Building with Hemp Lime
Building with Hemp Lime is a two-day course held at Earthship Brighton. It is run in partnership with Brighton Permaculture Trust.
The next course date is:
- Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th June 2025
This course is suitable for anyone interested in learning about building with hemp lime. This is whether they are planning their own self-build project, are an architect or building contractor, or just wanting to explore how to use this low impact material. No prior knowledge is assumed. The course is suitable for complete beginners as well as those with some building experience.
The hemp lime course is spread over two days with a mixture of practical and theory sessions. To use hempcrete successfully, builders need to have a proper understanding of the materials as well as good practical skills. Hemp lime can be used for walls in new build houses as well as in refurbishment of existing homes. All equipment is provided for practical sessions.
Here's a recent review of the course:
"The instructors were friendly, knowledgeable and approachable. If you get a chance to do a course at the Earthship and/or UK Hempcrete, I'd certainly recommend it. You will have a great time and gain some useful, practical knowledge about building with sustainable construction materials." - Francis Hall, Grow Street Journal
The review is from an article that can be read in full at the Grow Street Journal.
About hemp lime
Hemp lime or Hempcrete is made by mixing lime with hemp 'shive' - the stalk or straw of the plant. The material has lots of benefits. Hemp locks up a lot of CO2 as it grows so embodying it into a building can make it a carbon store. Hemp-lime is vapour open or 'breathable'. This means that water vapour can pass through the material which helps buffer relative humidity in a house and improves indoor air quality. Hemp lime is a healthy natural material that can be used for new build or refurbishment.
Hemp lime tutor
The Building with Hemp Lime course is led by Alex Sparrow, a director of Hemp-Lime Construct, a UK company specialising in the use of hempcrete alongside other natural building materials. Alex has been building with hempcrete since 2008 and provides consultancy and training to other builders, home owners and architects, as well as regularly speaking about the material at public events and writing on the subject. Alex is a co-author of the definitive guide to using this innovative, better-than-zero-carbon building material, The Hempcrete Book: Designing and building with hemp-lime.
