Hemp building materials will be featured on the National Mall in Washington DC as part of the annual HUD Innovative Housing Showcase in June. The annual event June 9 - 11 presents cutting-edge building innovations to the public in an outdoor showcase.
The Innovative Housing Showcase is a three-day event featuring "new building technologies and housing solutions that are making housing more innovative, resilient, and affordable for American families," according to HUD.
The event is co-sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders.
“The National Association of Home Builders is honored to once again to co-host this incredible event with the Department of Housing and Urban Development,” said Alicia Huey, Chairman of the NAHB Board. “In an industry that is often seen as slow to innovate, this is a key opportunity to show that home builders are an active part of the solution to the housing affordability crisis.”
More than 2,500 people, including policymakers, housing industry representatives, media and the general public, are expected to attend, HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge said. This is the third time HUD has hosted the showcase, which previously was staged in 2019 and 2022.
Hemp building materials will be showcased as part of the Department of Energy’s emphasis on plant-based decarbonizing building materials. Hemp building material companies participating in various DOE incubators were invited to attend, including Indianapolis-based Chris “Mr. Hemphouse” Penn and others. The US Hemp Building Association will also have a booth at the National Mall, featuring dozens of hemp building materials from hempcrete to HempWood, to hemp batt insulation and hemp rebar.
The event takes place between 4th and 7th St. on the Mall. It’s free and open to the public