Based on our early survey, these are the categories that matter most to educator/researcher.
The balance of positive, neutral and negative comments. 100 means people spoke about it almost entirely positively.
How many people talk about in their interview.
Theme codes: the same tags appear on the quotes to the right, so you can trace a number back to a real voice.
This is the topic residents had most to say about, and every home said something. Nobody complained. The strongest praise went to how steadily these homes hold their temperature: cool through heat waves, warm through hard winters, often on nothing more than a wood stove. Several residents described coming home in winter to a house that had kept its warmth on its own. Remarks on energy use were positive without exception, and more than one household noted how little recent fuel price shocks touched them. Humidity drew the most measured talk, most praising the walls' moisture regulation and the absence of damp, a few unable to judge either way. The neutral remarks are open verdicts, not soft complaints.
Not one remark here carried a complaint. Every resident who spoke about comfort spoke warmly, in three ways. Some described bodily ease, a home that is never harsh to be in; one likened walking inside to being wrapped in a blanket. Others pointed to health, including a resident whose severe asthma nearly disappeared after moving in, and others who chose hempcrete for their chemical sensitivities and found real relief. A third group dwelt on the senses: the texture of natural materials, the light, walls that feel alive. A perfect score is rare, so read it precisely. Among the homes that spoke, praise was unanimous. Two homes simply had nothing to say.
Residents chose this material on conviction, and years of living with it have not shaken those convictions. Every home spoke to its values, and nearly every remark was positive. Ecology led: storing carbon, avoiding petroleum-based products, building in a way that sits lighter on the planet. Several chose it out of a health philosophy, wanting a home free of synthetic chemicals before they ever moved in. Others spoke of heritage, of building to stand for two hundred years. Many arrived through people: a trusted craftsman, a mentor, a neighbor's example. The single negative note came from a resident observing that health arguments alone rarely convince others, a frustration with persuasion, not a doubt about the choice.
New prefab single family
Occ. (yrs): 5+
TH1
“The house is well insulated, so it's comfortable in winter.”
Kitchen addition & renovation
Occ. (yrs): 6
TH1
“Even on the hottest days, the room upstairs stays surprisingly cool. We're still finishing the space, so the windows are usually open, but it already feels really comfortable inside.”
Restoration & Renovation
Occ. (yrs): 10
TH1
“Actually, hemp spray is close in price to conventional materials. It's really about performance. You get temperature control, humidity control, and a range of other performance benefits.”
New Single Family
Occ. (yrs): 8
TH2
“I keep a close eye on the temperature and indoor conditions, and if anything, the house tends to be slightly drier than normal. I've never had any issues with humidity. It's simply never been a concern.”
Kitchen addition & renovation
Occ. (yrs): 6
TH2
“I think it's the reassurance as well. With concrete, if a crack appears, you immediately worry because water can get in and become trapped. With this, we don't have the same concern. The material continues to dry out, and even if the building moves a little—as buildings naturally do—we feel much more comfortable with it. If a crack does appear, it doesn't seem likely to cause the same kind of damage as concrete render, so we don't feel the need to panic.”
New prefab single family
Occ. (yrs): 5+
TH2
“It's vapour-open and highly moisture regulating, creating a very pleasant indoor climate.”
New Single Family
Occ. (yrs): 8
TH3
“The house stays at a fairly consistent temperature throughout the year. Our only real source of heating is a log burner, which also heats the water.”
New prefab single family
Occ. (yrs): 5+
TH3
“This house has underfloor heating, and because it's well insulated, the whole home stays warm and comfortable.”
Sunroom addition to farmhouse
Occ. (yrs): 6
TH3
“In winter, once we close the exterior sliding doors, the house stays very comfortable. It never really feels cold, and you don't notice much change in temperature. We heat only with wood, and even when the whole family gathers here at Christmas, it's easy to keep the space warm and comfortable. The temperature stays remarkably stable.”
Deep Retrofit & Restoration
Occ. (yrs): 10+
CW1
“From the moment we moved in, we felt a real sense of well-being. The house felt warm, quiet, and comfortable, and because it's built with natural materials and wood, that feeling has only grown stronger over time. It's hard to describe exactly, but living here just keeps feeling better.”
Kitchen addition & Renovation
Occ. (yrs): 6
CW1
“Comfort-wise, I really enjoy being in this space. I don't experience the kind of chemical overload I sometimes notice in other homes, especially those built with newer materials.”
