Hemp Voices: David Geertz, Renewabuild
David Geertz is founder and business development leader at Renewabuild, based in Surrey, BC, Canada
What excites me most about hemp and bioconstruction is that it turns farmers into the new gravel pits—supplying an unlimited, renewable feedstock for the masonry industry. By creating renewable masonry, we introduce real competition to dimensional lumber, reducing pressure on forests while strengthening rural economies.
What was a win for your company in the past year? - A major win for us this past year was completing the commercialization of our first factory and hitting our production target of two blocks per minute. We also entered into our first U.S. partnership agreement - proving that renewable masonry can scale operationally and cross borders.
We see 2026 as a turning point where the U.S. begins investing heavily in bioconstruction.
The biggest bottleneck in the natural building industry is permitting speed. Alternative materials often get stuck in long approval cycles because regulators rely on prescriptive codes written for conventional products. We solve this by using engineering-grade simulation tools like FEA and ANSYS to generate defensible performance data, Structural, fire, thermal, and durability, before a shovel hits the ground. Once permitting friction is removed, natural materials like hemp can scale quickly and compete on equal footing with legacy construction products.
Email: sales@renewabuild.ca
