Hemp Construction Pioneer Ray Kaderli Leads the Sustainable Building Revolution
Ray Kaderli stands at the forefront of America’s hemp construction movement. As president of the US Hemp Building Association and a recognized industry leader, he’s helping transform sustainable building from a niche concept into a viable construction alternative. His extensive background in property management, development, and brokerage brings crucial real estate expertise to an industry poised for growth.
His path to becoming one of hemp construction’s most respected voices was built on a foundation of environmental stewardship and real estate acumen. Beginning with a regional recycling facility, he learned firsthand how entrepreneurial efforts could complement environmental stewardship, discovering that economic and ecological interests could work in harmony rather than opposition.
During the 2008 financial crisis, Kaderli’s brokerage found success managing bank-owned properties and facilitating transactions between private lenders and operators. This experience in navigating market downturns and understanding property valuation proved invaluable. When the 2018 Farm Bill opened new possibilities for industrial hemp production, Kaderli’s interest was piqued by what seemed like an unlikely building material.
“It’s such a sexy topic. It’s almost like they manufactured click bait,” he admits with characteristic candor. “And then once you get over the Scooby and Shaggy distinctions and the light chuckle to it all, you realize this is an industrial crop that’s coming in that’ll be a large-scale production crop, right in with corn, cotton, wheat, soy and all of the others in a rotation.”
As a leader in a nascent industry, Kaderli embraces the educational challenges that come with introducing innovative building materials. He’s discovered that initial skepticism often turns to genuine interest when people learn about hempcrete’s properties, particularly its fire resistance. This educational approach is crucial in an industry where federal agencies are now investing significantly in scaling hemp production.
What started as curiosity quickly evolved into serious business interest as Kaderli recognized hempcrete’s potential. The material, a mixture of the woody part of hemp plants with lime and water, offers advantages that appeal to both environmentally conscious builders and pragmatic investors. “I’m brutally pragmatic in my decisions,” he explains. “There are a lot of people who want environmental stewardship, and the way I come at it is that’s icing on the cake. You can assume that nobody cares, and it’s still a good selection for a building material.”
For Kaderli, the decision to focus on hempcrete construction came down to durability and efficiency. As a landlord building long-term legacy wealth, he saw the material’s practical advantages. “That product will last as long as a stone will last. I can’t do that with anything that I can go to Home Depot and buy,” he notes. This combination of durability and sustainability opens doors across the entire supply chain, from farming and processing to construction and development.
Under Kaderli’s guidance, the US Hemp Building Association has achieved significant milestones, including the adoption of hemp construction methods into the IRC 2024 appendix, enabling architects and builders to specify hempcrete in their projects with confidence. While he’s quick to acknowledge that he’s building on the foundation laid by earlier pioneers in the hemp construction industry, his work has been instrumental in bridging the gap between hemp producers and construction professionals. “We’re standing on the shoulders of giants,” he notes, paying tribute to the key pioneers who saw the potential and worked tirelessly to create the landscape the industry enjoys today.
As Kaderli’s tenure as USHBA president draws to a close, his commitment to advancing hemp construction remains unwavering. His vision extends beyond organizational leadership to practical implementation, as he develops an investment fund focused on scaling hemp construction projects, particularly in residential development. This vision encompasses emerging trends like agrihoods, where traditional residential amenities are complemented by agricultural features.
The investment potential extends across multiple market segments, from first-time homebuyers to retirees. For Kaderli, the future of construction lies in solutions that serve both environmental and economic interests. His enthusiasm for the industry’s potential is matched by his practical approach to its development. He likens the opportunities in hemp construction to an “all you can eat entrepreneurial buffet” spanning real estate, finance, farming, supply chains, construction, chemistry, and design.
His advice to industry newcomers is measured and practical: explore the various opportunities available, but focus on mastering specific aspects rather than trying to tackle everything at once. This strategic approach has proven successful in an industry that offers diverse pathways for professional growth.
In an industry often marked by competition, Kaderli has fostered something remarkable: a collaborative spirit among would-be competitors working together to advance sustainable construction. This cooperation, combined with the diverse opportunities for industry professionals to find their niche, suggests that hemp construction might be more than just an alternative building method – it could be the future of residential development.
