Renewabuild Great Plains, a venture co‑founded by Ken Meyer of Complete Hemp Processing, is building the first U.S.–licensed plant that will manufacture structural hempcrete blocks. The facility, slated for Rock Valley, Iowa, represents a concrete step toward integrating industrial hemp into mainstream construction.
The Design of Structural Hempcrete Blocks
According to Ken Meyer, the innovation lies in an internal framework that transforms the blocks from mere infill to load‑bearing components. “It has a frame inside it. It’s a glass‑filled biocarbonate frame… and then the hempcrete is pressed around it,” Meyer explained in a recent interview.
This design allows a single block to perform several functions that would otherwise require separate materials:
- Sheetrock (drywall)
- Insulation
- Timber framing
By consolidating these roles, the system promises a lower‑carbon wall assembly with enhanced fire resistance, durability, and overall envelope performance. The technology originated with Just BioFiber in Alberta, Canada, and has been refined and licensed by Renewabuild Field to Form, the Canadian entity that now oversees the U.S. rollout.
Manufacturing and Supply Chain Impact
The Rock Valley plant is scheduled to receive its production equipment in December 2026 or January 2027. Once operational, the line is expected to output two blocks per minute, which translates to more than 900,000 structural hempcrete blocks each year when running three shifts.
At that capacity, the factory could supply enough wall material for roughly 500 perimeter walls of 2,000‑square‑foot homes annually. This output is intended to serve regional builders looking for sustainable alternatives to conventional stud‑and‑drywall systems.
Linking Farmers to Market
Renewabuild Great Plains emphasizes a localized supply chain. Ken Meyer, who also runs Complete Hemp Processing in Winfred, South Dakota, notes that the plant creates a needed outlet for hemp hurd—the woody core of the stalk left after decortication.
“At Complete Hemp Processing in Winfred, South Dakota, we decorticate hemp stalks. And we need a place to sell the hemp hurd. And our farmers need us to have a place to sell hemp hurd so they can put hemp in rotation with corn and soybeans,” Meyer said during an appearance on the Lancaster Farming Industrial Hemp Podcast.
The project’s ownership group includes John Peterson of Dakota Hemp, Bill Brehmer of Renewabuild Great Plains, and a coalition of Iowa farmers who have taken equity stakes. This farmer‑investor model aims to keep value within the region while expanding markets for industrial hemp.
Looking Ahead for Hempcrete Construction
The debut of U.S.–made structural hempcrete blocks follows an early showcase at the 2018 Pennsylvania Farm Show, where the Pennsylvania Hemp Industry Council displayed the Just BioFiber block. Since then, interest in hemp‑based building materials has grown, driven by demands for lower‑embodied‑carbon construction and improved indoor environmental quality.
Stakeholders point to ongoing research—such as studies published in the Journal of Cleaner Production—that highlight hempcrete’s potential to sequester carbon during its lifecycle and to regulate humidity within building envelopes.
For readers who wish to explore the regional industrial hemp landscape further, the South Dakota Industrial Hemp Association and Dakota Hemp provide additional information and networking opportunities.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Hemp Gazette does not provide medical recommendations, diagnoses, or treatment plans. Always consult a qualified healthcare practitioner before making any decisions regarding your health or any medical condition. Statements concerning the therapeutic uses of hemp, cannabis, or cannabinoid‑derived products have not been evaluated by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Medicinal cannabis products in Australia are accessed via prescription pathways under TGA regulation.
Source: Here
