Through this trial, the municipality of Enschede is investigating whether fibre hemp is suitable as a building material for the future. Fibre hemp is a bio-based raw material and can help reduce the use of new raw materials, such as metal, oil and gas. This aligns with the municipality’s ambition to reduce the use of these primary raw materials by 50% by 2030.

Together with the Twente Construction Farmers, Enschede is working on the entire supply chain: from cultivation to local processing and use in construction. This reduces CO₂ emissions and strengthens the regional economy. The fibre hemp trial is part of the European CASCADE and C5 projects.

In construction, materials that require a lot of energy are still frequently used. Plants such as fibre hemp grow back every year and could potentially replace some of those materials. However, growing a plant is one thing; the harvest must then also be processed, transported and used by companies that turn it into building materials. It is precisely here that questions often arise: who can process it, what does it cost, what quality is required and where can the material ultimately be used?

Initiating new solutions

Councillor for Sustainability Niels van den Berg: “As a local authority, we ourselves build, renovate and manage buildings and public spaces. It therefore makes sense for us to investigate which more sustainable materials we can use in this work. We are not becoming farmers or producers, but we can help to initiate new solutions.”

Bio-based building materials and energy production

Fibre hemp grows quickly and requires relatively little water, fertiliser and pesticides. The plant’s fibres are suitable for use as insulation material, for example. The woody interior of the stem, also known as shives, can be processed into sheet material or hempcrete. The Municipality of Enschede is also investigating new applications for the harvest residues. In future, parts of the plant may be used as a source for local energy generation.

Test field at Technology Base

The fibre hemp trial is taking place at Technology Base. This innovative business park provides space for experiments and research into new applications. This makes Technology Base a suitable location for gaining practical experience with the cultivation, processing and application of bio-based raw materials. Opposite the trial field, for example, is Spiral Recycled Thermoplastic Composites, which also works with sustainable fibre-based materials, but by recycling the extremely strong and valuable fibres from thermoplastic composite materials used in aircraft.

After the harvest, the council will assess the results of the trial. It will also investigate whether materials derived from fibre hemp can be used in council buildings or other projects. There is an information board next to the field. Visitors can read on it what is growing, what fibre hemp is used for and what the purpose of the trial field is.

For further information, please contact Marieke Vizee: marieke.vizee@technologybase.nl.