Meeting Decarbonization Goals with an Efficient Low-Embodied Bio-Composite

Kiko Thébaud
Proposal Status
Ready for Committee Review
Username
Kiko Thebaud
Proposer First Name
Kiko
Proposer Email
kikothebaud@gmail.com
Proposer Last Name
Thebaud
Proposer Phone
(339) 222-4485
Proposer Job Title
Principal
Proposer Additional Info
I participated in a NESEA tour last year as a presenter at the capecodhemphouse.com
Proposed Session Description
Hemp-lime is a climate-change-fighting bio-composite insulation used in renovation, preservation, and new building construction. Also known as hempcrete, this eco-friendly non-load-bearing material has important advantages over other types of insulating material: • Significantly reduces heating/cooling loads, • Improves Indoor Air Quality, • Efficiently manages transfer of water vapor, • Regulates interior humidity level, • Is acoustically absorptive, and mold-, pest-, and fire-resistant,
Why is this session important?
This session is important because, hemp-lime as a low-embodied material with seriously proven energy reduction capability, is used successfully in multiple countries and can similarly assist New York City in reducing its carbon emission goals by 40 percent by 2030. Because architects have historically resisted this material, they now need to be made aware of the importance of paying serious attention to it. The concretization of these facts will significantly impact the likelihood that the International Code Council accelerates the inclusion of hemp-lime into the International Building Code in the 2027 edition.

Comments

Tommaso Bitossi Wed, 05/10/2023 - 9:37 pm

YES - but I would suggest the speaker to add 1 key element not mentioned in this proposal: if we had to insulate all the buildings in new york city with hemp-lime...how many acres of plantation would we need? Would we have enough space to grow this material? Would this space replace other key plantations necessary for our food production? Can hemp-lime really be one of the key solutions towards our decarbonization, or will it be another material with a very high potential which won't be able to be unlocked because of its incapability of keeping up with a decarbonization process that needs to happen now? Not sure how this would qualify in the category 'energy production and storage'.

Sara Bayer Mon, 05/22/2023 - 10:53 am

YES! They should address the question of land use in growing the hemp, as Tommaso indicates.  We do not want forests cut down to plant hemp. Where does the lime come from?  How safe is it to work with? What is the capabilities of our current work force to adapt to this? How does it fit exactly into our Northeast market?

Ben Sachs-Hamilton Thu, 05/25/2023 - 10:41 am

Round 1 discussion:- how many acres of the plantation would we need?- Would we have enough space to grow this material?- Aidan would like to review this one

Aidan Mayer Mon, 06/12/2023 - 8:46 am

Round 2: Yes!This session is unique, inspiring, and ready to dive deep into any possible detail surrounding hemp as a building material. My talk with both Dr. Tom and Kiko was excellent, and I am confident that this will be an excellent session for the conference.Both presenters have made a career of educating, designing, and researching hemp-lime composites and were beyond prepared to share with me answers to any question. They have also presented together before, and multiple times on their own (I saw some YouTube videos of Tom). Before I go into some of the questions from above, here is the structure they imagine:1. They would like to increase the session to 90 minutes, and I agree, to make room for more information2. Info on the history, science, and applicability of hemp-lime3. How it can be applied in NYC3. Three case studies of buildings they have worked on with similar typologies to NYC5. Questions/hand-held interaction with various versions of materialsThe two of them shared a passion and truly want to be at this conference to express the need of considering out materials and decarbonization. The feel that, "The world needs to know!" and I admired that about them.As for the questions about the session, Kiko made it very clear to me that he regretted submitting the proposal so last minute and wanted to include much more. So, when I brough up the questions he was prepared and had some very interesting answers. First, he has spent time growing hemp himself and learning how the cultivation works in various regions. He has found that it is extremely versatile and capable of growing just about anywhere. Historically, and especially in Europe currently, hemp is used as a rotational crop (3-4 years, plant, and repeat) that farmers are constantly growing. This creates a stock of product that is just waiting for the construction industry to utilize. To bring it home, they will discuss largely on the building stock in NYC, and the number of buildings that are "hemp-ready". Kiko brough up how he is working through some information to be able to have some facts on a typical NYC block and what number of buildings could transition, how much hemp it would take, and how much carbon savings there would be.In terms of concerns, I am wondering if having products with them to pass around and talk about is even possible. This is something that I feel would be very beneficial, except I understand there is a concern for these sessions to turn into a product-specific info session. However, in this case I think it would be acceptable as they will be talking very broadly about the science and need for a material such as this one, and not trying to sell a specific brand. Apart from that, I think this session is fantastic. Dr. Tom will be able to attend from the UK and Kiko will be there as well. They are very excited, passionate, and well-practiced speakers so I feel this session will be entertaining and inspiring. 

