The Best Concrete is Made From Hemp!

Hempcrete: The Best Concrete is Made From Hemp!

What is Hempcrete?

"Hempcrete is a bio-composite made of the inner woody core of the hemp plant mixed with a lime-based binder. The hemp core or "Shiv" has a high silica content which allows it to bind well with lime.

This property is unique to hemp among all natural fibers. The result is a lightweight cementitious insulating material weighing about a seventh or an eighth of the weight of concrete.

Fully cured hempcrete blocks float in a bucket of water. It is not used as a structural element, only as insulating infill between the frame members though it does tend to reduce racking. All loads are carried by internal framing. Wood stud framing is most common making it suitable for low-rise construction. Hempcrete buildings ten stories high have been built in Europe." [1]

Hempcrete house; ©Copyright Hemp Technologies USA;

HEMPCRETE has no equal as a natural building product, sequestering carbon dioxide for the life of the building.

Created by simply combining water, hemp aggregate and a lime-based binder it produces a building product with excellent thermal insulating and acoustic properties. The insulation forms the entire wall with the load bearing timber frame fully encased. Hempcrete is not just an insulator - it buffers temperature and humidity, prevents damp and mould growth, making the building a comfortable healthy environment.

"IT IS A BIT DEARER, BUT A LOT BETTER!"

Hempcrete buildings last as long as a castle and save energy for ever. It is fire and termite resistant, lightweight and forms a hard wall surface yet is vapour permeable to help reduce humidity and prevent condensation - a truly natural product.

People that live in hempcrete houses do not need to run airconditioners or heaters all day to keep a comfortable home. Regular insulation requires constant energy input - hempcrete doesn't. The way energy costs are rising, that's a massive yearly cost saving through power conservation. At the same time, less energy use, less pollution AND carbon sequestration by hempcrete - your hempcrete project will be carbon negative. [2]

Like other plant products, the hemp crop absorbs CO2 gas as it grows, retaining the carbon and releasing the oxygen. 165 kg of carbon can be theoretically absorbed and locked up by 1 m3 of hempcrete wall over many decades. [3]

Drew Guarini investgated the subject and wrote for the Huffington Post: "Imagine you had a building material that was energy-efficient, non-toxic and resistant to mold, insects and fire. The material may even have a higher R-value, or thermal resistance, than concrete (a claim that is still being investigated).

The only problem? The base of the Hempcrete creation is hemp, which comes from the cannabis sativa plant -- the same one that produces marijuana, which is a federally banned substance. Because of this, industrial hemp production is illegal in the United States.

Still, the Hempcrete mixture of hemp, lime and water is being used to some extent for construction jobs across America. One of the companies working with Hempcrete is 'Hemp Technologies', a construction company based in North Carolina that is adamant about the advantages of building using Hempcrete. They've built homes out of hemp in Hawaii, Texas, Idaho and North Carolina, where they are currently working on a project known as 'NauHaus'." [4]

Hempcrete house under construction; ©Copyright American Lime Technology;

The Benefits of Hempcrete, according to Hemp Technologies

- Thermal Mass Insulation
- Negative Carbon
- Low Density
- Clean Air
- High Thermal Resistance
- High Thermal Inertia
- Vapor Permeable (breathable)
- Design Flexibility (adjustable thickness)
- Fire and Pest Resistant (NO Termites)
- Significantly Reduce Co2 Emissions
- Inherently Airtight
- No Waste
- No Mould
- No Termites
- No Dry Rot
- Natural Substrates for Plasters and Renders
- Low Air Infiltration
- ZERO LAND FILL

Hemcrete can also be used for restoration purposes:

Hempcrete used for restoration; ©Copyright Sporn Construction UK;

The Benefits of Industrial Hemp

As one of the strongest fibers on the planet, hemp has been cultivated for more than 10,000 years. The long fibers of hemp mean items made of hemp for construction will be stronger and lighter than wood products. Not only does it hold nails better, particle board made of hemp can be twice as strong as wood. Moreover, just 1 acre of hemp produces cellulose fiber pulp equal to 4 acres of trees, so hemp could easily and efficiently replace most items made of wood. [5]

How to help your child to like healthy foods (English - Portuguese)

