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Kentucky Hempsters: Our Stay in a Hemp House

Updated: Jan 16, 2019



In the Fall of 2015, we were lucky enough to have stayed in one of the first hemp homes built in the United States - The Nauhaus. Finished in 2011, The Nauhaus is a high performance natural building system that combines the best of cutting edge modern building science with the advantages of traditional building techniques and lifestyles [American Lime Technology.]

The house features 16-inch hempcrete walls and earthen blocks made from the projects left-over soil. The livingroom includes dual sets of French doors that open to outside, along with a loft and detached dinning room surrounded by windows. Below you can see the first floor, with a front patio enterance, livingroom/kitchen, dining room, entry way and staircase, that leads into a master bedroom with attached bathroom and outdoor deck area.


The Nauhaus, made of hempcrete, in North Carolina - Front porch area, you can see the exterior of the 16-inch thick hempcrete walls
The Nauhaus, made of hempcrete, in North Carolina - Front porch area, you can see the exterior of the 16-inch thick hempcrete walls

The Nauhaus, made of hempcrete, in North Carolina - Entrance from front door into living area with kitchen and ladder to loft area.
The Nauhaus, made of hempcrete, in North Carolina - Entrance from front door into living area with kitchen and ladder to loft area.

The basement includes a separate living area and kitchen with a bedroom and bathroom that can be closed off into it's own space, along with a third bedroom, laundry room and outdoor patio.


The Nauhaus, made of hempcrete, in North Carolina - A separate living area and kitchen downstairs in the finished basement.
The Nauhaus, made of hempcrete, in North Carolina - A separate living area and kitchen downstairs in the finished basement.

The Nauhaus, made of hempcrete, in North Carolina - A bedroom with a full bathroom downstairs in the finished basement.
The Nauhaus, made of hempcrete, in North Carolina - A bedroom with a full bathroom downstairs in the finished basement.


The Nauhaus, made of hempcrete, in North Carolina - Another bedroom downstairs in the finished basement.
The Nauhaus, made of hempcrete, in North Carolina - Another bedroom downstairs in the finished basement.

We could not have been more pleased with our stay. Not only were we visiting during one of the most beautiful times of the year, the weather was perfect and the home offered us all the comfort we could have asked for! There were no electronics throughout the house (no TV, stero, or computer) and believe it or not we didn't even notice until the day we left. Most of the time we were having to much fun at the event, visiting with friends on the patio or relaxing in the livingroom with the doors wide open letting in the crisp, fresh air.

Want to know more about the actual project and the different properties of the home? Here are some bits of information we took from an article in Asheville's Green Home & Living Guide we found on display within the house discussing The Nauhaus and it's history (shown below).

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