Diversity and Inclusiveness
Professor Woolley is an advocate for equal and decent housing for all. He has designed and participated in social housing projects in the United Kingdom. Kiko Thébaud was born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He has worked in low-cost housing construction in Port-au-Prince. After the devasting earthquake in Haiti in 2010, he returned with a proposal for low cost, earthquake safe ecological housing. The speakers intend to discuss and illustrate a social housing project in Europe during the case studies portion of their session that will address how equity, diversity, and inclusion were implemented, as well as the well-being and economic savings of hemp-lime.
Learning Objectives
Participants will walk away understanding that hemp-lime is an important contributor to the circular economy
A direct way to decarbonize the building process with a low embodied insulation
Can significantly reduce both heating and cooling loads
Improves the IAQ and occupant comfort
Has this session been presented before?
No
Additional Comments
In addition to these key attributes, it is the only insulation on the market that checks all the boxes for locking up carbon, is low in embodied energy, made with no fossil fuel materials, and does not use fossil fuel-based materials in its wall assembly. Moreover, it does not contribute to landfills, is recyclable, and non-toxic, and therefore has a low impact Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Industrial hemp is one of the few crops that can feed, clothe, and shelter us – and be grown globally; no other crop can match its list of uses. Hemp-lime is created in part from hemp hurd. Hemp is a rapidly renewable sustainable material, locking in over 6 tons or more of carbon per acre. While the processing of limestone to make the lime binder requires significant energy, the lime portion of the mix absorbs free carbon from the atmosphere as it cures, which results in an insulation that has an overall negative carbon footprint. As a hygroscopic and vapor permeable insulation, hemp-lime can be cast into a construction frame, made into blocks, panels, or sprayed onto a masonry wall. Additionally, as a hygrothermal material with low thermal conductivity, hemp-lime can buffer significant amounts of moisture, remain stable temperature-wise, and is not susceptible to interior temperature swing variations like other types of insulation. It has a high thermal mass (or thermal inertia) compared to other insulations, meaning it can store large amounts of thermal energy and has thermodynamic properties that dampen or stabilize the interior temperature and improve relative humidity of interiors over time. During the winter, hemp-lime stores the energy from heated spaces (as in specific heat), providing indoor relative humidity within the optimal range of 40-60% relative humidity thanks to its moisture buffering capacity. During the summer, due to its low thermal conductivity, the interior temperature of the bio-composite material remains stable while releasing humidity into the interior keeping it cool. Hempcrete buildings provide excellent IAQ both by regulating humidity, and also because they are free of hazardous chemical emissions. Due to its vapor permeable characteristics, occupants of hempcrete buildings comment positively on its excellent indoor climate. In the European context, hemp-lime has tested favorably for its reaction and resistance to fire. In the U.S. context, it has passed the ASTM E84 and the ASTM E119 without the non-combustible lime plaster finish layers. Hemp-lime’s acoustic attributes are particularly beneficial in urban settings. We will introduce 5-7 case studies (multi-family or commercial buildings 6-12 stories) in England, France, Italy, and South Africa.
Target Audiences Level of Expertise
Level 1 - No prior knowledge needed.

NYC 2023 Areas of Focus

Recommended Length
60-minute session

Strongest Content Connection - NYC 2023

Comments about your speaker roster
Kiko Thébaud was the project instigator for the capecodhemphouse.com, the first fully (roof and walls) sprayed hemp-lime residence in the United States. He has participated in hemp-lime construction projects in several countries. He received hemp-lime training for architects at the Ecole Nationale de Chanvre (National Hemp School) in Mende, Lozère, France. He received his Master of Architecture in Urban Design from Harvard University. Professor Dr. Tom Woolley is the author of numerous books including: Natural Building Techniques Guide to Thermal Insulation Materials Building Materials and Health Low Impact Building Natural Building Hemp Lime Construction
Anything else you'd like to tell us about your session proposal?
The strongest area of focus: Energy Reductions
Reviewer 1
Bayer, Sara
Reviewer 2
Mayer, Aidan
Proposal #
157
Committee Decision
Merged

Presenters