Email delivery powered by Google How to help your child to like healthy foods Posted: 15 Nov 2013 07:57 AM PST kidseatveggies   Those with small children know how it is sometimes thankless struggle to feed themselves in a healthy way - kids do not care about " your health " , they eat what they like .   But that's not all that motivates you to take a food to the mouth , according to a recent survey . Besides the sweet and salty flavors , repetitive presentation , portion size and parental behavior also affect their food choices .       In a panel of Annual Meeting and Food Expo 2013 Institute of Food Technologists American behavior at the table of pimpolhos was dissected . Not surprisingly , children prefer sweets like cookies , chocolate , fruits and juices , and also salty foods that make them feel full , like fries and pizza .   But the environment , the group of children in which they are inserted , the family and the contact with a more varied menu also affect the choices of small . To that give preference to healthy, children need to be taught to like them .   Repeatedly presenting the same food for the child to get familiar with it can help . When she is at the stage where it becomes more picky about the food, between two and six years , presenting smaller portions or mix the healthy foods that she likes can help create the habit of eating well .   And there is also the behavior of adults - children watch them all the time , and are more likely to experience and accept new foods when adults express their preference enthusiastically to them .   However , one should avoid the act of pressuring children to eat . And try to buy them using desserts can have the opposite effect , making the greens loathe even more . Involve them in the preparation of food , on the other hand, gives them a positive experience that will help them to accept healthier foods . [ MedicalXpress ] 4 extremely healthy foods that you probably never experienced Posted: 15 Nov 2013 07:52 AM PST Chia seeds   4   Rich in fiber (about 10 grams each 30 g ) , protein and omega -3 chia seeds can also help lower triglycerides and increase HDL (the " good cholesterol " ) in the body .   " The seeds are also very interesting because it can gelatinize virtually any liquid," explains the author . Mix 1/2 cup of seeds with 2 milk , add sugar and refrigerate for 4 hours and you will have a healthy dessert .   amaranth   3   Amaranth grains are rich in vitamin B6 and folic acid and is a good substitute for rice, pasta and potatoes . They are also an excellent source of protein .   dulse 2 This red seaweed is rich in iodine , potassium and antioxidants .   Raw organic apple cider vinegar   1   Harder to find than a pasteurized version , this ingredient is rich in enzymes - is important, however , to be more careful with the validity , due to the lack of pasteurization.   Source : http://www.livescience.com/38130-health-foods-dulse-chia-amaranth.html Vegetable protein vs. animal protein Posted: 15 Nov 2013 07:30 AM PST It is indisputable that the animal proteins are proteins of high biological value , or consist of all essential amino acids and are in a proportion which provides good absorption (especially egg and fish). They have high bioavailability of iron ( heme ) . Excellent intake of vitamin B12. However have some drawbacks :     extremely high environmental and economic impact ;     Red meat contains much heme iron , which is associated with increased formation of nitrosamines ( carcinogenic substances ) ;     high in purine content (especially red meat ) which is metabolized to uric acid in the body ;     high content of saturated fat and cholesterol ;     absence of fiber and vitamins ;     meat (except biological ) has a high content of xenobiotics ( toxins very harmful to the body ) ;     recent studies prove :     close relationship between a diet rich in animal protein and obesity in men , red meat and Type II diabetes ;     strong association between the consumption of red meat and sausages and high risk of colorectal cancer . Association of lower intensity prostate cancer , lung and stomach. In contrast, vegetable proteins have the following advantages :     low intake of saturated fat and a source of polyunsaturated fats (with essential fatty acids ) , no cholesterol and naturally low calorie ;     high content of fiber , antioxidants and phytochemicals ;     acidifying least for our blood , the presence of minerals;     contains less purines are eliminated and better ( lower accumulation of uric acid) , unless overloading the liver and kidney;     still , plant proteins have a low glycemic index , which avoids the peaks of hunger , and a high power of satiety ;     and ultimately more economical ! Plant proteins are considered lower biological value , so it should be combined properly to obtain all the essential amino acids . The Dietitian 's Guide to Vegetarian Diets . An Aspen Publication . 1996 Here are some examples : Pulses ( poor enxofrados amino acids : methionine and cysteine ) + Whole grains ( rice, pasta , millet , quinoa , bulgur , spelled ... ) , nuts and seeds ( low in lysine ) In addition , there are excellent plant sources such as marine algae protein ( Chlorella and Spirulina ) , soy and its derivatives ( tofu and tempeh ) .    by Lea   Source : http://www.nutricionalmentesaudavel.blogspot.pt/ You are subscribed to email updates from Herbs and Cures - The Herbal Glossary To stop receiving these emails , you may unsubscribe now . Email delivery powered by Google Google Inc. , 20 West Kinzie , Chicago IL USA 60610 Como ajudar seu filho a gostar de alimentos saudáveis Posted: 15 Nov 2013 07:57 AM PST   Quem tem crianças pequenas sabe como às vezes é ingrata a luta para que se alimente de forma saudável — crianças não se preocupam com "sua saúde", elas comem o que gostam.   Mas não é só isto que a motiva a levar um alimento à boca, segundo uma pesquisa recente. Além dos sabores doce e salgado, a apresentação repetitiva, o tamanho das porções e o comportamento dos pais também afetam suas escolhas alimentares.       Em um painel do Encontro Anual e Exposição de Alimentos de 2013 do Instituto de Tecnólogos de Alimentos americano, o comportamento à mesa dos pimpolhos foi dissecado. Sem surpresa alguma, as crianças preferem doces como cookies, chocolate, frutas e sucos, e também alimentos salgados que os fazem se sentir cheios, como batatas-fritas e pizza.   Mas o ambiente, o grupo de crianças em que eles estão inseridos, a família e o contato com um menu mais variado também afetam as escolhas dos pequenos. Para que deem preferência a alimentos saudáveis, as crianças precisam ser ensinadas a gostar deles.   Apresentar repetidas vezes o mesmo alimento para que a criança fique familiarizada com ele pode ajudar. Quando ela está na fase em que se torna mais exigente quanto à comida, entre dois e seis anos, apresentar pequenas porções ou misturar alimentos saudáveis ao que ela já gosta pode auxiliar a criar o hábito de comer bem.   E há também o comportamento dos adultos — as crianças os observam o tempo todo, e são mais propensas a experimentar e aceitar novos alimentos quando os adultos manifestam de forma entusiástica sua preferência a eles.   Entretanto, deve-se evitar o ato de pressionar as crianças a comer. E tentar comprá-las usando sobremesas pode ter o efeito contrário, fazendo com que detestem as verduras ainda mais. Envolvê-las na preparação do alimento, por outro lado, dá a elas uma experiência positiva que irá ajudá-las a aceitar alimentos mais saudáveis. [MedicalXpress]

