Australia’s hemp building sector continues to strengthen, with growing adoption of hempcrete across residential and commercial projects. A recent iHemp NSW webinar brought together designers, manufacturers, builders and homeowners to share practical insights from across the industry.
Speakers included Kirsty Wulf (Shelter Building Design), Klara Marosszeky (Australian Hemp Masonry Company), Harrison Marsh (Otetto), and Narara Ecovillage residents Megan and Donna.
Key takeaways
- Industry growth: Hemp construction has evolved from early owner-builder projects into professionally delivered builds, with increasing confidence in performance, particularly for thermal efficiency and bushfire resilience.
- Supply chain challenges: While over 250 hemp homes have been supported in Australia, limited domestic processing means some reliance on imported hurd. Strengthening local supply remains a priority.
- System innovation: A range of systems are emerging, including in-situ hempcrete, panels, blocks and spray applications. Prefabricated panels are improving build speed and scalability.
- Standards progress: Work is underway to formalise hempcrete within Australian Standards and the National Construction Code, supporting broader adoption.
- Lived experience: Homeowners highlighted comfort, acoustics and design flexibility, reinforcing hemp’s value beyond sustainability metrics.
The webinar concluded with practical discussion on common topics such as render cracking, structural systems, wet areas and retrofit applications.
Watch the recording
Zoom passcode: qZ.H5=WA
This session reinforces a clear trend: hemp building in Australia is transitioning from niche to mainstream, with continued collaboration and local industry development key to its growth.
Gallery – Building the Future with Hemp – iHemp NSW Webinar Recap
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