GICA: How are your hemp products produced?
CANNABAU: There are different kinds of industrial hemp construction products, such as fiber-based wools or mats.
For Hempcrete, we take hemp shives and mix them with a lime-based composition. Then, we mold and compress the material to its final dimensions, remove the form, and store the wet Hempcrete blocks for drying. After about two weeks, we palletize the material.
GICA: What makes CannaBau products unique in the market?
CANNABAU: Hempcrete is not our invention, but we aim to be the first in the German market to receive certification from local authorities.
Additionally, our product dimensions are specified according to German construction standards.
GICA: What inspired the founding of CannaBau?
I first encountered Hempcrete while studying and was always looking for an entrepreneurial venture that could benefit everyone
CANNABAU: I first encountered Hempcrete while studying and was always looking for an entrepreneurial venture that could benefit everyone. Meeting my business partner and “Hempcrete Guru” Roger Dauer solidified this path for me. After researching the material, its performance, and its environmental benefits, I knew it was the right direction.
GICA: How has CannaBau grown since it started?
CANNABAU: After meeting Roger Dauer in 2019, we developed and built our own prototype machine, which allowed us to operate a small manufactory in the Umweltbildungszentrum Treptow-Köpenick for a year. We produced around 1,000 blocks there and installed some at the CRCLR House Impact Hub Berlin in Neukölln.
Later, we decided to scale up to industrial production and certify our products according to German construction regulations, opening doors to the mainstream market and public construction projects.
We are now based at .GUT and looking for funding and a CFO to start small-scale manufacturing in Tegel.
GICA: Can you explain the benefits of your hemp-based products? Why did you choose to work with hemp?
Industrial hemp is one of the fastest-growing and oldest cultivated crops with over 50,000 industrial applications
CANNABAU: Industrial hemp is one of the fastest-growing and oldest cultivated crops. It has over 50,000 industrial applications, requires less water than crops like cotton, and doesn’t need fertilizers or pesticides.
Hemp absorbs a lot of CO2, about 22 tons per hectare, and regenerates the soil. The hemp shive, the inner wooden core of the plant, is highly porous, making it excellent for sustainable construction insulation.
It can absorb five times its weight in water and release it. We bind this material with a lime-based composition.
GICA: How do your hemp building materials help in reducing carbon emissions and construction waste?
Hempcrete can store up to 110 kg of CO2 per cubic meter
CANNABAU: Cultivating and processing hemp uses less primary energy. The plant biomass stores a lot of carbon, which is preserved in the construction for a long time. Hempcrete can store up to 110 kg of CO2 per cubic meter. Its thermal performance improves building energy efficiency, reducing the need for heating and cooling. Additionally, 10% of old material can be reused in new production, provided it is cleanly separated during dismantling.
GICA: Can you describe any important partnerships or collaborations, and how have these contributed to your success?
CANNABAU: We are founding members of the German “Hanfbaukollektiv” and members of Nutzhanf Netzwerk e.V.
We collaborate on R&D proposals with German institutions and held the first Hempcrete workshop this year at TU Berlin and the Natural Building Lab. Along with the Hanfbaukollektiv, we have realized many Hempcrete constructions in Germany.
we have realized many Hempcrete constructions in Germany
GICA: How does CannaBau lead by example in the hemp industry?
CANNABAU: We are the first small German company applying for material certification for Hempcrete products to scale up in the public sector. We’ve done significant public relations work, including seminars and workshops, to popularize this material in Germany.
GICA: What are CannaBau’s short-term and long-term goals?
CANNABAU: Short-term: Establish a small manufactory for Hempcrete blocks in Tegel with a minor certificate. Long-term: Develop a fully automated production facility with higher output and major certification, enabling our material to be used as insulation.
the future of sustainable construction with hemp
GICA: What is your vision for the future of sustainable construction with hemp?
CANNABAU: Our vision is to build the first multi-story residential building in Berlin and renovate existing buildings using Hempcrete.
GICA: Ideally, what resources do you still need now?
CANNABAU: We need a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to help finalize our business plan for submission to Investitionsbank Berlin. We’re already in contact with them and awaiting their proposal.
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