A Review of Alternative Building Materials in comparison to CMU: Hempcrete, Woodcrete , Papercrete

Abstract

Buildings consume an extraordinary amout of our finite natural resources during their construction and operation. It is imperative we begin to examine more sustainably-produced materials to construct them, as well as lifecycle costs. Concrete is the most widely-used building material in the world, and aggregate forms the majority of its composition. The goal of this research is to compare building materials incorporating renewable aggregate—hempcrete, woodcrete, and papercrete—as alternatives to traditional concrete utilizing nonrenewable aggregates. Comparing and contrasting commercially-available, similar products helps identify feasible applications for these alternatives to concrete that may prove more responsible, sustainable, and cost-effective throughout a building’s lifecycle.