Restoration & Renovation
Occ. (yrs): 10
CW1
“I was a little worried when I first moved in because I'm someone who's always cold. But the hemplime insulation really surprised me. The house stays comfortable in both summer and winter, and it's made a huge difference in how it feels to live here.”
New Single Family
Occ. (yrs): 8
CW2
“For me, the biggest benefit has been the health side of things. I have asthma, and it used to be so severe that I was rushed to the hospital with an asthma attack. One of the reasons we chose hemp was its breathability. I used to go through about one inhaler every month—now I only use one a year. My asthma has almost completely disappeared.”
New Single Family
Occ. (yrs): 8
CW2
“As we compared different building materials, we weighed up the pros and cons of each one. Cost and being able to build it ourselves were both important, but what really made the decision was the health aspect. The breathability of the house has made a real difference, and it's worked out really, really well.”
Restoration & Renovation
Occ. (yrs): 10
CW2
“Above all, we were looking for healthy insulation and construction materials—with good moisture regulation and no VOC emissions.”
New prefab single family
Occ. (yrs): 5+
CW3
“We’ve always loved natural materials. As farmers, we really value natural products—and we enjoy a good challenge.”
Deep retrofit & restoration
Occ. (yrs): 10+
CW3
“The moment we moved in, the house felt warm, quiet, and welcoming. The natural materials create a real sense of comfort, and somehow that feeling has only grown over time.”
New Single Family
Occ. (yrs): 8
CW3
“Caroline's family love being here. The house is always warm in winter and cool in summer without much effort, so it always feels comfortable. We've noticed that really affects people's mood. It's interesting how the environment you're in can make people feel more relaxed and open.”
New prefab single family
Occ. (yrs): 5+
VM1
“We also love natural products. As farmers, we really appreciate natural materials, and we enjoy a good challenge.”
Restoration & Renovation
Occ. (yrs): 10
VM1
“For me, it's a reflection of how you want to live. Choosing ecological materials means thinking about the planet and the future, and that's where the decision begins.”
Kitchen addition & renovation
Occ. (yrs): 6
VM1
“When you build something, you're always using resources and materials, so we wanted to feel like we were making a more positive choice. For our garage conversion, we chose more sustainable materials rather than the cheaper and faster option of conventional petroleum-based insulation. It took two years instead of six months, but it felt like a better way to build.”
Kitchen addition & renovation
Occ. (yrs): 6
VM2
“I think I'm quite sensitive to chemicals, which is one of the reasons I was interested in hemp and lime. I wanted to use materials that were as natural as possible.”
Restoration & Renovation
Occ. (yrs): 10
VM2
“Above all, we were looking for healthy insulation and construction materials—with good moisture regulation and materials that don't emit VOCs.”
Sunroom addition to farmhouse
Occ. (yrs): 6
VM2
“I chose hemplime because I wanted something natural and to avoid the toxic products you often find in conventional building materials.”
Deep retrofit & restoration
Occ. (yrs): 10+
VM3
“With old houses, it's important to respect the original noble materials and pair them with materials that share the same qualities.”
Deep retrofit & restoration
Occ. (yrs): 10+
VM3
“I prefer natural, traditional materials and simpler ways of building. Our ancestors built houses that have lasted for more than 200 years, and I think we still have a lot to learn from the way they worked—with stone, structure, and materials made to stand the test of time. A house shouldn't become a consumer product. We should rely more on materials that are made to last.”
Sunroom addition to farmhouse
Occ. (yrs): 6
VM3
“I've always lived in old houses surrounded by wood, stone, and natural materials. There's a comfort in these traditional materials that I've always connected with—they simply feel like home to me.”
New prefab single family
Occ. (yrs): 5+
VM4
“We had seen other hemp houses in the Netherlands, further south, and people were generally very satisfied with them.”
Deep retrofit & restoration
Occ. (yrs): 10+
VM4
“For an old farmhouse built from natural stone, I wanted an insulation material that matched the character of the house. After learning from others' experiences, hemp lime felt like the right choice.”
Retrofit 1975 building
Occ. (yrs): 5+
VM4
“We started by wanting to renovate the facades and decided it was a good opportunity to insulate the house as well. Jean-Guy and Damien were working with hemp, so we chose that approach rather than using polystyrene, which comes from petroleum.”
