In the course of making ZAHP! And also starting my own project, MAP, I have spent a good deal of time investigating viable options for alternative building materials. My favorite one thus far is hempcrete, and for this reason I reached out to Kirby Hancock. Kirby is an architect working with Think Tank Architects of Bozeman, and is also the founder of a company called Transformative Ecologies. Recently Kirby collaborated with the Montana Farmer’s Union and MSU to experiment with Hempcrete, which is what drew me to seek out an interview with him. Hempcrete is a mix of hemp stalks and lime that can be used as a building material. In this conversation we talk about some barriers to the use of hemp building products in our state, from lack of processing facilities to lack of sufficient testing and conventional use. We also cover a few other bonus topics so if you’re interested in alternative materials, don’t miss this interview!

https://www.transformativeecologies.com/

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