4 alimentos extremamente saudáveis que você provavelmente nunca experimentou Posted: 15 Nov 2013 07:52 AM PST Sementes de chia     Ricas em fibras (em torno de 10 g a cada 30 g), em proteínas e em ômega-3, as sementes de chia também podem ajudar a diminuir os níveis de triglicerídeos e aumentar os de HDL (o "colesterol bom") no organismo.   "As sementes também são muito interessantes porque podem gelatinizar praticamente qualquer líquido", explica a autora. Misture 1/2 copo de sementes com 2 de leite, acrescente açúcar e deixe na geladeira por 4h e você terá uma sobremesa saudável.   Amaranto     Grãos de amaranto são ricos em vitamina B6 e ácido fólico e são um bom substituto para arroz, macarrão e batatas. Também são uma excelente fonte de proteínas.   Dulse Essa alga vermelha é rica em iodo, potássio e antioxidantes.   Vinagre de maçã orgânico cru     Mais difícil de encontrar do que sua versão pasteurizada, esse ingrediente é rico em enzimas – é importante, contudo, tomar mais cuidado com a validade, por conta da falta de pasteurização.   Fonte: http://www.livescience.com/38130-health-foods-dulse-chia-amaranth.html

Proteínas vegetais vs Proteínas animais Posted: 15 Nov 2013 07:30 AM PST É indiscutível que as proteínas de origem animal são proteínas de elevado valor biológico, ou seja, são constituídas por todos os aminoácidos essenciais e encontram-se numa proporção que proporciona uma boa absorção (sobretudo ovo e peixe). Têm ferro de elevada biodisponibilidade (grupo heme). Excelente aporte de vitamina B12. No entanto têm alguns inconvenientes: elevadíssimo impacto ambiental e económico; a carne vermelha contém muito ferro heme, que está associado ao aumento da formação das nitrosaminas (substancias cancerígenas); alto conteúdo em purinas (sobretudo a carne vermelha), que se metaboliza no organismo em ácido úrico; elevado conteúdo de gordura saturada e colesterol; ausência de fibras e vitaminas; a carne (excepto a biológica) tem um alto conteúdo em xenobióticos (toxinas muito prejudiciais ao organismo); estudos recentes provam: relação estreita entre uma alimentação rica em proteínas animais e a obesidade nos homens; carne vermelha e Diabetes tipo II;  elevada associação entre o consumo de carne vermelha e enchidos e elevado risco de cancro colorretal. Associação de menor intensidade ao cancro da próstata, pulmão e estômago.  Ao contrário, as proteínas vegetais apresentam as seguintes vantagens: baixo aporte de gorduras saturadas e fonte de gorduras polinsaturadas (com ácidos gordos essenciais), nenhum colesterol e naturalmente baixo valor calórico; elevado conteúdo em fibra, antioxidantes e fotoquímicos; menos acidificantes para o nosso sangue, pela presença de minerais; contém menos purinas e eliminam-se melhor (menor acumulação de ácido úrico), sobrecarregando menos o fígado e o rim; ainda, as proteínas vegetais apresentam um baixo índice glicémico, que evita os picos de fome, e um elevado poder de saciedade; e finalmente mais económicas! As proteínas vegetais são consideradas de menor valor biológico, por isso deverão ser conjugadas de forma correta para obtermos todos os aminoácidos essenciais. The Dietitian's Guide to Vegetarian Diets. An Aspen Publication. 1996 Eis alguns exemplos: Leguminosas (pobres em aminoácidos enxofrados: metionina e cisteína)  + Cereais integrais (arroz, massa, millet, quinoa, bulgur, espelta…), frutos secos e sementes (pobres em lisina) Além disso, existem excelentes fontes vegetais proteicas como as algas marinhas (espirulina e clorela), a soja e os seus derivados (tofu e tempeh).    por Lea   Fonte: http://www.nutricionalmentesaudavel.blogspot.pt/

