Hemp Voices: Gamal Jadue Zalaquett, Naturalia Construction
Gamal Jadue Zalaquett is CEO of Naturalia Construction based in Alamosa, CO
My responsibilities include setting the strategic vision, overseeing the execution of key projects (Kosmos Resort, Naturalia Subdivision, RV Affordable Housing, etc.).
My vision is to work with hemp builders from all around the nation and internationally to unite the US hemp building industry and change the world one healthy home at a time.
Naturalia will be an incubator for hemp builders and hemp building companies – offering an academy, active projects to work on, monthly workshops, material manufacturing, and eventually an international logistical supplier of it all (binder, hemp panels, hemp blocks).
We seek to bring the cost of sustainable construction below that of traditional construction by combining the hemp distribution, binder manufacturing, and modular (block/panel) production, and training certification all within a single warehouse…with plans to build 50 houses in 2025 within 20 minutes of the factory (thus providing constant projects for our team).
What was a win for your company in the past year?
Breaking ground on the Kosmos Stargazing Resort project in which Naturalia has been contracted to build a total of 20 villas plus amenities – totaling over 40,000 feet square mostly built with hemp-lime!
Officially applying and starting the subdivision process for a sustainable community with over 100 individual lots – with all houses built out of hemp-lime in the San Luis Valley.
What challenges can you identify for the hemp building industry that we must overcome?
We must stop thinking that each of us has the key to growing the industry – or the best hemp mix, or the best intellectual property. We are all in this together and we must set egos aside. We need more business-minded hemp builders – or train current hemp builders to grow a corporate organization that can consistently deliver top-quality builds while budgeting for labor appropriately to make sure the company keeps on growing instead of downsizing because of lack of planning.
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