This year, I’ve observed how hemp-lime performs in different climates from extremely cold places like Canada to tropical climates like Thailand. I like to see how different varieties of hemp are cultivated in different climates.

Our company is a family-owned and vertically connected industrial hemp processor in Montana. My role is to steer long-term strategy—policy, market development, supply-chain partnerships, and grower relations—so that hemp becomes a reliable American rotation crop and a feedstock for next-generation materials.

What most interests me about hemp building is that we are using a rapidly, annually and agriculturally renewable feedstock to insulate homes.  This is an opportunity to create modern, healthy and high-performing homes for people all across the US.

With consistent specs, hemp can replace key inputs in insulation, hempcrete, panels, and composite reinforcements.

We are continually amazed by hemp’s ability to heal soil and to serve in so many arenas: agriculture, construction, environmental restoration and education.

We specialize in high-performance and green building, leveraging cutting-edge building systems to create higher-quality, better-performing homes.

Carbon-storing and non-toxic materials will be the building materials of the future. I have a strong interest in doing what I can with my skillset and resources to help facilitate the switch to these materials as an industry and culture. 

We are focused on addressing the lack of educational opportunities for the underserved communities with a strong focus on our indigenous communities. 

2025 was the year our material left the lab and met the real world. We poured pilot panels with multiple precast concrete manufacturers, collaborating with two of the largest precasters on the East Coast.

I feel grounded with hemp and bio-construction. It makes me feel like a human. Like I'm doing what I should be doing while I'm here on the planet for this short time.

The industrial hemp industry is still in the early stages. But we are working hard on it to help develop our products and grow the market more every day!

Sativa Building Systems has been manufacturing hempcrete Z panels since 2022 along with tiny homes.  In the last 2 years we have expanded into also performing research and development and offering construction services.  

We build homes in harsh climates above 5000' elevation and fire-danger zones. Our clients report that their homes' performance exceeds expectations.

We were recently awarded a grant from our community called Redwood Region RISE from an anonymous donor. This grant finally provides Indigenous Habitat Institute with the funding freedom needed to advance several long-awaited initiatives.

 Easily accessible technology and the DIY possibilities of hempcrete lower the barriers for use and make the methodology executable and available to many.

What interests us most is the sustainability of building with hemp as well as the energy efficiency and overall superiority of the product.

I am deeply committed to bridging the gap between nature and innovation

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).

I’m totally fascinated by how hemp turns something as humble as a plant into a superhero building material.

A significant win for Gradek Contracting was pioneering one of the first hempcrete residential projects in Austin, TX.