Hemp helps France claim world’s first carbon-negative building

In France, architecture firm lemoal lemoal has built what it claims to be the world’s first carbon-negative building, thanks in large part to the carbon-sequestering power of hemp. 

The 4,000 square foot Pierre Chevet sports hall in Croissy-Beaubourg was constructed using Hempcrete, a construction alternative that incorporates fast-growing, water-efficient hemp and has advantageous insulation, acoustic and fire-resistant properties. 

lemoal lemoal tells Dezeen that convincing clients to use the more rustic-looking hempcrete was the biggest challenge, but that the firm was able to sell them on the energy savings. “Numerous studies estimate that hemp is one of the best CO₂-to-biomass converters. It’s even more effective than trees. Industrial hemp absorbs between 8 to 15 tonnes of CO₂ per hectare of cultivation,” researcher Darshil Shah the Centre for Natural Material Innovation at Cambridge tells Hemp Industry Daily.

Construction materials account for just over 10% of global carbon emissions.