Hemp Building Institute
Hemp Building Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that drives adoption of hemp-lime (hempcrete) construction in U.S. affordable housing through building-code development, standards, education, and research, serving low-income communities, builders, and government agencies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersNashville, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Hemp Building Institute does
Hemp Building Institute (HBI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2022 and headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, focused on advancing the adoption of natural building materials—particularly hemp-lime (hempcrete)—in U.S. residential construction. Its core technology work centers on hempcrete construction, combining hemp hurds with lime binder to produce breathable, carbon-negative wall systems, and on the development of associated building codes, standards, and Environmental Product Declarations. HBI's principal technical achievement was leading the development of the Hemp-lime (Hempcrete) Construction Appendix BA, accepted by the International Code Council for inclusion in the 2024 International Residential Code—the first standardized U.S. code provisions for hempcrete construction—followed by a multi-year IRC Commentary effort submitted in June 2023.
HBI's "products" are organized around three program pillars: Research (natural building materials, sustainable practices, and performance testing), Educational Materials and Events (workshops, presentations, and industry outreach), and Sustainable Affordable Housing (implementing natural materials in low-income housing projects). Supporting offerings include the IRC Commentary documentation and an in-development EPD Generator for Biogenic Building Materials (launched as an initiative in October 2024) that will quantify the environmental impact of hemp-based construction products.
The organization's business model is non-commercial and grant/donation-funded: revenue streams include individual donations (collected via PayPal), corporate sponsorships, educational services and presentations, and grants. Following a May 2023 board-level mission refocus, HBI has oriented its programs toward affordable housing and low-income populations, aligning with HUD's $4 billion allocation for innovation in sustainable affordable housing and USDA's interest in new hemp markets. Distribution occurs primarily through industry conferences, code-body engagement, government showcases (e.g., HUD Innovative Housing Showcase on the National Mall), and a content hub comprising the HBI website, blog, newsletter, and social channels.
Hemp Building Institute firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hemp Building Institute
- Legal name
- Hemp Building Institute
- Website
- https://hempbuildinginstitute.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Hemp Building Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that drives adoption of hemp-lime (hempcrete) construction in U.S. affordable housing through building-code development, standards, education, and research, serving low-income communities, builders, and government agencies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hemp Building Institute industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Building Materials Research & Education
- NAICS
- Residential Building Construction (2361), Construction of Buildings (236)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Residential Affordable Housing Development & Construction (IMAFABAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Green Building & Energy-Efficient Construction (LEED, Weatherization) (EDAOAAAO), Residential Green / High-Performance Home Construction (Net-Zero, Passive House) (IMAFABAH)
Keywords
Where Hemp Building Institute is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nashville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Hemp Building Institute business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: HBI operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that relies on donations to fund its operations, research, and affordable housing initiatives. They accept donations through PayPal and have a fundraising page for specific projects like the IRC commentary development.
- Sponsorship Revenue: HBI offers sponsorship opportunities for organizations looking to support natural building materials research and affordable housing development. Sponsors can contribute to specific programs or general operations.
- Educational Services: HBI provides educational materials, presentations, and training on natural building materials and sustainable building practices. While primarily educational, these activities may generate some revenue through workshops or training programs.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Hemp Building Institute product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hemp Building Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that researches, educates on, and advocates for natural (hemp-lime/hempcrete) building materials and their adoption in sustainable affordable housing. Its deliverables include research programs on hemp-lime performance, educational events and materials, pilot affordable housing projects, the IRC Commentary for the Hemp-lime Construction appendix, and an EPD Generator for biogenic building materials.
Product overview
The Hemp Building Institute (HBI) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization operating as a research and educational institution rather than a commercial product company. HBI's offerings consist of three interconnected program pillars: (1) Research Programs covering natural building materials, sustainable building practices, and performance testing; (2) Educational Materials and Events providing training and outreach on hemp-lime construction; and (3) Sustainable Affordable Housing initiatives implementing these materials in low-income housing projects. Supporting offerings include the EPD Generator for Biogenic Building Materials tool and the IRC Commentary for Hemp-lime Construction appendix development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Research Programs on Natural Building Materials Research programs covering natural building materials, sustainable building practices, and affordable housing, including performance testing and data tracking of innovative building materials such as hemp-lime (hempcrete).
