Yorkshire playing a key role as hemp takes centre stage in sustainable building design
The design and construction of buildings is being transformed. As the urgency of the climate crisis grows, sustainability has become a non-negotiable element of modern building practices.
Whilst operational carbon emissions from heating, cooling, and lighting buildings have long been in the spotlight, embodied carbon is now receiving equal attention.
Embodied carbon refers to the greenhouse gas emissions generated throughout a building’s lifecycle - particularly during the manufacture, transport, installation, and disposal of construction materials.
Accounting for 11 per cent of global emissions, embodied carbon makes up a significant part of the overall 40 per cent of emissions that buildings are responsible for.
Addressing embodied carbon starts with smarter design choices and turning to local natural materials.
In Yorkshire, industrial hemp production is prominent and offers many advantages.
Natural materials like hempcrete - a bio-composite building material made from the woody core of the hemp plant and a lime-based binder - offer compelling benefits. It is biodegradable, renewable, and requires less processing and transportation, dramatically cutting down on carbon emissions. Materials like hemp also promote healthier indoor environments by improving air quality and regulating humidity.
Hemp is a fast-growing, low-input crop that requires little to no pesticide use and minimal fertiliser. It is already moving from niche projects into large-scale housing developments.
Yorkshire is emerging as one of the UK’s most important hubs for industrial hemp production. It is already well-known for innovative businesses like Harrison Spinks, which uses hemp fibres in its luxury beds. The country’s only two hemp processing plants are based here, giving Yorkshire a unique position in the supply chain.
This locally grown hemp is not only versatile but highly sustainable, as one hectare can absorb between eight and 15 tonnes of CO2 annually.
Despite its promise, the widespread adoption of natural materials like hemp in the construction
industry faces hurdles. Concerns around durability, compliance, insurance, and skilled labour persist.
Some mortgage providers view these materials as non-standard, creating additional barriers to widespread adoption.
However, increased education and policy changes are making it easier for the material to reach its full potential. For Yorkshire farmers, for example, new changes this year meant industrial hemp licences are valid for six years instead of three, with fewer restrictions on where the crop can be grown. This ultimately helps meet rising demand.
One of the biggest myths is that sustainable buildings are expensive or aesthetically compromised. In truth, while natural materials might have a higher upfront cost – about 10 per cent more in general – it is offset over time through energy savings, better performance, and longer lifecycle efficiency.
More research is needed into new hemp varieties and processing techniques, and greater collaboration between farmers, processors, and builders. But Yorkshire is well-placed to lead the UK in scaling up hempcrete for mainstream construction, and the challenge now lies in raising awareness, standardising regulations, and building investor confidence. As the climate clock ticks, making responsible choices in construction is not just good practice; it is a global imperative.
Malcolm Birks is head of design at Rural Solutions