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Whidbey Plans /Tiny House most beautiful and even space enough

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Whidbey

Free Study Plans

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1 Bedroom / 1 Bath	461 sq ft	Map out your own 3D model *new*
2 Bedroom / 1 Bath	557 sq ft	Map out your own 3D model *new*

 

The Whidbey is designed as a single story home with the choice of 1 or 2 downstairs bedrooms. Its simple design makes the house affordable to build, and full of light. The bedrooms have ample closet space, and the house makes use of its pitched roof for additional storage space or whatever else you choose to use it for. We do not list the upstairs square footage because, with so much sloped ceiling, it does not officially qualify as a habitable room. The house is 17' 6" tall.

Lyndsey Lewis of Little Rock, AR built the home pictured above. You can read her story from "At Home in Arkansas". You can also check out her blog Little House in Little Rock for more insight on building the Whidbey.

• The Whidbey
• Build it Yourself

Cost to Build

Estimated Material Costs: $35,000 (461 sq ft) or $41,500 (557 sq ft)

Want to know how much it will cost to have a contractor build it for you?
Visit Build-Cost.net and follow these instructions. General notes about construction costs:Costs for materials are almost the same in different regions but labor costs will vary greatly depending on where you live. We provide costs with a concrete poured perimeter foundation. Depending on where you live, it is possible you will need an engineered foundation designed by a licensed contractor or engineer in your state.

Loft

We do not count the loft as square footage in this house because with so much sloped ceiling, it does not officially qualify as a habitable room. Subsequently, the loft is 6'8" tall over much of its space. The loft is accessed by a drop down stair ladder. The plans come with two options for the loft: Option 1: A full loft over the kitchen, bathroom, living room and front bedroom. The stair ladder is located in the kitchen. Option 2: Two lofts are split by a cathedral ceiling over the living room, and the lofts have a railing making the living room open. There are two stair ladders, one for each loft located in the kitchen and front bedroom.

Can I put in stairs instead of a stair ladder?
Stairs will not fit in this design.

Why does the picture in The Small House Book show a staircase?
Originally, the sleeping area was in the loft, but to improve the design the stairwell was removed. This allowed the living area to become much larger, and the bedroom was moved downstairs. Meanwhile, no space was lost in the loft area.

Foundation

We sell our plans with a poured perimeter foundation. However, it is possible to put this house on a slab foundation or even over a basement. However, you may need to work with an architect or engineer licensed in your state to get approval from the building department.

Can this house be built on wheels?
No. This house is designed to be built on a permanent foundation.

Utilities and appliances

The kitchen maximizes space and includes a dishwasher, full size range with oven, and built in microwave. The tank-less on demand water heater ensures that you never run out of hot water, and tucks away completely out of view. A small fireplace is tucked nicely in the corner of the great room. The one bedroom house features a washer/dryer closet just off of the kitchen. The two bedroom house has an under counter washer/dryer in the kitchen. You can choose to convert the closet in the back bedroom near the shower into a washer/dryer closet.

Can I install air conditioning?
Yes, you can. Our plans do not include an air conditioning unit, but you can install one in the loft or outside of the house.

What type of fireplace does the house have?
We don't specify a particular fire place or heater because codes vary so much based on climate. We recommend discussing your options with a building contractor licensed in your state.

Building this house

We sell the construction plans to build this house. It is designed to be built on site. This house is not designed to be on wheels. We recommend working with a licensed contractor in your state to build the house. When you build this house, please send us pictures. Since we do not build the house ourselves, we are dependent on you to supply us with real pictures.

