We are delighted to celebrate Americhanvre for their groundbreaking accomplishment in the hemp building sector! On July 9th, 2024, Americhanvre conducted the United States’ inaugural full-scale ASTM E119 fire resistance test on a hempcrete wall sample at Intertek in York, PA. This significant achievement not only validates hempcrete as a safe and eco-friendly building material but also represents a significant advancement for the industry as a whole.

The tested wall section was constructed with twelve inches of Ereasy Spray Applied Hempcrete around a central frame, featuring lime plaster on both the interior (exposure) and exterior sides. During the test, the wall was exposed to 1700-degree Fahrenheit heat for sixty minutes while under load, followed by a hose stream test. Impressively, the sample withstood the extreme heat and the subsequent hose stream test, earning a one-hour fire resistance rating.

The results confirm a widely held belief in the hemp building community regarding the exceptional fire resistance of well-constructed hempcrete homes. Drawing on data from colleagues and tests in Europe, this test provides definitive proof of the Ereasy hempcrete system’s performance in the U.S. construction market. Observing how the exterior side of the panel maintained ambient temperature despite intense heat was particularly compelling, highlighting the material’s potential impact across the industry.

Read Americhanvre’s Full Press Release.

We applaud Americhanvre for their well deserved success! This accomplishment is a major victory for sustainable construction and heralds a bright future for hemp-based building materials!