- Educational Materials and Events Educational programs covering natural building materials, sustainable building practices, and affordable housing accessibility, delivered through workshops, presentations, and training materials for industry professionals, builders, and the public.
- Sustainable Affordable Housing Program Program that implements natural materials and sustainable building practices to construct affordable housing in partnership with local organizations, creating healthier homes for low-income populations.
- IRC Commentary for Hemp-lime (Hempcrete) Construction Official commentary documentation for the Hemp-lime Construction Appendix BA in the International Residential Code, explaining code language, providing compliance examples, photographs, diagrams, and alternatives for code officials and industry professionals.
- EPD Generator for Biogenic Building Materials Tool that generates Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for biogenic and natural building materials, enabling documentation and communication of the environmental impact of hemp-based construction products.
- HBI Sponsorship Program Corporate sponsorship program offering organizations the ability to financially support the Hemp Building Institute's mission of advancing natural building materials and affordable housing through hemp construction.
Quantifiable outcome
- 87% of time spent indoors - making building material health critical to population health
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Hemp Building Institute
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Hemp Building Institute technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Hemp Building Institute partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, regional, industry, international and minor.
- US Hemp Building Association (USHBA)coreStrategic partnership on ICC code development efforts. USHBA agreed to donate $3,000 from the US Hemp Building Foundation (USHBF) and support fundraising for the IRC commentary development. Two USHBA board members joined the small group review of the commentary. Future plans include USHBA taking over ICC development leadership for hemp building products.
- Mpactful VenturescoreMary Dempsey from Mpactful Ventures co-led the IRC code development effort with HBI President Jacob Waddell. Dempsey served as Chief of Staff and continued to lead the process through the commentary development phase.
- Verdant Structural EngineerscoreAnthony Dente, PE, Principal at Verdant Structural Engineers performed necessary structural engineering work on all levels of the IRC documentation, including the code language, reason statement, and commentary development.
- Development Center for Appropriate TechnologycoreDavid Eisenberg, Executive Director, served as code consultant alongside Martin Hammer. Both reviewed the entire commentary offering corrections and writing sections they believed were missing the mark.
- Martin HammercoreMartin Hammer, Architect and Code Specialist, served as code consultant who helped write the IRC code language and reason statement for the Hemp-lime appendix.
- IND HempmajorIND Hemp acted as host for the Montana Hemp Summer Summit 2023, bringing together over 150 participants from different levels of the hemp supply chain. They invited HBI President Jacob Waddell to present on hemp building products.
- Hemp Alliance of TennesseeregionalHBI collaborated with the Hemp Alliance of Tennessee for presentations at the Tennessee State Fair 2023. Jacob Waddell spoke on behalf of both HBI and HAT on hemp-lime buildings.
- AmerichanvreindustryCameron McIntosh, Co-Owner of Americhanvre, participated in the hemp building products panel at Montana Hemp Summit and served on the small group review team for IRC commentary development.
- US HeritageindustryTai Olson, Director of Operations at US Heritage, reviewed IRC commentary documents. US Heritage is responsible for some of the first permitted hemp-lime structures in the country and is developing commercial guide specifications for hemp-lime.
- Homeland HempcreteindustryMatt Marino from Homeland Hempcrete served on the small group review team for IRC commentary development, bringing builder perspective to the code documentation.
- Sexsmith ArchitectsindustryAlex Sexsmith, Principal at Sexsmith Architects, represented USHBA Board of Directors on the small group review team for the IRC commentary.
- International Hemp Building Association (IHBA)internationalHBI will present at the 11th International Hemp Building Symposium presented by IHBA in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The symposium brings together hemp building industry professionals from around the world.
- American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)internationalHBI President Jacob Waddell will present on behalf of ASTM, PROCEMCO, and Colombian Ministry of Commerce to educate participants on the status of the hemp building industry and how Colombia can benefit.
- National Hemp Association (NHA)industryGeoff Whaling, Chair of NHA, provided endorsement of HBI's work and mission. NHA represents the broader hemp industry including potential for incorporating hemp-based materials in construction.
