Hemp Voices: Anthony Dente, PE, Verdant Structural Engineers
Anthony Dente is CEO of Berkeley, CA-based Verdant Structural Engineers in charge of project acquisition and management, outreach and marketing and company vision and steering.
I handle project acquisition and management, outreach and marketing, and company vision and steering. I also manage our unique panelized straw product that was developed with the support of the EPA.
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.
What was a win for your company in the past year?
We are still experiencing a significant increase in demand for engineering services pertaining to low-carbon, deep-green, carbon-storing, and natural building systems across the US. We are also receiving more inquiries from product developers who are trying to simplify these types of systems so that they can scale more easily.
This year, I learned a lot more about the complications of the PCR and EPD development process for hemp and other biogenic products and materials. It will be a long haul and needs support.
What bottlenecks have you observed in the industrial hemp industry and how would you solve them?
The biggest problems I see facing the hemp community from my lens are 1) developing a better process and/or testing for lateral load system selection or lateral load resistance in high seismic zones, 2) more clarity and understanding around hempcrete’s actual embodied carbon value with the lime binder but also the lime plasters properly accounted for and 3) a better understanding of possible expansion of allowable finishes, beyond plaster, that do not conflict with moisture protection.
(510) 528-5394
anthony@verdantstructural.com
