Properties and characteristics of the main natural and ecological insulation.

This page is part of the file on natural insulation.

3) Hemp (non-Indian)

Hemp is used as a raw material by humans in various fields, primarily in clothing design and papermaking.

During its cultivation the use of pesticides and insecticides is not necessary. The hemp industry, globally, is booming.

Hemp insulation is one of the outlets for this industry. During its transformation and its installation, hemp does not constitute a danger to health.

It can be packaged in rolls, semi-rigid panels or in bulk.

The good quality of air diffusion in the hemp ensures automatic humidity regulation without loss of heat (unlike glass wool and rock wool).

Hemp is naturally rot resistant and repellent to insects and texture deters rodents.

Hemp wool in rolls:

Used for attics and roofs. It replaces the rock or glass wool and is available in different thicknesses (from 50 to 200mm generally).

Hemp wool semi-rigid panels:

These panels are used for roof, wall and floor insulation… Their installation is very simple.

Hemp pellets:

Resulting from production waste and dust, hemp granules cannot be used directly in the open air. It is used in mortars, cements or concrete to make sound and thermally insulating slabs as well as for interior and exterior wall insulation.

• Coefficient of thermal conductivity: 0,05 to 0,2 W / m. ° C depending on the shape (the best for wool, the worst for “concrete” granules).
• Thermal resistance for a layer of 10 cm Lambda hemp wool 0,05 = W / m. ° C, R = 0,1 / 0,05 2 = m². ° C / W. In other words, a m2 of 10cm will pass 0,5W per degree of temperature difference.

We note that the thermal capacities of hemp are therefore slightly worse than cork, but hemp insulation is above all "a fad" ...

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