Bhutan – Exploring Hemp for Regenerative Construction

Hemp, a Local Resource

Urbanisation is accelerating in Bhutan. The prevailing construction typology of reinforced concrete frames with fired brick infill is carbon-intensive and resource-heavy. Introducing locally appropriate alternatives is essential for reducing the environmental impact of Bhutan's built environment.

Bhutan has approximately 380 hectares of wild hemp, over 80% of which is found in government-protected forests. Despite its availability, however, hemp has not yet been systematically explored as a building material. Lack of technical knowledge, regulatory gaps and limited mechanisation along the value chain continue to hinder its adoption.
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Prototyping with Hemp-based Composites

In its Berlin workshop, Bauhaus Earth developed a series of low-tech recipes and testing procedures to evaluate hemp-based building composites. The results were promising: the blocks demonstrated low density, high thermal capacity, effective insulation and fire resistance, making them a viable alternative for non-load-bearing applications.
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Building on these findings, a workshop in Bhutan invited local stakeholders to explore the material first-hand. Participants worked with hemp-clay and hemp-lime composites, replicating the recipes from Berlin to make  blocks from locally sourced materials. These practical sessions were complemented by theoretical input on regenerative building principles and composite behaviour.

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Hands-On Workshop

Led by a team of architects, builders and researchers, participants were involved in every stage of the production process, from mixing and forming to compacting and drying. This holistic process provided valuable insights into the properties of the material and opened up discussions about its potential use in Bhutanese construction.

Local builders, policymakers and researchers shared their thoughts on cultural relevance, technical feasibility and future opportunities. This dialogue and exchange was an important step in adapting global innovations to local realities.

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Critical Steps for Implementing Hemp

For hemp to become a viable building material in Bhutan, several barriers must be overcome. First, pilot projects are needed to better understand favourable conditions for the cultivation of industrial hemp in Bhutan. Second, legal frameworks for cultivation and processing must be developed. Third, mechanisation throughout the entire value chain is essential to ensure scalability and economic viability.

As a locally available material, hemp holds great promise — but only if its benefits are clearly communicated and supported through further research, policy, and education. The Bhutan workshop marked the convergence of three of Bauhaus Earth's strands: technical and material innovation, systems research and data analytics, as well as education and learning. This is a first but crucial step towards reshaping Bhutan's construction sector with regenerative solutions.
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In partnership with the Ministry of Infrastructure & Transport, KaJa Design Associates and Tarayana Foundation in Bhutan.

ReBuilt is sponsored by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.

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