- Sunflower FilmsminorCreated the IRC commentary commercial for HBI. Currently working on a documentary on the many uses of hemp, including interviews with Martin Hammer, Anthony Dente, and Jacob Waddell.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves2 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Hemp Building Institute competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- US Hemp Building Association (USHBA): US trade association for the hemp building industry. HBI is explicitly partnering with USHBA on IRC code development and USHBA is taking over future code-cycle leadership, making them the closest organizational peer with overlapping non-profit/advocacy mandate around hemp-lime construction.
- International Hemp Building Association (IHBA): International hemp building industry association running the symposium where HBI presents. Directly comparable as a peer advocacy/education organization focused on hemp-lime construction and code adoption across multiple countries.
- Americhanvre: US hemp-lime (hempcrete) construction company whose co-owner participates in HBI's IRC commentary review. Operates as a hempcrete contractor/applicator directly relevant to HBI's sustainable affordable housing program, sharing the same hemp-lime technical and policy ecosystem.
- US Heritage: One of the first US contractors to build permitted hemp-lime structures and is developing commercial guide specifications for hemp-lime. HBI partnered with their Director of Operations for IRC commentary review; comparable as a hemp-lime builder and standards contributor in the same niche.
- Homeland Hempcrete: Hemp-lime construction services firm whose representative served on HBI's IRC small-group review team. A direct peer executing hempcrete builds while working with HBI on code documentation.
- Hempitecture: Manufacturer of hemp-based building insulation and hempcrete products serving North American builders. Comparable as a hemp building materials supplier pushing the same carbon-negative construction narrative that HBI promotes through codes and education.
Emerging players
- Just BioFiber: Manufacturer of hempcrete blocks and bio-fiber building systems focused on Canada/US markets. An emerging supplier in the same hemp-lime material category HBI is codifying and educating on.
- CarbonCure Technologies: Carbon-negative concrete technology company operating in sustainable construction materials. Not a hemp-lime peer directly, but shares HBI's carbon-reduction and policy-aligned value proposition in the broader low-carbon construction materials space.
Broad incumbents
- National Hemp Association (NHA): Broader US hemp industry trade body covering all hemp applications (fiber, grain, cannabinoids). HBI's chair Geoff Whaling has publicly endorsed HBI; comparable as a hemp-industry advocacy peer but at a broader scope than HBI's building-specific focus.
Others
- Build With Hemp: Educational content and community platform advancing hemp building in North America. Comparable ecosystem participant promoting hemp building adoption, though operates as a media/community resource rather than a standards or research organization.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Hemp Building Institute social profiles
Digital presenceHemp Building Institute financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hemp Building Institute leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Hemp Building Institute funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hemp Building Institute M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hemp Building Institute
What does Hemp Building Institute do?
Hemp Building Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that researches, educates on, and advocates for natural (hemp-lime/hempcrete) building materials and their adoption in sustainable affordable housing. Its deliverables include research programs on hemp-lime performance, educational events and materials, pilot affordable housing projects, the IRC Commentary for the Hemp-lime Construction appendix, and an EPD Generator for biogenic building materials.
Is Hemp Building Institute a public or private company?
Hemp Building Institute is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Hemp Building Institute founded?
Hemp Building Institute was founded in 2022. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Hemp Building Institute based?
Hemp Building Institute is headquartered in Nashville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Hemp Building Institute make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are sponsorship Revenue and educational Services.
Who are Hemp Building Institute's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are US Hemp Building Association (USHBA), International Hemp Building Association (IHBA), Americhanvre, US Heritage, Homeland Hempcrete and Hempitecture. Emerging players are Just BioFiber and CarbonCure Technologies. National Hemp Association (NHA) is listed as a broad incumbent. Build With Hemp is listed as an others.
Does Hemp Building Institute have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hemp Building Institute.
What industry is Hemp Building Institute in?
Hemp Building Institute's product category is Sustainable Building Materials Research & Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFABAI, Residential Affordable Housing Development & Construction, with a secondary code of EDAOAAAO, Green Building & Energy-Efficient Construction (LEED, Weatherization). Its NAICS code is 2361 and its SIC code is 8731.