I had long been intrigued by natural building, but when I first learned about Hemp-Lime, also known as Hempcrete, it sounded almost too good to be true. A material with an impressive insulation value and high thermal mass, exceedingly fire retardant, resistant to mold and pests, continuously breathing – providing moisture regulation and enhancing indoor air quality, all while sequestering carbon from the atmosphere. A veritable holy grail of building materials and perfectly suited to Colorado’s high desert environment, with its wide temperature swings, abundant sun, high winds, and ever increasing wildfire threat.

This was my first Hemp-Lime project, and I was involved from inception to move in. That level of immersion gave me a deep, personal understanding of the material. Hemp-Lime is made primarily of hemp hurd, the woody inner core of an industrial hemp stalk, combined with lime and water, often containing no cement at all. Versions of this material have been used for centuries, and in its modern form it has been a proven building material in Europe for decades. When this project began in 2022, Hemp-Lime was still a nascent industry in the US. I’m pleased to say that is changing, and every year it becomes easier to source materials and find experienced installers.

I’m even more pleased to report that it has lived up to every claim. Sitting at 8,000′, this thoughtfully designed passive home rarely needs supplemental heat and never requires cooling. A 6kW solar array produces nearly double the energy the all-electric home requires, and its monolithic walls handle windstorms with ease.

The property sits just ten minutes outside of town, yet feels genuinely remote. Wildlife abounds. Wildflowers fill the meadows from the first hints of spring through the last warmth of fall. Building in a location so beautifully wild is both a gift and a responsibility. Materials were kept as natural as possible, the footprint was minimized, and the disturbed area was rehabbed with native plants, because the landscape was always part of the design.