International Hemp Building Symposium to Convene at Lower Sioux Reservation in MN

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Written By Jean Lotus

The Jackpot Junction Hotel and Casino on the Lower Sioux Reservation in Morton MN will be the site of the 13th Annual International Hemp Building Symposium Oct. 3-5. Photo courtesy of Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway

International Hemp Building Symposium to Convene at Lower Sioux Reservation in MN

By HempBuild Magazine

The 13th International Hemp Building Symposium (IHBS) is scheduled to take place from October 3–5 on the Lower Sioux Indian Community reservation in Morton, Minnesota. The event marks a historically significant collaboration, positioning the Lower Sioux Community at the forefront of sustainable and regenerative construction in North America.

The symposium, organized by the International Hemp Building Association (IHBA), provides a platform for global experts to present on the latest advancements in hemp construction materials and methods. Fifty percent of the event's profits are dedicated to assisting the Lower Sioux Community in funding a new community school, underscoring the event’s focus on long-term community development. Events will take place at the Jackpot Junction Hotel at the Lower Sioux Community.

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Visitors tour the Lower Sioux hemp processing facility. Photo courtesy of Danny Desjarlais

Attendees at an earlier International Hemp Building Symposium. Photo courtesy of IHBA

Global Expertise and Local Projects

The IHBS agenda draws global speakers, including IHBA founder Steve Allin, hemp veteran Anndrea Hermann, and science lead Dr. Eshrar Latif. Attendees will also meet Danny Desjarlais, Industrial Hemp Construction Project Manager for the Lower Sioux, who is leading the community's sustainable building efforts. On-site tours will include the Lower Sioux Processing Facility, where attendees can observe the conversion of raw hemp stalk into building materials.

The Lower Sioux Hempcete team poses infant of a prototype wall. Photo courtesy of the Lower Sioux Hemp Program

Program Focus: From Farm Policy to Building Code

The three-day program features a rigorous agenda covering the entire hemp supply chain, from agricultural practice to material science and building code.

Day 1: Agriculture and Science

The Agricultural Session will feature renowned speakers like Anndrea Hermann, a dedicated hemp ambassador with over 23 years of experience, and Antoine Moussié of France’s La Chanvrière, Europe's largest hemp producer. The Scientific Research Session is headlined by a keynote speech from Dr. Eshrar Latif of the Welsh School of Architecture, focusing on the hygrothermal performance of hemp-based materials, alongside the latest developments from researchers like Liam Donohoe of Technological University Dublin.

Day 2: Design and Projects

The Design Session will explore the architectural potential of hemp with speakers such as architect Ian Svilokos of PIE architects and Pamela Bosch, builder and resident of the famous Highland Hemp House. The Projects Session will feature North American hemp building pioneers like Gabriel Gauthier of Artcan and Micaela Machado of Old Pueblo Hemp Co, who recently completed a 16,300-block order for an environmental learning center in Arizona.

The day concludes with exciting hands-on demonstrations of spraying hempcrete (using the Ereasy system), hemp block laying, and hemp plaster application. 

‘Reservation Dogs’ star Dallas Goldtooth (R) poses with Danny Desjarlais (L)in front of one of the Lower Sioux hempcrete homes under construction. Photo courtesy of Dallas Goldtooth

Charity Auction Features ‘Reservation Dogs’ Star

The Saturday evening Symposium Dinner will include a charity auction aimed at raising additional funds for the community school. The auction will be MC'd by acclaimed actor, writer, and comedian Dallas Goldtooth. Goldtooth, known for his work on the series Reservation Dogs, is a Mdewakanton Dakota and Dine community member of the Lower Sioux.

Day 3: Major Code Breakthrough and Indigenous Leadership

A critical session on Day 3 will address the recent approval by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry of the ICC Commercial Building Code Appendices for Hemp-Lime Construction. This decision is considered a major victory for the industry, allowing for the legal use of hempcrete in commercial projects within the state. The team involved in developing the cold-climate-specific code language will present the details to attendees.

The Lower Sioux hempcrete team have forged a path in North America to develop tribal housing from locally sourced biobased industrial hemp, grown and processed on the reservation and then used to build housing. Clothing workwear company Patagonia released a 19-minute documentary Green Buffalo about the Lower Sioux hemp construction program.

The event’s co-host, Cameron McIntosh, founder of Americhanvre, is a key figure in both the program's live demonstrations—showcasing the company's spray-applied hempcrete technology—and in the legislative updates.

A member of the Lower Sioux hempcrete team applies hemp with an Ereasy spray system. Photo courtesy of the Lower Sioux Hempcrete team.

A hempcrete home in Rochester MN installed by Americhanvre and the Lower Sioux hempcrete team. Photo courtesy of Danny Desjarlais

Advancing the 2027 International Residential Code

While Minnesota's recent adoption of the ICC Commercial Building Code Appendices for Hemp-Lime Construction will be discussed, a new code campaign highlights the industry's next major goal: the 2027 International Residential Code (IRC).

A group of code experts and building professionals has launched a campaign to raise funds for the necessary technical work to get 1-hour fire-resistance rated walls officially included in the 2027 IRC. This critical fire-testing data, much of which was recently performed by Americhanvre, is required to streamline the permitting process and prove hemp-lime's performance to building departments nationwide. The campaign seeks to close a funding gap to ensure this essential data is submitted and approved.

Focus on New Materials

The symposium will close with a focus on new materials, featuring industry leaders such as Alex Sparrow of UK Hempcrete and Greg Wilson, CEO of HempWood  led by Jean Lotus, the publisher of www.hempbuildmag.com. The final day concludes with a tour of existing hemp building projects across the Lower Sioux Community led by Danny Desjarlais.

This is the first time the International Hemp Building Symposium has been held in North America, and the industry has a lot to learn from our EU and British counterparts. But with the unique US indigenous leadership in the hemp building industry, participants have a lot to learn from us as well!

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