Project Background
Safe, Affordable, and Environmentally friendly homes for people with Chronic Diseases
Hemp 4 Humanity is proud to partner with Canary Homes on our first non profit collaborative hemp design project. The goal of this project is to provide a progressive reproducible model for affordable housing focused on holistic well-being, sustainability, and environmental impact. Born out of immense need, this initial development is designed to help address the unique housing and health challenges of the growing ME/CFS, Long COVID, and Lyme disease communities. This will be the first of several community-based housing developments planned for the United States. It will serve as the proof of concept home for us to measure how we can most affordably incorporate sustainable design into our eco-friendly housing units. Construction of the pre-fabricated hemp walls is currently under way in our workshops.
What is ME/CFS?
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a serious, long-term illness that affects many body systems (Learn more 1). People with ME/CFS are often not able to do their usual activities and at times may be confined to bed (Learn more 2). Some of the common symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome include malaise, extreme fatigue, body pain, poor concentration, loss of memory, sore throat, tender lymph nodes, pain in multiple joints, headache, rest or sleep does not help in refreshing and sleep problems (Learn more 3).
The cause of chronic fatigue syndrome is unknown, although there are many theories. There is no cure for ME/CFS, but treatment can help relieve symptoms and improve quality of life (Learn more 4). Treatment may include improving living conditions, as well as other therapies to help manage symptoms.
What is Long-COVID?
Long COVID or long-haul COVID (also known as post-COVID-19 syndrome, post-COVID-19 condition, post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), or chronic COVID syndrome (CCS)) is a condition characterized by long-term health problems persisting or appearing after the typical recovery period of COVID-19 (Learn More 1).
Long COVID has no single, strict definition. People with Long COVID may experience many symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, joint pain, brain fog, depression, and anxiety. The symptoms can last weeks, months, or even years after infection (Learn More 2).
What is Chronic Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdoferi. It can result in symptoms such as rashes, fever, and fatigue (Learn More 1). The disease can affect people of any age and there are approximately 476,000 cases of this disease in the United States every year.
If left untreated, Chronic Lyme Disease can have long-term effects on the body. These effects can include Lyme carditis (irregular heartbeat or “heart block”), Lyme arthritis (severe joint pain and swelling), brain fog, severe fatigue, neurological problems (meningitis, Bell’s palsy, impaired movement, etc.), and anxiety and depression (Learn more 2).
How Do Healthy Homes Help with ME/CFS, Long-COVID, and Lyme Disease?
People suffering from ME/CFS, Lyme disease, and Long-COVID are highly susceptible to environmental conditions. Factors like mold, noise pollution, and VOCs, which are minor inconveniences for healthy individuals, can be completely debilitating for people suffering from these conditions. "Safe/Healthy houses" are built with intention and careful consideration of materials, airflow, water quality, lighting, and sound. Building biologists and other environmental consultants help to ensure the highest level of safety is being met to reduce the impact of the factors mentioned above in the design.
There is a rapidly growing demand for healthy homes and healing spaces, but to date, only a handful of environmentally safe communities have been built. The majority of the US developments have been privately funded; one was built with the help of federal HUD funding, and another was funded by the Arizona Department of Housing. The need for this type of housing is increasing significantly. Since development, each of these communities has been at full capacity, and most have extensive wait lists.
What Does Hemp Have to Do with Healthy Homes?
Hempcrete has many natural advantages that make it an ideal choice for building healthy homes (Learn more):
Hempcrete is breathable, meaning it absorbs moisture during high relative humidity and releases it when the relative humidity drops. This makes it resistant to mold and pests, which typically occur only in spaces where humidity accumulates, getting trapped by non-porous building materials.
Hempcrete is a low-VOC material. It contains no harmful chemicals or synthetic materials that can off-gas into the air. This makes it an excellent choice for people sensitive to chemicals or allergies.
Hempcrete has excellent thermal properties. It has a high thermal mass, which means that it can store heat and release it slowly over time. This helps regulate indoor temperatures and reduce energy consumption. Hempcrete also has a low thermal conductivity, which means that it is a good insulator.
Support our Mission to create solutions for a circular economy through the power of HEMP!
Donations to H4H could go towards our Canary Homes project: help us use Hempcrete to create safe, affordable, and environmentally friendly homes for people with chronic diseases.
