Hemp Voices: Kim Croes, Fiberfort
Owner of FiberFort, Madison Heights, MI
I find the beauty of hempcrete buildings to be reminiscent of the historic buildings in Europe. Having now installed hempcrete in my own home I can fully appreciate its functionality as well as its beauty.
What was a win for your company this year?
We sprayed our second hempcrete home this past year and it was the first of its kind. Made of a combination of tires and hempcrete this home will soon be used as a featured Airbnb. The efficiency of this home after we finished was stunning!
What did you learn last year that you didn’t know before?
Last year I learned how important it is for builders to understand the product better so they can communicate with processors to get the level of quality they want. Also how important it is to get large samples to test before using on a large project.
What are the challenges facing the hemp building industry in the next five years?
I felt overwhelmed previously with the future of this industry. It seemed so impossible to reach goals like making quality materials, transportation, affordability, and installation. But this past year I saw such great progress with everyone in the industry! I saw support, adjustments, hard work, and opportunities I never thought possible. I see the biggest challenges to continue to be improvement in processing, making these materials more easily accessible, and reducing costs of materials. I don’t doubt it is going to happen.