Based on our early survey, these are the categories that matter most to practitioners/consultants.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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+
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.”
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.”
