount
HRV: Lunos E2
Range: Copper Induction Range
Windows: Triple Pane U-value 0.17, Megamas Export
Troubles encountered: Drying time was longer than expected because of weather and no climate control in the factory.
Hemp Creek Cabin
Project Lead: Andrew Hancock
Type: Small
Year Built: 2023
USHBA Region: 6
Location: Glen Rose, Texas
Description/Materials: Cast in place/Hemp flooring.
420 sq ft cabin with loft featuring salvaged materials and a local supply chain.
10,000 lbs of Texas Hemp
10,000 lbs of Texas hydrated Lime
975 lbs HES Pozzolan blend
Pier and beam, 2x4 center framed with 9" thick rammed hemp exterior walls. 3.5" rammed hemp interior walls. 2x10 floor joists and 2x8 rafters with Hempitecture 7.5" R28 insulation batts. Ceilings are T&G pine. Advantech T&G subfloor with 280 sq ft of Hempwood hardwood flooring. Reclaimed materials include French doors and all windows, loft 2x6 T&G flooring, loft cedar post harvested from site, sinks, and the front porch tin roof. The roof is a 28 GA Mueller standing seam, and the exterior finish is a 3 coat lime plaster finished with multiple coats of lime wash. The interior finish is a base brown coat of lime with 2 finish coats of American Clay Enjare clay plaster. The backsplash and shower enclosure is a Tadelakt polished lime plaster. Incinerator composting tiolet, dual inverter ac unit, gas radiator heater, gas on demand hot water, full W/D hookups. Butcher block countertops finished with Hemp seed oil.
Cheers!
Special Thanks to Tim White, Darron Del Toro, Harry Sopp, and Keeka
Partner Organization:
Performance Notes
Troubles encountered:
Prefab Hemp Home
at Lower Sioux
Project Lead: Danny Desjarlais
Type: Small
Year Built: 2023
USHBA Region: 5
Location: Morton, MN
Description/Materials: Cast in Place
Prefabricated Structural Hemp-Insulated Panel (SHIP) build at Lower Sioux, constructed in December 2023. The home is 520sq ft 1 bedroom, 1 bath. The foundation is a concrete-free wood pier and beam system installed ahead of time by the construction crew at Lower Sioux. Homeland Hempcrete designed and built the panels in their ND facility using MN hemp hurd, then delivered the 12" thick pre-cured structural hemp panels to the job site for assembly with the Lower Sioux team. The total hempcrete volume for the build was just under 700cu ft, and assembly took approximately 4hrs, followed by 1.5-2 hours of finish work and bracing. Finishes could be applied immediately, a rain screen detail was chosen for this particular build.
Partner Organization: Homeland Hempcrete
Performance Notes: Lower Sioux construction crew installed a solar furnace in this home and monitored the temperature throughout the winter. Without any other mechanical inputs the home stayed comfortable, even when temps dropped to -20 degrees the home remained at 59 degrees without any occupancy.
Troubles encountered:
Calexico ADU
Project Lead: Chris Velasco and Amanda Martin
Type: Small
Year Built: 2022
USHBA Region: 9
Location: Calexico, Ca.
Description/Materials: Cast in place.
1st Permitted Hempcrete ADU in California. 750sqft 2bd 1bt ADU, metal roof with cool roof coat applied to surface, 4x6" wood framing centered, 12" exterior Hemp-lime walls, 1/4" lime Plaster. 4" interior walls hemp-lime with lime plaster.
Contractor Renewal Revolutions Amanda Martin, Engineer Wilfredo Paz
Partner Organization: Renewal Revolution, Piece buy Paz
Performance Notes:
Home owner Chris Velasco and Engineer Wilfredo Paz won the Impel Innovator Award, 15,000 lbs embodied CO2e sequestered (6.8 metric tons), 70% energy savings in climate zone 15, withstood over 400 earthquakes (zero buckling or cracks), Energy calc performance estimate 2022 R-Value 2.4-4/SqIn, Energy calc 18 month performance review R-Value 4+/SqIn, Long term real time performance data collected (ongoing). Withstood a residential Fire on the same lot 20 feet away and remained untouched.
The build utilized education and workforce development as well.
