Idaho-headquartered Hempitecture, is to receive $8.42 million in funding from the US Department of Energy under the Investing in America agenda.

The funding will support the creation of a new industrial hemp fibre processing and manufacturing facility in northeast Tennessee focused on producing high-performing products for the building materials, packaging and automotive sectors.

The new facility will create 25 full-time jobs at wages 15% above the local prevailing rate and will use hemp fibre to reduce carbon intensity by up to 80% in the products it manufactures.

This funding recognises both the potential of bio-based materials and the role they play in building a cleaner, more resilient economy.

Hempitecture’s flagship products like HempWool and PlantPanel play a role in decarbonising the construction industry and are part of a broader vision to transform supply chains using sustainable resources.

Farm-to-Form at Hempitecture represents a pioneering approach to building materials. It starts with partnerships with local farmers committed to regenerative practices, cultivating a resilient supply chain that supports rural economies while reducing carbon footprints. Hempitecture’s new production facility will then enable eco-friendly manufacturing processes to create bio-based insulation materials that perform exceptionally in energy efficiency and carbon reduction across a variety of industries.

Hempitecture CIO, Tommy Gibbons, spent two years at Tennessee’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory as part of the DOE Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program (LEEP). While developing a commercialisation plan for Hempitecture’s products, it became clear that northeast Tennessee is fertile ground with a rich history of agriculture, textile manufacturing and a workforce ready for new opportunities outside the coal industry.

www.hempitecture.com