Harnessing Hemp: A Comprehensive Review of Its Potential as a Biobased Building Material

This review paper comprehensively assesses hemp’s potential as a biobased building material. The review opens with an overview of hemp’s historical role in construction and establishes the objectives of the study. It examines hemp fiber properties—physical, mechanical, thermal, durability—alongside processing techniques such as harvesting, retting, and preprocessing. This paper explores hemp-based products, such as hempcrete, hemp wool insulation, hemp fiberboards, and hemp-lime plasters, analyzing their performance and sustainability in structural integrity, thermal insulation, moisture regulation, fire resistance, and environmental impact. Challenges such as standardization, market acceptance, costs, and technological hurdles are addressed in this paper. Future perspectives on hemp in construction focus on material innovations, its integration into sustainable building practices, and the policy implications supporting its broader adoption. The review concludes with a summary of key findings and implications for sustainable construction.