Troubles encountered: Initial Hempcrete installed wrong by three individuals ; provided substandard Hurd, the wrong lime binder and poor workmanship resulting in failed and unsafe wall system; Imperial County issued a red tag and it had to be torn down for "safety hazards" and rebuilt.
Project Lead: Mathias Bank
Type: Small
Year Built: 2022
USHBA Region: 9
Location: Malibu, Ca
Description/Materials: Cast in place.
Chicken Coop previously burned down in fire. Rebuilt by home owner and installed with Hemp blocks that failed. Build remedied by Renewal Revolution with Hand tamp.
Rock wall tie in, 2x4 wood framing, 6" cast in place hemp-lime walls, algae plaster finish, metal roof. 80 sqft, Non-permitted ministerial out building.
Partner Organization: Amanda Martin with Renewal Revolution
Performance Notes: Still standing and performing, zero coastal breakdown, zero cracking, happy chickens and property owners.
Troubles encountered:
Original Hemp install incorrectly with crumbling blocks. Though it is uncertain were the breakdown in block quality took place, the product was crumbling on site before it was installed, blocks that were installed were a mixture of blocks invoiced and shipped from Canada and blocks built in California with a partnered block press with "bio-char" added to them.
All Blocks were removed from site and replaced with hand tamped quality materials.
Woolsey Fire Chicken Coop
Wally Farms
Project Lead: Hempstone - Jennifer Martin
Type: Small
Year Built: 2022
USHBA Region: 1
Location: Taghkanic, NY
Framing/Structural System: Stick-frame
Description/Materials: Spray and Hemp blocks
Two farmworker cabins with Hempcrete walls.
Cabin 1 - Rectangle is a 300 sf footprint with a loft built on piers with a densepacked cellulose floor, 13" hempcrete walls (6" hempcrete blocks and 7" spray applied hempcrete) plus wood fiberboard under a rainscreen clad shingle exterior. The roof is densepacked cellulose cavities with continuous wood fiberboard exterior under the roofing. Interiors are finished with local ash ceilings and floors with plaster walls and a Tadelakt bathroom.
Cabin 2 - Square is a 400 sf footprint with a loft built on a slab with perlite insulation below. Walls are 13" of sprayed hempcrete plus wood fiberboard under a rainscreen clad shingle exterior. The roof is densepacked cellulose cavities with continuous wood fiberboard exterior under the roofing. Interiors finished with local ash ceilings and floors with plaster walls and a Tadelakt bathroom.
Both structures utilized Lunos decentralized ventilation systems
Partner Organization: For the City - Kaya Kuehl (Designer)
Coexist - Hempcrete blocks
Americhanvre - Sprayed hempcrete
Earthen Endeavors - Plaster & Tadelakt
Performance Notes: The rectangle was near carbon neutral as modeled by the BEAM carbon accounting tool by BCA. If helical piers had been used instead of concrete piers the envelope would have been net carbon neutral. Very tight Blower door numbers for both cabins.
Troubles encountered: Meeting strict air tightness requirements is challenging for very small structures with higher surface-area-to-volume ratio than larger buildings. It was challenging working with a general contractor who did not appreciate natural building, natural builders and female builders.
Medium Projects
Kirby Nonagon
Project Lead: Rajika Timber Frames, Next Genesis Design
Type: Medium
Year Built: 2025
USHBA Region: 10
Location: Ashland,Oregon
Description/Materials: Cast in Place
The Nonagon is a 3,800 SF hempcrete structure that blends architectural innovation with deep craft. Designed in collaboration between Rjika and Next Genesis Design, it features a one-of-a-kind nine-sided timber frame with a double reciprocal roof forming a woven enneagram pattern. All exterior and interior walls are constructed with hemp-lime, demonstrating the material’s versatility, durability, insulative qualities, and ability to improve indoor air quality. Built as a celebration of craftsmanship, it stands as the largest permitted hempcrete building on the West Coast. For more information visit: www.nextgenesisdesign.com and scroll down to the Kirkby project page. If you click the education tab and scroll
down there are videos of the building process.
Partner Organization: Rjika Timber Frames
Next Genesis Design
Performance Notes: Executional in every way :)
Troubles encountered: All in all everything went smoothly for this build
..
