INDUSTRIAL HEMP: A STRATEGIC BIOBASED RESOURCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE

Today, considering the urgent and unavoidable need for action to address environmental and climate emergencies, industrial hemp has returned to the forefront of scientific debate as a strategic resource for the ecological transition. Thanks to the rediscovery of traditional construction knowledge, the remarkable advances achieved by research into its potential, and the emergence of new fields of application, hemp is now recognized as a key material for fostering sustainable models of environmental, economic, and social development. In particular, the construction sector, one of the most environmentally impactful industries, represents a priority area for the adoption of materials and technologies capable of reducing energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and the use of nonrenewable resources. This paper examines the agronomic and environmental characteristics of industrial hemp, the physical and hygrothermal properties of hemp-based building materials, and the main construction technologies, with particular emphasis on hempcrete. The potential of hemp in architecture is explored through a critical review of scientific literature and a comparative analysis of case studies and applied research, identifying current regulatory challenges and future development prospects in the field of sustainable bio-based construction.