The Hempcrete House is a compact, sustainable off-grid dwelling designed by Altereco Design and completed in 2023. Located in the alpine-adjacent town of Lyonville, Central Victoria, Australia, the house serves as a prototype for energy-efficient living using hempcrete, a carbon-negative material.

The house embraces a "just enough" design philosophy with a small 75-square-meter footprint. This provides a functional and beautiful living space that emphasizes elegant simplicity. The main construction material consists of 300mm-thick walls of hempcrete (a mix of hemp hurd, lime, and water). The hempcrete provides excellent thermal insulation, resists fire, mold, and pests, and offers a natural, earthy texture. The home is oriented to the north to maximize solar gain during the cold winters. Wide eaves are used to shade the interior from the sun during the summer. Polished concrete floors and internal hempcrete walls absorb and release heat to help regulate the internal temperature. Natural ventilation: Operable clerestory windows create a "chimney effect" to naturally cool and ventilate the home in summer.

The floor plan includes an airlock entry, bathroom, kitchen, and open-plan living/dining area on the ground floor. A mezzanine level accommodates the bedroom. Climate control: Despite experiencing sub-zero temperatures, the home can maintain a comfortable indoor temperature of 20°C (68°F) without using additional heating. Sustainability and performance The all-electric home is powered by a 5.2kW solar PV system located on an adjacent shed. A rainwater harvesting and filtration system collects water in large repurposed wine vats. The wastewater is treated with a biological worm farm system. The hemp used in construction sequesters carbon from the atmosphere during its growth. When combined with lime, the material continues to harden and sequester carbon throughout the building's lifespan. The project minimized waste through careful planning and by using reclaimed materials. Only two small trailer loads of waste went to a landfill. Reclaimed Messmate timber was used for the upstairs flooring, shelving, kitchen cupboards, and other trim. Credits Architects: Altereco Design Clients: Sarah Corbet and David Bruce Location: Lyonville, Central Victoria, Australia Completion Year: 2023 Photography: Jade Cantwell Builder: Mostly self-built by the owners