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The Pros and Cons of Using Reclaimed Materials

by Kent Griswold on November 15th, 2013. Add a Comment

y Catherine Zola

If you are limited in time or money, waiting for the right materials to show up can be a problem. If you live near several re-use facilities (dump, Re-Store, Thrift stores, etc) then your chances improve, but you still need the luxury of time to visit them regularly in search of the treasures you need. The more flexible you have with your design the easier your search will be. You can also start collecting material before you finish your design so you can factor in the sizes and shapes of things you've found.

I bought the hard wood floor for my tiny house from a guy on Craigslist before I was even sure I had the courage and money to start build. The poetry of buying a floor for a house that didn't exist was lost on me since I was busy having an anxiety attack. Being unemployed and dropping $150 for oak flooring seemed imprudent, impractical and absolutely crazy given my lack of building experience. I actually doubted my sanity for a few weeks after. The thought occurred to me I might be having some kind of late mid-life crises or nervous breakdown triggered by a bad economy.

A week later, I won the money back when my brother dragged me off to a casino to celebrate his birthday. My shouts of "come on hard wood floor" got me some strange looks, but in the end Lady Luck blessed me with a full refund for the 13 boxes of oak which I took as a sign of encouragement.

So off I went, slightly more confident in my sanity, in search of Re-Stores where I purchased a baby bay window (bay-be says my friend Perry) in Oakland. If it hadn't been the exact window I had been pricing on line for thousands of dollars I would have walked away in fear. But instead I bought it for $350. In Pasadena, I found the perfect French door which was the exact size I needed and even the color I wanted, for only $100. No fear with this purchase, because I was in a state of incredulous bliss. I couldn't get out of there with my new door fast enough. Because I kept finding the exact things I needed, I thought I might be dreaming and if I didn't hurry I was going to wake up before I got the house built.

So there I was with a floor, a door, and a bay-be window and no house. So I stacked it near the rest of our stuff in a warehouse we were borrowing. Then it occurred to me that the warehouse was the place to build. I blame the Vegas heat for the slow uptake. And I took another huge leap of faith. I bought a custom built trailer.

A House is Only as Good as its Foundation:

Unless you know a whole lot about trailers, can weld, or you find a hefty used trailer please spend the extra bucks to get a good one to build your house on. Even if you plan on not moving your house much remember this is the foundation of your home. You will want it to be strong and sturdy for a long time. Travel trailers with the top removed are not strong enough to hold 2×4 framing. They are designed to be light weight and hold flimsy aluminum siding with virtually no insulation and very little weight. You will also want to take weight distribution into consideration, while designing your house. You don't want your house to be heavier on one side than the other for example. Ask a trucker or search how to load a trailer to learn more about the importance of weight placement. Learning these things can save your house and possibly lives. If you are building over 20 feet long you should also consider a triple axle (6 wheels total). I went out of my way to get a custom trailer and I still had trouble. Make sure you have someone who knows axles look over your trailer and determine if it is road worthy and capable of holding heavy framing and siding. And of course, get good tires.

Why Used Wood Can Be a Problem:
Wood is porous. That means things get down in it, grow in it, live in it. Old wood is beautiful but can harbor mold, pesticides, bugs and general rot. If you are chemically sensitive that can be just as bad or worse than the VOCs of new wood. Since alternative, safe building materials barely exist and are extremely expensive the other option is regular lumber. Paying attention to these details can keep you from getting sick later on. Mold can kill. Termites can turn your house into Swiss cheese.

Take into consideration your practical and aesthetic needs, space constraints etc. Then research materials and their uses and limitations. You can of course get creative with things, but make sure you know what you are doing. I almost glued down my hardwood floor because I couldn't get a nail through the boards. Then I realized that wood contracts and expands with the weather. Glue would probably not have worked well. Wood comes in a wide variety of types. Some are heavier, others lighter. Certain wood works better for exteriors and others better for interiors. There are wood varieties that repel bugs (Cedar) and some that work better than others near water.

One thing I highly recommend buying used is cabinets. I bought 5 of them for my house from 2 restores and the dump for an approximate total of $150. That is less than any one of them would have cost new. I cleaned them well and painted them and they are my kitchen cabinets and counter top holders. One is in the bathroom for a kitchen closet/medicine chest. Because they are not made with press board or heavy wood they are lighter than anything I could have figured out how to build myself and they make my house both practical and beautiful.

Sometimes it makes sense to buy used and recycle and other times not. Consider how long you want your house to last realistically. Remember – using quality materials can make the difference between having a box on wheels when you finish or a cozy, healthy, beautiful, home.

Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful — William Morris

Be sure and read Catherine Zola blog here: CatsTinyHome