Hemp Healthy Home
Project Lead: Keith and Katie Bien
Type: Medium
Year Built: 2025
USHBA Region: 4
Location: Wildwood, GA
Description/Materials: Hemp Blocks
This owner built, two story home was co-designed by ourselves and Hempblock International. It uses the HBI "load bearing system" with steel posts, and wooden beams. The roof is insulated with Hempwool Plus from Hempitecture, the exterior is covered with lime plaster, the interior walls with earthen plaster and clay paint. The floor of the lower level is poured adobe, and incorporates a radiant floor system. All domestic water is through a rainwater catchment system. The design includes a plan for solar hot water for both domestic use, and the radiant heat system, but has not yet been implemented.
Partner Organization: HempBlock International
Performance Notes: We had an overall great experience with the blocks during construction, and now enjoy low energy bills. Walls are rated r25, roof r33.
Troubles encountered: Every project has setbacks, but we experienced no major difficulties with the hemp , or other natural elements.
Hondo House
Project Lead: Tim White.
Type:Medium
Year Built: 2023
USHBA Region: 6
Location: Mason, Texas
Description/Materials:
2400 sqft Hemp-cast-in place for all walls, exterior and interior. No drywall, paint or caulk were used on the interior. Floors are Adobe not Concrete, reducing the carbon footprint of the building dramatically. Historic 3 coat Lime plaster with Lime wash for exterior plaster and American Clay earthen plaster for all interior walls. Construction time 10 months.
Partner Organization:
Performance Notes:
Troubles encountered: Remote building site.
Large Projects
Cape Cod Hemp House
Project Lead: Tom Rossmassler
Type: Large
Year Built: 2021
USHBA Region: 1
Location: Harwichport, MA
Framing/Structural System: Stick-frame
Description/Materials: The Cape Cod Hemp House is a 6,000 sf two-story single family home that is built as a net-zero energy and low embodied carbon home. Designed by Estes Twombly + Titrington Architects and with near zero petroleum and plastic, the home features 12" sprayed hemplime walls and hemplime lined basement walls and 17" of sprayed hemplime in the roofs. Hemplime was sprayed with the French Valkyrie sprayer and acheived 500sf per day on walls and 700sf per day on roofs. Hemplime consulting by Laurent Goudet and Kiko Thebaud with hemplime build by Hempstone. Finished on the interior walls and ceilings with lime plaster throughout with plaster program by Anthony Neron of DuChanvre and plastering by Earthen Endeavors and Doherty Plastering. Exteriors are finished with a lime p;aster air barrier and a rainscreen shingle-style cladding to match the surrounding Cape Cod vernacular. Other materials include foam-glass subgrade insulation, vaccum panel insulation, recycled denim acoustic batts, 15kW PV array, domestic eatern white cedar shingles, and Appalachian black locust decking.
Partner Organization: General Contractor: C.H. Newton Builders, Inc.
Plaster: Anthony Neron from DuChanvre & Liz Johndrow from Earthen Endeavors & Doherty Plastering
Hempcrete: Jennifer Martin, Navid Hatfield, Brian Poirier, Mark Rakowski, Angela Robins, Dana Feeney, Cameron McIntosh, Shelby Howland
Performance Notes: Blower Door sub 2.5ACH
Troubles encountered: Challenging beachfront site management with cold spring start on the ocean and ocean breezes requiring precautions for sprayed hemplime containment. Spraying hempcrete on the lined basement required air ventilation and controls for safety. Large structure required exterior plaster to be applied with a mortar pump (IMER) to manage time.
Spring Project
Project Lead: Tim White
Type: Large
Year Built: 2023
USHBA Region: 6
Location: Wimberly, Texas
Description/Materials: Hemp Blocks and Cast in place.
12-sided Timber frame with reciprocating Timber frame for the roof. Hemp cast-in-place and hemp blocks used for wall construction, exterior and interior walls. No drywall, paint or caulk was used on the interior. Floors are Adobe not Concrete, reducing the carbon footprint of the building dramatically. Historic 3 coat Lime plaster with Lime wash for exterior plaster and American Clay earthen plaster for all interior walls. Construction time 12 months.
Performance Notes: Too many windows.
Troubles encountered: Remote site.