Nick Voase, a farmer in Baswick in East Yorkshire, has created a green home from a crop that he grew himself.
Mr. Voase has been growing hemp since flooding damaged his potato crop. He has constructed a home from processed hemp, and this was made possible when police granted him permission. Builders in Chester always look to using innovative materials for ecological reasons, but the legal position of hemp means that it’s not a practical material for professionals. Mr. Voase explained his use of hemp as a building material to the Yorkshire Post, sating:
“We knew that hemp can be mixed with a lime mortar to build properties which are really well insulated and breathable.”
However, the experiment with hemp has not been without its setbacks. About six years ago, the crop, which had been harvested, caught fire, but Mr. Voase was fortunately covered by an insurance policy.
The hemp is now processed on the farm, using specialised equipment. The machine in question has the capacity to break up the straw; the core is separated from the external fibre and the two materials can be utilised for different functions.
An eco-house was built using the crop two years ago. Other features of the home are its biomass boiler and under floor heating. It has been reported that the property benefits from a system of heat recovery. This should be economic and it could have a positive environmental effect. As a whole, the property has a low carbon footprint.
