World’s tallest hempcrete building set to open in Cape Town

The world’s tallest building constructed with industrial hemp, a 12-storey establishment boasting a stunning view of Table Mountain, is nearing completion in Cape Town, South Africa. Workers are currently adding the final touches to the 54-room Hemp Hotel, which is set to be completed in June.

Constructed primarily with Hempcrete blocks made from the cannabis plant, the building is supported by a concrete and cement framework. Hemp bricks are garnering attention for their insulating, fire-resistant, and environmentally friendly properties, making them increasingly popular in the building industry.

Hempcrete blocks, which are carbon negative, are commonly utilised in Europe for thermally renovating existing structures. As Boshoff Muller, director of Afrimat Hemp, explains, “the plant absorbs the carbon, it gets put into a block and is then stored into a building…