WHY HEMP?

Bio-construction — also known as green building or bio-architecture — means designing and building with minimal environmental impact across the entire life cycle. It’s about using resources wisely and keeping pollution as low as possible.

A genuine bio-based product must be safe for both the people who install it and those who live or work inside.

Edilcanapa meets every one of these standards. Our hemp-lime systems create healthy, comfortable indoor environments while dramatically reducing the building’s footprint through excellent energy efficiency and complete biodegradability.

Today, many health issues are linked to environmental pollution. Since we spend around 90% of our time indoors, indoor air quality has become a major concern.

Research clearly shows that poor indoor air increases the risk of allergies, infections, and even certain cancers. The World Health Organization recognises “Sick Building Syndrome,” triggered by poor ventilation, dampness, mould, and chemical emissions from conventional materials.

In many buildings, indoor air is actually more polluted than the air outside.

Edilcanapa hemp-lime systems help solve this by:

• Releasing zero harmful substances
• Being 100% natural
• Acting as natural antiseptics with excellent vapour permeability
• Preventing condensation and stopping mould, fungi, and bacteria before they start
• Delivering noticeably cleaner, healthier indoor air

Specifiers and architects increasingly demand materials that guarantee healthy indoor environments. 100% natural, plant-based fibres deliver the perfect combination of breathability, thermal comfort, and energy efficiency.

We chose hemp hurd (the woody core of the plant) for good reason. Its unique honeycomb structure gives outstanding vapour permeability, high thermal mass, durability, and flexibility.

These natural properties make our products:

• Highly effective thermal and acoustic insulators
• Excellent at regulating moisture and resisting mould
• Naturally pest-resistant (including rodents)
• Well-suited for seismic zones

Hemp hurd forms the inert aggregate, while natural hydraulic lime serves as the main binder.

The two materials complement each other perfectly. The unique cellular structure of hemp combines with the hydraulic setting properties of natural hydraulic lime to create a high-performance composite with outstanding integrated characteristics.

Natural hydraulic lime not only binds and hardens the mix effectively, but also brings important benefits: natural antimicrobial and antiseptic properties, protection against rodents and insects, and reliable fire resistance.

Thanks to its balanced composition, our natural hydraulic lime offers superior performance in challenging environments. It provides excellent resistance to weathering, performs exceptionally well in saline and coastal areas, and maintains strong setting and hardening properties even at low temperatures.

Through the hydration and mineralisation process, the cured hemp-lime material becomes structurally robust, yet remarkably lightweight and ductile — delivering a flexible, breathable, and durable solution ideal for healthy, long-lasting bio-construction.

The demand for bio-construction and truly sustainable building solutions is growing rapidly. Sustainability has become a top priority for the majority of construction projects and industry professionals.

Buildings account for approximately 30% of global final energy consumption and around 26–34% of energy-related CO₂ emissions. This is why energy efficiency in the built environment is no longer optional — it is essential.

Since 2021, European and Italian regulations have required new buildings to meet strict Nearly Zero-Energy Building (NZEB) standards, focusing on a high-performance thermal envelope, efficient systems, and on-site renewable energy.

Now, the EU Green Deal’s “Green Homes Directive” (recast EPBD 2024) is raising the bar even higher. It introduces the new Zero Emission Building (ZEB) standard, which replaces the previous NZEB approach.

Under this directive:

• All new public buildings must be Zero Emission Buildings from 1 January 2028
• All new buildings (public and private) must meet the ZEB standard from 1 January 2030

A Zero Emission Building is defined as a highly energy-efficient structure with zero on-site fossil fuel emissions and very low operational greenhouse gas emissions overall.

Our hemp-lime solutions play a key role in achieving these demanding standards. They contribute to an excellent thermal envelope by controlling heat loss, effectively managing moisture, and significantly reducing the need for heating and cooling — helping buildings meet both current NZEB requirements and the future ZEB targets.