An energy saving house built from hemp is being tested at the University of Bath to see if the eco-friendly resource might be used in construction.

The test home was built by a consortium led by the Building Research Establishment Centre for Innovative Construction Materials.

It consists of the woody core of the hemp plant, shiv, bound in lime, producing a fire-resistant and well insulating walling material.

The energy saving attributes of the property itself arise from these insulating characteristics, which maintain good air quality and steady humidity due to the porous nature of the hemp.

Meanwhile, as hemp can be grown fairly quickly, the materials needed for a three-bedroom house can be raised on a rugby pitch-sized area in as little as three months.

The University of Bath's postgraduate programmes include an MSc in building conservation, helping to preserve classic architecture while working on new innovations such as the HemPod.

biggreensmile.com