At Perennial Building, we know the decisions we make about the built environment have a lasting impact on health, equity, community and the environment. Because of this, we focus on how to build healthy homes that are better for the environment, how to build lasting quality, and how to build more affordably so it's within the reach of many and not just a few. We do this mainly by building with Hempcrete. Hempcrete construction is a natural, sustainable way of building, made from hemp hurd (chopped up stalk of the industrial hemp plant) and a natural lime based binder. Hempcrete provides the envelope (walls, floor, roof) of a wood framed structure and takes the place of traditional insulation. It can be cast-in-place, spray applied, installed as bricks or panelized. Hempcrete can be finished in a variety of ways including plaster, wood, brick, stone or any other natural vapor permeable material. Hempcrete has the following advantages over traditional construction: • Hemp is a highly renewable resource. • Hempcrete is a “carbon-negative” material meaning more carbon is taken out of the atmosphere by the growth of the hemp plant than is emitted as a result of its production and application on site. • It’s natural and non-toxic. • It provides great soundproofing due to its acoustical properties. • Hemp is hygroscopic meaning it absorbs and releases moisture in the air at a rate that maintains the ideal interior average humidity levels between 40% to 60% • It regulates air quality. • It maintains a steady interior temperature due to the thermal mass properties of the material which reduces heating and cooling costs. • Hemp can be finished with many different materials such as lime render & plaster, wood, stone and brick to accommodate the homeowner’s preferred aesthetic. • It’s fireproof and earthquake resistant. • It’s pest, rodent, mold and rot resistant.