Grant: Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 1

Industrial hemp is cultivated for its fibre. The fibres are long, light, flexible, strong, versatile and durable. BioComposites Group (BCG) has been using hemp to replace conventional materials such as glass fibre and plastic. The hemp provides a superior performance and reduced environmental impact. BCG has produced several products that have been successfully commercialized. Now they are ready to test a new product and they have sought out the Green Building Technology (GBT) applied research team at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) to explore their new concept. BCG products are made with the underutilized byproduct of the hemp plant. Their products are 100% biodegradable and fully compostable. They have been working on the development of hemp insulation for a year. They will be exploring the fire and thermal qualities of the product. They seek to exploit the extraordinary mechanical qualities of industrial hemp using a raw material grown, decorticate, cleaned and manufactured on the Alberta prairies. Using outcomes of research related to the binding qualities of natural fibres, they want to develop a hemp based insulation product that adheres to industry standards. Their hemp source is a raw material that was previously considered waste.