Wellington/Kerikeri – 8 June 2023: Hemp solutions to global building challenges around waste, carbon emissions and materials longevity are being unlocked by a new Aotearoa-first hemp binder, GEOBIND, developed by a local Kerikeri- based builder and an environmental enthusiast.
Co-founders of GEOBIND and owner of construction company, Rockstead, Doug Sturrock and Alice Hosted say they were looking for sustainable building materials to build their own home and came across hempcrete, but couldn’t find any locally made binders required to use in this method of construction.
“I was building my own house and looking for sustainable construction materials when the idea came to me. We wanted to build our home sustainably, we had access to the hemp hurd needed but relying on international binders didn’t make sense,” says Doug Sturrock.
That’s when he and his co-founder Alice came up with the idea for GEOBIND, a hemp binder made using different minerals to standard binders. Rigorous lab testing has shown, by using GEOBIND as the binder, hempcrete can meet or exceed requirements for structural and seismic resilient products.
“People want to use hemp-based building materials but haven’t had access to a binder that makes the hemp usable in a wider range of applications, while also retaining carbon neutrality, and at the right costpoint. GEOBIND essentially acts as the ‘glue’ that holds hemp fibres together to form building materials like hempcrete.” says Sturrock.
“The performance results we are getting through our testing makes GEOBIND hempcrete perfect for prefabricated applications like blocks and panels as well.”
New Zealand’s built environment is responsible for 20 per cent of the country’s carbon footprint and almost half of New Zealand’s total landfill being made up of construction and demolition waste.
Hempcrete sequesters CO2 while the hemp is being grown, and continues to absorb CO2 and act as a carbon sink over its lifespan.
“If we want to reduce waste in the building sector, we need to reduce the harmful, carbon-intensive materials we’re using to build healthy homes. Hemp materials present a real opportunity to make long-lasting change. We were just missing the key to hold it together,” Sturrock continues.
With increasing pressure and new regulations on the horizon for the construction industry to deploy sustainable practices, many builders and construction companies are investigating sustainable materials, including hemp.
“Builders have long been interested in hemp as a material, but the lack of a locally made sustainable binder meant it wasn’t a viable option for many,” says Sturrock.
“GEOBIND meets that demand and helps builders meet their carbon footprint obligations, with the benefits of being fire-proof, mould-proof, having good insulative properties, and being safe for installers to use.”
Doug Sturrock
Co-Founder GEOBIND
Healthy, carbon-neutral homes.
GEOBIND’s carbon-neutral binder utilises hemp hurd, a by-product of hemp food and fiber production, that often goes to waste, as well as avoiding lime and other toxic binder components.
With a life expectancy of 100-150 years, a GEOBIND walling system could even become carbon negative over time when accounting for both the carbon sequestration of the material and the improved temperature control of hemp-insulated buildings.
“Kiwi builders want to walk away from a project knowing the build has longevity for occupants and the environment,” says Sturrock.
“With so many damp homes in New Zealand, healthy homes were one of our main focuses when producing the binder. We wanted to create a material that was built to last and the nature of GEOBIND hempcrete means that we can achieve this.”
“It’s completely natural so, there’s no risk to the installer or resident which was important to us with silicosis, asbestos, and other respiratory diseases being such a concern for builders.”
Government backed, locally supported, global aspirations.
GEOBIND has secured an IP for the binder and multiple variations. Now, the company has its sights set on developing value-added products such as blocks and panels, and making a domestic and international impact.
Despite overseas competitors in the hemp-binder space, GEOBIND is three-times stronger than competitor products and highlights the untapped commercial potential of New Zealand’s hemp production.
Currently, Sturrock and his partner and GEOBIND co-founder, Alice Hosted are part of Creative HQ’s Impact Accelerator programme, aiming to establish connections and finesse the business model so it’s geared to take off in its next phase of development.
“We developed an amazing product really quickly, and it’s been moving fast. There’s been so much interest,” says Hosted. “We almost skipped the business set-up phase in the pursuit of the product, so Creative HQ’s Impact Accelerator has been a great opportunity for us to connect with innovation experts and focus on setting our business up for the next phase of growth.”
Creative HQ’s GM of Startups, Joe Slater, says that innovative products like GEOBIND are what’s needed to reshape New Zealand’s future so core sectors like construction can become more sustainable.
“GEOBIND is a great example of kiwi ingenuity. They’re solving a problem that not only were they facing, but that the entire global construction industry needs a solution for,” says Slater. “Ideas and businesses like GEOBIND will reset the course for our future and help make sure our sustainability goals become a reality. This is exactly the kind of product we love to see and support at Creative HQ in programmes like our Impact Accelerator.”
