The NoCo Journey and the Hemp Building Industry

sustainable constructionBuilding regulationsInnovationEco tourismTrade ShowsConferencesRenovation
Written By Jean Lotus

Sergiy Kovalenkov, founder of Ukraine-based Hempire, has been a NoCo speaker since the first conference. Photo courtesy of Jean Lotus

The NoCo Journey and the Hemp Building Industry

By Kimmi DelPrado

 NoCo Hemp Expo has been described as the "hemp chamber of commerce" due to its role in bringing together industry representatives from every sector, including a strong support for hemp-based construction. We are for Better Alternatives (WAFBA) founder Morris Beegle and his team have consistently used NoCo and its media platform, Let's Talk Hemp, to promote hemp building together with other industrial hemp applications.

"We’ve always had a solid group of representatives show up for each sector of the industry," Beegle explains.

In recent years, the space dedicated to hemp building exhibitors has emerged, with industry leaders offering workshops and live demonstrations leading to NoCo 11, April 10-12 in Estes Park, CO, making this year’s expo the largest hemp building representation yet, reflecting the growing momentum in sustainable construction.

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NoCo Hemp Expo

Meet Morris Beegle, the man behind Noco Hemp Expo. He saw that the fiber/grain community needed a platform. “Hempcrete” and hemp lime were becoming buzzwords with only a handful of hemp-centred expos for industrial use.  

"There was no hemp expo at the time," Beegle told HempBuild Mag. "The Hemp Industries Association had a conference with a handful of exhibitors, but not an expo. There were cannabis expos that had some hemp vendors, but no dedicated hemp expo."

With a past in the music industry, and the owner of a hemp electric guitar company, Beegle visualized NoCo as more than just an expo. "One of my inspirations behind NoCo was early Lollapalooza," he says. "More festival vibe, live music, variety of vendors including non-hemp and creatives, but with a hemp and agriculture angle."

And all this has evolved over the years, making NoCo a central hub for hemp industry networking, advocacy, and education.

NoCo Hemp Expo founder Morris Beegle poses with one of his Silver Mountain Hemp Guitars. Photo courtesy Roy Trakin

Timeline: Hemp Building at NoCo

Sustainable, eco-friendly building materials have gained traction as an alternative to the usual. With this came regulatory changes and increasing environmental awareness. More than ever, there was a demand for hemp as an alternative building material. 

This demand has grown exponentially and is reflected at every NoCo Hemp Expo.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (L) checks out the hemp building products at the Hemp Building Co. booth with founder Phelan Dalton (R) at NoCo 10 in Estes Park, CO. Photo courtesy of Jean Lotus

NoCo takes pride in Governor Jared Polis’s consistent support for the hemp industry. Polis will give the keynote at NoCo 11. Polis has supported NoCo since he was a US congressman and then after he was elected governor. His powerful speech in 2016 highlighted the importance of grassroots advocacy, pushing for the Industrial Hemp Farming Act and the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act. “We are winning,” he said. 

Nearly a decade later, the momentum continues. The hemp industry has grown and NoCo Hemp Expo has been at the forefront of that evolution.

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Gregory Wilson of HempWood at NoCo 8 in Aurora, CO. Photo courtesy of Jean Lotus

Among the many industry experts attending NoCo 11 is Gregory Wilson, founder of HempWood. He told HempBuild Mag why this event remains a priority for his company. “This will be HempWood’s fifth NoCo. We go to catch up with our friends and colleagues and find new business,” he says. As a leader in hemp-based building materials, he sees NoCo as the best place to explore new applications for his products.

"NoCo is the largest gathering of the hemp industry and the best place to meet cool people working on neat projects that could use HempWood," he explains. This year, Wilson is particularly eager to learn more about government support for hemp, especially whether the USDA is still backing the industry. He also acknowledges the element of surprise that comes with each expo. “We’ll see when we are there—I always find a wild card.”

Danny Desjarlais (L) Lower Sioux Hemp, Cameron McIntosh (C) of Americhanvre and Matt Marino (R) of Homeland Hempcrete on a panel at NoCo 10 in Estes Park, CO. Photo courtesy YouTube.

