Industrial Hemp Forges Its Own Path in Construction

Written by:

Steve Marcinuk

Date:

19 Jun 2025

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“Bifurcate or die”is the battle cry echoing through the hemp industry today, as Ray Kaderli, founder of Hemp Build Network, explains the urgent need to separate industrial hemp from its cannabinoid-producing cousin.

This separation isn’t just about regulatory clarity, it’s about establishing industrial hemp as a legitimate construction material that can address both environmental concerns and economic realities in an increasingly challenging building industry.

Building Bridges: Hemp’s Unifying Potential

In today’s polarized climate, industrial hemp offers something rare: common ground between environmental and economic interests.

“Environmental stewardship and cost efficiency are usually in an adversarial relationship,” Kaderli notes. “Here’s an example where we can have both efficiency and profit at the same table as environmental stewardship. That is very unifying, especially in an environment where things have been quite divisive.”

This unifying potential extends beyond U.S. borders. Kaderli describes how a congressional delegation from Honduras recently engaged with the American hemp industry to learn from its progress.

“They had a similar bone of contention in their constituency,” he explains. “It’s like, ‘Look, you guys have been politically arguing about everything. Come together, agree on something. We don’t care what it is. Just agree on something, and let’s get something done.’ This is that something.”

From Enthusiasts to Industrialists

While hemp’s appeal has attracted many passionate advocates, Kaderli emphasizes that building a viable industry requires more than enthusiasm.

“There is a bit of ‘woo-woo’ in the industry, and rightfully so. It does capture the human spirit,” he acknowledges. “But when it comes to forging an industry, you need that part of the human spirit combined with an industrialist’s human spirit. That’s a rare breed, and that’s what we’re seeing come to the forefront.”

This blend of idealism and pragmatism is crucial as the industry evolves. Interestingly, hemp’s inherent appeal helps bridge traditional gaps between construction stakeholders.

“Because the material captures the human spirit and is engaging in itself, it’s not as difficult to get professionals to collaborate,” Kaderli explains. “Architects typically want to hear architect-specific information, and subcontractors focus on subcontractor concerns. However, when it comes to hemp projects, they actively want to communicate with each other.”

Domestic Supply Chain Development

As global supply chains face disruption from tariffs and geopolitical tensions, hemp’s domestic production potential has gained renewed attention.

“Two years ago, tariffs would have really hurt, because we were still importing a lot of hurd from Europe,” Kaderli says, referring to the woody core of the hemp plant used in hempcrete construction. “Today, there are a number of suppliers that can handle this.”

While domestic capacity is growing, certain bottlenecks remain. “One of the big things preventing hemp from really coming on as a domestically produced textile is the ability to spin. We offshored that. Now that’s a big thing to reshore.”

Despite these challenges, Kaderli remains optimistic: “There are multiple industry players looking to fill those key catalyst roles.”

Practical Benefits in Construction

Hemp offers tangible benefits as a building material, particularly in reducing dependence on traditional wood products.

“It eliminates a lot of forestry products off of the projects,” Kaderli explains. “When I say I can remove some forestry products, I’m talking about the OSB sheathing that goes around for your racking. Hempcrete eliminates the need for that.”

These material substitutions could become increasingly relevant as builders face rising costs. Industry estimates suggest that proposed tariffs could increase construction costs by 5-7%, prompting many to reconsider their material choices.

The Path Forward: From Theory to Practice

For industrial hemp construction to continue its growth, Kaderli identifies two critical needs: “The industry is in its infancy, but it exists. It’s here. It’s ready. And the two things that we need are projects and professional engagement.”

The key catalyst is moving from theoretical discussions to actual implementation: “What we’re out to do is preach and teach and then get people to pick up the phone and say ‘We’re interested. Now what? We have a project in mind.’ Once we can get project-specific, everything else happens.”

As demand grows, Kaderli anticipates more formalized educational pathways will develop, from university courses to trade school programs and manufacturer-led training for architects.

Regulatory Clarity Through Bifurcation

While media attention often focuses on the cannabinoid side of hemp, Kaderli emphasizes that legislative interest spans the entire plant, including industrial applications.

The regulatory approaches, however, need to be distinct. For cannabinoids, industry leaders are actively seeking appropriate regulation: “You’ve got large-scale producers in the cannabinoid space that are getting on airplanes, flying to Washington, DC, and saying, as a group, ‘Regulate us.’ Where does that happen?”

Meanwhile, the industrial side requires a different approach: “If you’re growing this side over here—big acres, big tractors, agronomics, agribusiness—do it like you’ve been doing it. We’re going to get out of your way and let the farmers farm the large acres, like what they are used to.”

This bifurcation extends to professional standards organizations as well, with discussions about potentially separating industrial hemp from cannabinoid hemp in committees like ASTM’s D37.

A Material for Our Time

As the industrial hemp sector establishes its identity separate from the cannabinoid industry, its potential in construction remains significant. The material offers environmental benefits without sacrificing performance, addresses supply chain vulnerabilities through domestic sourcing, and brings stakeholders together across political and professional divides.

For builders and developers facing rising costs and increasing environmental expectations, industrial hemp represents not just an alternative material but potentially a new approach to construction, one that aligns economic and environmental interests in ways few other materials can.

As Kaderli puts it: “It’s very difficult to deal in the world of hypothetical. That’s where it’s nice to get project-specific.”

With growing domestic supply capacity, increasing professional engagement, and the ongoing push for regulatory clarity through bifurcation, industrial hemp appears positioned to transition from alternative material to mainstream option in the coming years.