Hemp lime bio-composite in construction: A study into the performance and application of hemp lime bio-composite as a construction material in Ireland

This paper presents the outcome of a scoping study carried out under the Irish Environmental Protection Agency STRIVE research funding programme into the potential application of hemp lime as a building material in Ireland. The study collated a growing body of international research on hemp lime and its increasing application in construction, and summarised this in terms of the materials properties and performance in relation to standards and requirements for construction application in Ireland. This paper examines the materials application in construction, summarises the known material performances, and limitations in cross comparison of same, and presents a comparison of life cycle data for a hemp lime wall, based on a French study, and a traditional form of construction in Ireland, partial fill cavity wall construction, based on elemental European data, undertaken by the authors. Key advantages of the bio-composite were found to be its carbon sequestration capacity, (which had important impacts on the materials Global Warming Potential), its thermal performance, especially in dynamic terms with studies indicating favourable decrement delay resulting in stabilisation of temperature, and important hygroscopic properties which can have positive effects on relative humidity stability.