Hemp Voices: David Hall, Hillside Center for Sustainable Living

David Hall serves as general manager, shareholder and contractor for Hillside Living LLC in Newburyport, MA

For me, hemp building’s most interesting elements are simplicity, source and performance.

What was a win for your company in the past year?

 Along with completing 12 hempcrete duplex units that excel at air-tightness and represent a low carbon footprint, we also developed a solution for  an exterior plaster recipe for hempcrete walls. 

What is something about hemp building/construction/processing you didn’t know a year ago?  

There are so many things we’ve learned this year by building at Hillside Center for Sustainable Living. These include the relationship between plaster, green hempcrete and curing; the best ingredients for exterior finish and the best means of applying that exterior finish. We’ve also learned optimal strategies for air sealing hempcrete wall panels; the best practices to patch hempcrete walls;  the best tools for screeding/fairing wall panels and the best practices for the operation of Ereasy hemp spray  equipment.

What challenges does the hemp building industry face that it must overcome?

Our project has shown some challenges with siding. How to finish the exterior of an open vapor wall in cold climates? We also see a need for more locally sourced quality hurd at a reasonable price. As always, there is a need for education for building departments and the construction industry around combustability, pest and mold resistance. 

Hillside Center for Sustainable Living

Email: ddh@hallandmoskow.com

Phone: (978) 502-1868