New eco-friendly Israeli home, built from hemp
[Nov 19, 2021: The Brighter Side of News]
With just under 650 square feet of solar panels, the house has sufficient power for it’s eight inhabitants, as well as two electric cars. (CREDIT: Tav Group)
In the artist village of Ein Hod, Israel, Yoki and Danielle constructed an environmentally friendly house with help from an unusual and entirely compostable material found in the cannabis family - hemp.
The environmentally conscious structure was designed by Haifa-based studio Tav Group.
The ground floor facade is constructed from local stone found only during the excavation of the site. In lieu of concrete, the upper level is formed using a mixture of hydraulic lime and cannabis — or hempcrete. This material is not only a light-weight, organic alternative to cement but also provides insulation for the home. Natural-based plaster and rammed earth walls line the interior, topped with a wood beam ceiling. The ecological elements go beyond just the structure itself with solar panels, passive air conditioning, and a rainwater collection system.
“If anything will happen to the house, it will naturally be absorbed into the earth, like us,” Yoki told reporters.
The structure was designed with a concrete-like substance known as “hempcrete,” a building material made out of hemp, lime, and water.
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Hempcrete has unique thermal retention properties, allowing the home to maintain comfortable temperatures year-round without the use of air conditioning.
The house also makes use of the surrounding environment to keep cool, with windows facing the ocean to capture gusts, and an area which acts as a wind chimney to provide ventilation.
Rainwater is conserved by the couple for household use, gas produced from organic composting is leveraged for cooking, and solar panels provide the home’s electricity.
With just under 650 square feet of solar panels, the house has sufficient power for it’s eight inhabitants, as well as two electric cars.
While the costs of constructing a hemp house are around 20 percent higher than those of a conventional home, much of this is offset by the amount saved on utilities.
Yoki explained that his switch to a more sustainable lifestyle cut household costs by around $600 a month.
“I hope that people will see this, and understand how easy it is, and how cost effective it is, to live this type of lifestyle.”
For more green news stories check out our Green Impact section at The Brighter Side of News.
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Tags: #Green_News, #New_Innoavtions, #Materials, #Hemp, #Eco_Friendly, #House, #Solar_Panels, #The_Brighter_Side_of_News
