The European Union has decided to allow only buildings that do not emit harmful substances to be built within six years at the latest. Failure to comply with this regulation could result in a carbon dioxide quota being imposed on builders.
The March tightening
The European Parliament has adopted a revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, which will introduce new rules on energy consumption and emissions in buildings from 2030, exempting agricultural and heritage buildings, temporary buildings, places of worship and churches.
The decision was necessary because buildings are a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and the EU’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. The new legislation could reduce energy consumption, which could also lead to lower energy bills for the average citizen. In addition, more energy efficient buildings will contribute to protecting the environment and creating a more sustainable future.
The natural solution
In Hungary, hemp cultivation has a long and distinguished history, having been cultivated on thousands of hectares and used in many different ways. Nowadays, hemp composites are used in the automotive industry, for example. By taking advantage of the potential of the land and the historical experience, industrial hemp cultivation could be revived through crop rotation. The cultivation of hemp is extremely beneficial for the soil: it requires minimal fertiliser, its deep-penetrating roots improve subsoil structure, it is gentle on the topsoil and can cleanse the soil of heavy metal contamination. This property has been exploited in Chernobyl and Fukushima. In addition, hemp can sequester nearly 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare in four months, which is one and a half times the annual carbon sequestration capacity of a mature pine forest.
Industrial hemp production is a major factor in the fight against global warming. It can play a key role in an innovative growth model that gives more back to the planet than it takes away, while creating thousands of new green jobs. Mankind has been using natural building materials, including hemp, to build homes since ancient times. For thousands of years, humans have built with mud, wood, straw, hemp, stone, and plastered and painted with lime. The windows, furniture and floors were made of wood, so that the homes had no negative impact on the inhabitants.
