Based on our early survey, these are the categories that matter most to policymaker/activist.
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.
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.
Money talk splits cleanly in two, and the split explains the score. Looking back at the point of purchase, residents were matter-of-fact. Some paid a modest premium, one found staged financing a strain, and one named cost as a real barrier to wider adoption. Most remarks are neutral, people stating facts rather than nursing regrets. Looking at what the money bought, every remark was positive. Households described heating bills that barely register, easy indifference to the recent fuel crisis, and in one case a strong energy rating that raised resale value. Everyone who weighed cost against health, ecology, or the chance to build it themselves concluded it was worth it. Only five homes discussed money, so read this one gently.
Asked to sum it up, residents were unanimous. Every household that gave a verdict said they were satisfied and would make the same choice again, several in exactly those words. What lowers the category is a smaller, harder question about hindsight, which only three households addressed, and their regrets are about process, not the material. One owner wishes he had waited for an experienced plasterer; his partner wishes they had kept their consultant throughout; one resident would pick a different floor finish. Notably, nobody would pick a different wall. Because those hindsight remarks come from so few homes, hold them lightly, but their pattern matches the rest of the data: the lessons are about execution, not the choice itself.
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.”
New prefab single family
Occ. (yrs): 5+
FF1
“We haven't calculated the final costs yet, but we initially expected it to be about 10% more expensive.”
Restoration & Renovation
Occ. (yrs): 10
FF1
“For me, the biggest consideration is still the cost. But as adoption grows and production scales up, I believe those costs will come down.”
Restoration & Renovation
Occ. (yrs): 10
FF1
“There's still a cost barrier, as it's more expensive than traditional building methods.”
New Single Family
Occ. (yrs): 8
FF2
“With energy prices rising, we've been fortunate not to feel the impact. Our energy bills have stayed remarkably low, and the system even helps heat our water, which makes a real difference.”
Kitchen addition & renovation
Occ. (yrs): 6
FF2
“Our home's energy rating improved significantly—from around an F or G to an A or B. That wasn't just because of the hemp, but also the insulation, solar panels, and air source heat pump. The building inspector was very enthusiastic about the materials and even made special visits to see the project, although there were some challenges in fitting these innovative methods into existing building regulations.”
Sunroom addition to farmhouse
Occ. (yrs): 6
FF2
“One important point is the insulation. In France, when you sell a house, it has to go through an energy performance assessment. If the house isn't well insulated, it loses points, making it more difficult to sell. This insulation performs extremely well, so it actually increases the value of the property.”
New Single Family
Occ. (yrs): 8
FF3
“Hempcrete ticked a lot of boxes for us. It was affordable, I could do much of the work myself, and the breathability was a key factor. The insulation has also been excellent, helping regulate the temperature inside the house. Looking back, those were really the things that mattered most to us.”
Kitchen addition & renovation
Occ. (yrs): 6
FF3
“You use resources and materials whenever you build something, so we wanted to make choices that felt more responsible. For our garage conversion, we chose more sustainable materials instead of conventional petroleum-based insulation. It wasn't the quickest option—it took two years rather than six months—but it felt like the right decision.”
Restoration & Renovation
Occ. (yrs): 10
FF3
“Hemp spray is actually priced quite close to conventional materials. The real difference is its performance—you get better temperature regulation, humidity control, and a range of other benefits.”
Kitchen addition & renovation
Occ. (yrs): 6
RC1
“Sustainability is about making the best choices you can, even knowing there will always be compromises. Nothing is perfect, but choosing better alternatives where possible made the renovation feel like a much more positive process.”
New Single Family
Occ. (yrs): 8
RC1
“I 100% believe that hempcrete was the right decision. The way we built our home brought me so many interesting experiences, and there's a real sense of pride in being able to say that I built my own house.”
Deep retrofit & restoration
Occ. (yrs): 10+
RC1
“If I could go back, I would make the same choice again. I'm really happy with it, and beyond the material itself, the journey introduced me to new ideas and some amazing people. I wouldn't change a thing.”
Sunroom addition to farmhouse
Occ. (yrs): 6
RC1
“I feel very lucky to live in a house like this. Looking at the way many homes are built today, I think we don't always consider people's health and well-being enough. This kind of approach makes you question how we design architecture and living spaces. For me, it's a privilege to live in a healthy home.”
New prefab single family
Occ. (yrs): 5+
RC2
“Looking back, there isn't much we would change. If anything, we might have made the house a little bigger.”
