for Climate Action

LEADER PROFILE

Chris Magwood: Plant-based hemp materials can solve climate change

What do you do?

On the research side, I produce the books, guides and other materials that we hope will help people make the best possible building decisions. These days, much of the research is focused on the carbon footprint of building materials, and how plant-based materials can help to reverse the effects of climate change. On the program side, I help design and instruct the courses we offer, including our new online Hempcrete Masterclass.

What most interests you about hemp and hemp building, and why?

I was contacted by a nearby farmer who started growing hemp as soon as it became legal in Canada, in 1998. I immediately saw the hemp straw bales he was producing as an ideal option for straw bale building, and made quite a few buildings with these bales. The fiber and hurd – separately or together – had some remarkable properties and we began chopping up the stalks in the bales to make early versions of hempcrete and hemp plaster.

I really like the notion that a single plant can potentially provide food, textiles and building material, while performing some great ecosystem services like sequestering carbon in the soil. Having grown up in a region of marginal quality farmland, I appreciate the willingness of hemp to grow well in areas that don’t necessarily support typical agricultural crops.

What was a win for your company in the past year?

Chris Magwood, Director of Research & Programs, Endeavour Centre and Builders for Climate Action.

We put together our first online course, the Hempcrete Masterclass, and it was really well received by our first cohort of students. We were very concerned that the quality of instruction in our online course needed to match the quality of our in-person offerings. It took a long time to plan it out and put it together, but the students really liked it a lot, and that felt like a real win.

What is something about hemp building/construction/processing you didn’t know a year ago?

I continue to learn a lot from the farming community. My interest lies in the qualities of the material as it relates to buildings, but it’s endlessly fascinating to learn about all the variables that need to be considered from the farmer’s point of view.

What challenges does the hemp building industry face that it must overcome in the next five years?

“With lots of effort hemp can join with lots of other plantbased solutions in supporting farmers, manufacturers and communities to make a real difference.”

Chris Magwood, Director of research & Programs

Endeavour Centre and Builders for Climate Action

I think the biggest challenge will be in matching the slow-butsteady growth in hemp farming and uses for the hemp plant with the high expectations that many have for hemp. It’s all going to take time! On its own, hemp doesn’t save the world, but with lots of effort it can join with lots of other plant-based solutions in supporting farmers, manufacturers and communities to make a real difference.