Photo by Steveconcerto via flickr
In an upper-class neighborhood of Asheville, NC, the first Hemp House in the U.S. has been built by Plush Designs, putting a whole new perspective on high class living. “We heard that we could have a really great neighborhood party if it ever caught on fire,” jokes Karen Korp with CNN in this video about her and husband Russ Martin’s new home.
A renewable hemp-based material called Hemcrete was used in the construction of the house, as well as other green features, such as energy-saving components on the interior walls.
Made from hemp, water and lime, Hempcrete is a sustainable and breathable material that purifies the air and insulates the living space. Naturally, it works as an air filter, purifying the air, and keeping toxicity levels low. Inside the 3400-sqf home, the walls and doors are made from recycled paper, which like Hempcrete, help with insulation.
To reduce their use of grid electricity, homeowners Russ Martin and Karen Korp, also installed energy saving light fixtures to further reduce their use of electricity.
Though the house was built on Town Mountain Road – one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Asheville, NC – the cost to build it was only $133 per square foot, crunching the ever-expanding gap between upper and middle-class homebuyers interested in a more sustainable dwelling.
“I think that it’s really the wave of the future in looking at using renewable and recyclable materials that are a lot healthier, better for the environment and certainly for living,” say Karen Korp.
Watch the Video HERE!
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[...] found in nature – used for a wide variety of necessities, such medicinal purposes, clothing, housing, nutrition, paper, cordage, fuel and now thanks to an Alberta-based group in Canada, [...]