JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — Hemp is a material most people may not realize can be used for building a house. A local construction company is building the first hempcrete home in Jefferson County, with the homeowners eager to inspire others to ‘think outside the box.’
Darren and Sarah Straus are the new homeowners who said they try to be as environmentally conscious as possible. They learned about hempcrete over a decade ago and thought this material would be the best to create a safe and sustainable home.
“It seemed like a no-brainer to build a house. If we’re going to build a house, to use a product like that, and it’s also something we were really looking forward to getting our hands dirty with. It’s something that we can help participate in without really having any skills in the construction trade, but it’s something we’ve been helping out with, and we’ll continue to work on together with the rest of the team as we build the house,” Darren Straus said.
As exciting as it is to watch their new home be built, the Straus’ have been part of the build, helping with the installation of the hempcrete. Not only has this been a new learning experience, but they hope it will inspire others in the community to follow in their footsteps and use alternative construction materials…