Soaring prices for lumber, steel, concrete and other traditional materials have some builders looking at hemp as a less expensive and more abundant alternative.
Before modern-era prohibitions due to its association with marijuana used as a drug, hemp had enjoyed extensive use as a material, particularly in textile and paper production.
Some builders are now taking another look at hemp, as it can be used as a primary material for components such as walls and flooring, insulation, and even in brick and blockwork as hemp adobe. Advocates also note that as a seasonally regrown plant, it is highly renewable and sustainable, taking only 90 days to replace. (Source)