Hempcrete Womens Shed Project

The Lithgow Area Womens Shed is a multi-purpose building, housing both the Women’s Shed workshop and tool room etc, a public meeting hall for up to a hundred people, with semi-commercial kitchen and accessible facilities, as well as two lettable offices intended for community or sporting organisations.

The client brief called for a high performing energy efficient building to replace the ice-box cottage the women had previously suffered in – Lithgow can be very cold. It also had to use natural materials where possible, and have materials and labour sourced in the local region as much as possible.

It was decided early on in the design process to use hempcrete for its natural characteristics and carbon sequestration, in addition to being grown and processed in NSW. Passivhaus design detailing was used to ensure high thermal performance, and full accessibility has been incorporated into all doors and toilets to meet the widest community needs.

The hempcrete walls sit on a fully insulated concrete floor slab, with a structural insulated panel (SIP) roof. All windows and doors are triple glazed with insulated uPVC frames. The air tight construction requires a heat exchanging mechanical ventilation system that will bring fresh air into the building without loss of thermal comfort.

The project is funded by a grant through the Australian Government’s Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants. Envirotecture started designing in 2023, and after a swift design process, planning approval was finally granted in September of that year. 

Construction began in February of 2024, and at time of writing (mid August) the groundworks are done, slab is poured, wall framing is nearing completion in preparation for installation of long span SIP roof panels. September is programmed for the installation of hempcrete walls.

Would like to volunteer to be part of the hempcrete install?

Call out for volunteers to help install the hempcrete – no experience required.
Hempcrete is scheduled for the whole of September 2024.
Please note that you will need a White-Card for construction site safety.
Location: Womens Shed at Lithgow, NSW.
Contact: Leanne Hopkins lithgowwomensshed2018@gmail.com

Envirotecture are proud to be donating financially to assist in the hemping of the project.