Hempcrete house in Lyonville, Victoria.

This stunning hempcrete house in central Victoria was designed by Altereco Design, with a brief to create a functional and beautiful space that would be thermally comfortable and simple for the owners to build themselves. The owners vision emphasised solar passive design principles and the exploration of Hempcrete as a building material, to create a haven that showcased elegant simplicity and was both considerate of the environment and mindful of the climate.

Altereco’s design response embraced the concept of “just enough”, with their goal of a small footprint achieved at just 75 square metres (comparing extremely favourably to the average Austalian house which is a whopping 242sqm!)

The design needed to deliver outstanding thermal performance in harsh, sub zero conditions, being 740m above sea level. The result is a home that can maintain comfortable indoor temperatures of 20°C without the need for additional heating.

Using Hempcrete to construct the home brought many benefits. Not only does it exhibit exceptional resistance to fire, pests, and mould, ensuring a secure and long-lasting structure, but the breathability of the lime and clay plastered walls also guarantees a constant supply of fresh air while effectively regulating humidity levels.

Building a hempcrete house also comes with a range of environmental benefits, including the unique ability to sequester carbon from the atmosphere. Hemp is a natural, fast growing and renewable material, qualities that contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions and foster a more sustainable future.

The site was oriented to the North (ideal in the southern hemisphere) and uses an internal hempcrete wall and burnished concrete flooring for thermal mass, the combination allowing the natural heating from the sun to be absorbed by the thermal mass and released well into the evening.

What do the owners think of the end product? Their response was emphatic: “We feel really proud of this house. It feels cosy and peaceful, with pared back finishes in burnished concrete, warm timbers and natural clay walls.” The design “maximises views of our garden, the dam and the wombat forest and feels so comfortable, year round. We were closely involved in the design, research and sourcing materials and finishes. We did all the work ourselves that didn’t require registered trades.  Now we enjoy stable comfortable temperatures inside no matter what the weather is doing outside.”

The result can only be described as delightfully warm and tactile, made even sweeter by the array of sustainable features (listed below) that have delivered the home the owners dreamed of, and also an inspirational case study for others to emulate.

Photography by Jade Cantwell.