Matt Marino, president of Homeland Hempcrete, another dedicated advocate for hemp-based construction, is also returning to NoCo as one of the speakers. Reflecting on his journey, he recalled his first NoCo experience in 2019, when he was just beginning to explore hempcrete construction. 

"We had just started building our first full hempcrete structure, self-taught just by reading books," he told HempBuild Mag. His motivation for attending was to connect with early pioneers in the U.S. industrial hemp sector and understand the state of the domestic supply chain.

Through the years he has recognized the expo’s importance in fostering industry connections. "These events are critical because they provide an opportunity to connect and reconnect with people who are fighting the same fight," he said. He said working in industrial hemp requires "patience and grit," and NoCo provides that much-needed space to check in, collaborate, and support one another.

"I am looking forward to seeing old friends and to see what new companies and products are coming out from the world of hemp," he also highlighted the role NoCo plays in advancing hemp construction, offering a chance to step back from the daily grind and gain fresh perspectives. "These events help us take a break, broaden our perspective, and realign to grow the industry," he concluded.

Gro Enterprises founder and hempcrete builder Joel Horton poses at NoCo Hemp Expo 7 in Denver, 2021. Photo courtesy of Jean Lotus

Challenges and Milestones in NoCo’s Journey

Since its inception, just like any other great idea, NoCo has faced challenges and milestones. The early years leading up to 2020 marked a milestone in growing the event’s influence. In terms of policy challenges, law enforcement investigations and shifting regulations posed obstacles for the expo and the hemp industry as a whole.

Then 2020 came and changed the world forever.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought an oversupply of CBD biomass that created additional challenges. Along with it came ongoing regulatory struggles, and the lack of consistency in hemp, both national and global policies, remains a challenge.

Old Pueblo Hemp contractor Micaela Machado (R) poses with HempBuildmag publisher Jean Lotus at NoCo in Colorado Springs, CO. Photo courtesy of Jean Lotus

"Every year until 2020 was a milestone," Morris shared with HempBuild Mag. "Along the way there were plenty of challenges with various law enforcement situations and policy obstacles. Then the pandemic, alongside the huge oversupply of CBD biomass, created numerous obstacles for the industry. We've been in constant transition with regulatory hurdles, investment and funding issues, policy challenges, and uncertain market conditions."

Despite all these, NoCo has been a pillar of the hemp industry, adapting to changes and providing a platform for hemp professionals to connect and innovate.

Dion Lefebvre of 8th Fire Innovations poses with a hemp brick wall at NoCo 9 in Colorado Springs. Photo courtesy of Jean Lotus

What to Expect at NoCo 11

Morris Beegle’s original vision still holds true: that NoCo remains a gathering place for industry leaders and advocates committed to advancing hemp. "People should expect another strong gathering of industry leaders and advocates who are true to fighting for growth, advancement, and success of the industry," he says. "Real hemp supporters show up to NoCo."

"We have another three solid Let's Talk Hemp conferences on tap, plus a good group of sponsors and exhibitors at the Experience Hemp Expo Hall, which also features a Kosmos Zone that will host several hemp building workshops and other educational seminars," he added. "There's also multiple networking functions for folks to hang out and get to know each other better, talk shop, and do business."

HempBuildMag publisher Jean Lotus will moderate two panels featuring hemp building on Saturday. In the Expo Hall, the panel “Biobased Non-Toxic Construction with Hemp” will feature Cameron McIntosh of Americhanvre, Sergiy Kovalenkov of Hempire and Matt Marino of Homeland Hempcrete. During the conference in the Holiday Inn, the panel “The Next Generation of Hemp Building Materials” will feature Derek Wolf of Hemp & Block, Zachery Popp of Sativa Building Systems, Chad Frey of Bison Biocomposites and Noah Israel of 3D Sustainable Developments.

Who would have thought that a niche topic would become a growing movement? Hemp building has firmly established itself at NoCo Hemp Expo. With more companies and experts joining the conversation, NoCo continues to be a vital space for education, collaboration, and innovation. 

NoCo Hemp Expo is on April 10-12 at Estes Park in Colorado. Get your tickets now.
https://www.nocohempexpo.com/

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