Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Texas A&M Receives Grant to Develop 3D-Printable ‘Hempcrete’ Buildings

  • By Matt Jones
  • 06/30/22

Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, recently received a $3.74-million grant to research and develop the ability to 3D-print buildings using concrete made from hemp—or “hempcrete.” Local news reports that the substance made from hemp powder or fibers, lime and water could be used as a light, cheap and green building material and could help reduce the environmental impact of construction and make housing cheaper.

The grant comes from the U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) Harnessing Emissions into Structures Taking Inputs from the Atmosphere (HESTIA) program, according to university news.

The project will be led by Dr. Petros Sideris, assistant professor at the university’s Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. According to a university news story, his team will include assistant professor Dr. Maria Koliou, professor Dr. Zachary Grasley, and professor Dr. Anand Puppala; and associate professor Dr. Manish Dixit and professor Dr. Wei Yan from the College of Architecture.

“While production of conventional construction materials such as concrete requires large amounts of energy and releases large amounts of CO2 (carbon dioxide), hempcrete is a net carbon-negative material, which can provide major environmental benefits,” Sideris said. "Resilience to natural hazards is intertwined with environmental sustainability because building damage and subsequent repairs due to extreme events such as hurricanes result in major environmental impacts.”

The project aims to make building designs printable and to meet modern design codes for structural integrity and energy performance. The digital designs will allow the process to be easily adopted by the construction industry at large.

“Hempcrete has excellent fire resistance and thermal insulating properties that can reduce heating and cooling energy demands," said Sideris. "It is water-resistant and offers good acoustic properties.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • S4L Announces 2026 Education Design Showcase Winners

    Spaces4Learning is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2026 Education Design Showcase! Now in its 27th year, the annual awards program honors innovative solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction across K–12 and higher education.

  • Washington State District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    Cheney School District No. 360 in Spokane County, Wash., recently announced that construction has begun on a new elementary school, according to local news. The district held a groundbreaking ceremony on May 18 in Airway Heights for the yet-to-be-named school, which is scheduled to open in fall 2027.

  • University of Kansas Breaks Ground on Entrepreneurship Hub

    The University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new KU Entrepreneurship Hub, according to university news. The Hub is part of the university’s School of Business and will include spaces for experiential learning and programming.

  • USC Launches Major AI Initiative After $200M Gift

    The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif., recently announced that it has launched a “transformational” new AI initiative thanks to a $200M gift, according to a news release. The project will leverage AI toward breakthroughs and innovations in subjects like the health sciences, business, security, and the arts.