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When parents dropped off their children at De Leertrommel, the young pupils began their studies as they had for many years before. But while the school constructed in the 1960s looked much like any other, it represents a major leap forward in sustainable construction: it had been completely renovated in a project to become the first Flemish school to ever be built with hemp.

April 1, 2023 | Source: Reasons to be Cheerful | by Peter Yeung

This fall, when parents dropped off their children at De Leertrommel, a school about 10 miles northwest of Brussels, the young pupils began their studies as they had for many years before.

But while the U-shaped, seven-room school constructed in the 1960s looked much like any other, it represents a major leap forward in sustainable construction: it had been completely renovated in a €2 million (USD $1.9 million) project to become the first Flemish school to ever be built with hemp.

“The project was to build well-ventilated classrooms where pupils can be comfortable and healthy throughout the year,” says Charlotte De Bellefroid, a spokesperson for IsoHemp, the Belgian company that fabricated the school’s hemp-based construction materials.

IsoHemp’s blocks, and alternatives made by many others, are made of hempcrete, a mix of hemp fibers, water, and lime or clay, which acts as a binder.