Hemp homes and straw bale homes can both be built to be very comfortable, and both use renewable resources.

Hemp blocks can be installed by builders and are weather resistant, where straw bales are almost exclusively the domain of owner-builders and need to be kept dry at all times until they are rendered. Hemp-lime is naturally resistant to mould growth, where straw isn’t.

All materials have their advantages and shortfalls. Each home builder must decide for themselves which materials best suit their needs and wants, as well as their building site.