Podlaskie Konopie is a family-owned company from Poland, which has been growing fibre hemp near Białystok city since 2013 and processing hemp into raw materials used, among other things, in construction.
The company handles the entire production cycle of fibre hemp – from cultivation and harvesting to processing the stems into fibre and shives.

The material known as hempcrete is a mixture of hemp shives, lime and water – an ecological alternative to traditional, high-emission building materials. Podlaskie Konopie produces shives for hempcrete mixtures and fibre for insulation materials. The company is currently working on its own chipboard made from hemp shives and bedding for small pets (e.g. guinea pigs, hamsters, birds) made from hemp shives.

Hemp is a natural, renewable and minimally processed raw material with a low carbon footprint.
The use of the entire hemp plant (shives and fibres) reduces agricultural waste. 
Studies show that such plant materials can store more CO₂ in the long term than they emit during production.
A mixture of hemp shives, lime and water, known as hempcrete, is a vapour-permeable material — it allows walls made of it to ‘breathe’, which regulates indoor humidity, prevents water vapour condensation and mould growth. 
In addition, it provides good thermal and acoustic insulation: hemp houses effectively retain heat in winter and protect against overheating in summer, as well as dampening noise. 

Waste reduction and the zero waste principle
The use of straw, i.e. the woody parts of stems, which are often treated as waste in agriculture, is a practical application of the zero waste principle.

Education and awareness building — transfer of knowledge and skills

Podlaskie Konopie independently constructed its own show house from hempcrete, which allowed it to gain practical experience. Currently, the building is used for training courses on building houses from hempcrete, supporting the development of sustainable construction in Poland and promoting good standards rather than one-off experiments.
The success of natural construction lies in attention to detail and the correct application of technology. To avoid mistakes, Podlaskie Konopie provides consulting services, conducts training and assists contractors in this area.

How to use hempcrete in practice — conditions and key tips
•    Frame construction: a hemp wall does not serve a load-bearing function; hempcrete is usually used as infill for a timber or steel structure, which should be planned at the design stage.
•    To maintain the vapour-permeable properties of the wall, natural lime plaster is used on the outside and natural lime or clay plaster on the inside.
•    Drying time and technique: after pouring/filling with the hemp mixture, the material needs time to dry — the process should not be accelerated (e.g. by artificial heating or forced ventilation) in order not to disturb its insulating and structural properties.
•    Climate suitability: hempcrete works particularly well in temperate climates — natural humidity and temperature regulation are advantages in regions such as Central and Southern Europe.

Construction hemp in the context of sustainable development

•    They reduce dependence on conventional, high-emission building materials (cement, concrete, polystyrene, mineral wool).
•    They use renewable raw materials, often treated as waste (straw), which is in line with the idea of a circular economy.
•    They promote healthy construction — friendly to residents (microclimate, no toxins, good insulation) and at the same time environmentally friendly.
•    They support local farms, agriculture and local industry, which is of socio-economic importance, especially in rural areas.

https://podlaskiekonopie.pl/

Direct SDG

SDG 3 – Good health and well-being
SDG 7 – Affordable and clean energy
SDG 9 – Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Indirect SDGs 
SDG 11 – Sustainable cities and communities
SDG 12 – Responsible consumption and production
SDG 13 – Climate action
SDG 15 – Life on land
 

SDG 3
- Hemp as a building material is non-toxic and free from synthetic chemicals.
- Hempcrete walls regulate humidity and prevent mould growth.
- No harmful emissions → healthier microclimate in buildings.

SDG 7
- Hemp houses have high thermal insulation, which reduces energy consumption for heating/cooling.
- In the long term, this contributes to a reduction in CO₂ emissions and operating costs.
SDG 9
- development of modern technologies using hemp fibre (hempcrete, hemp boards, insulation)
- example of implementing biomaterial innovations in construction and industry
SDG 11
- natural construction supports the development of environmentally friendly cities
- residents can use eco-friendly materials themselves when building/thermally upgrading their homes
- it is a viable alternative to concrete, polystyrene and mineral wool
SDG 12
- Hemp is an annual plant and a renewable material.
- Shives, which were often considered agricultural waste, are gaining a second life in construction.
- At the end of its life cycle, this building material is biodegradable and compostable.
SDG 13
- Hemp absorbs more CO₂ than it emits during growth and processing.
- Hempcrete can store carbon throughout the entire life cycle of a building.
- Reduction of emissions associated with the production of cement and synthetic building materials.
SDG 15
- Hemp cultivation requires little chemical treatment and limits the use of herbicides.
- The plant grows quickly and suppresses weeds → improves soil quality and structure.

What are the advantages of hemp construction over traditional construction?
What are the health benefits of walls built from hempcrete?
What is the composition of hempcrete?

Hemp has been used in industry, including construction, for thousands of years. However, due to the narcotic properties of some varieties of hemp, even the cultivation of fibre hemp used in industry requires a special permit and is subject to state control.

Piotr Znaniecki, Fundacja SocLab, Polska
Fundacja SocLab, Białystok, Polska