Get Hands-On with Hempcrete: Learn Through Root Down Building Collective Workshops
At Root Down, we believe hempcrete is one of the most exciting materials in residential construction today. Its ability to create healthy, high-performing, carbon-conscious homes makes it a natural fit for the kind of thoughtful building we value. And because understanding the material is just as important as designing for it, Root Down Building Collective was created to provide hands-on education and training around climate-smart building methods like hempcrete.
Root Down Building Collective
The Root Down Building Collective (RDBC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Charleston, South Carolina, and is our sister organization. While we focus on designing thoughtful, buildable house plans—including both conventional and natural building systems—RDBC exists to educate and empower the people who bring those homes to life, with a particular focus on hempcrete and other low-carbon building materials. Through a combination of hands-on training, community engagement, and educational initiatives, the collective supports workforce development and a more informed next generation of builders working with sustainable construction methods.
RDBC’s mission is to make climate-smart building practices more accessible through education, advocacy, and hands-on experience. Operating as a collaborative network of building professionals and enthusiasts, their work spans research, development, and immersive hempcrete workshops, helping advance regenerative building practices and expand the future of sustainable construction throughout the Southeast and beyond.
Hands-On Learning Through Real Builds
One of the primary ways RDBC brings this mission to life is through immersive, hands-on building workshops. Hosted on active construction sites throughout the Carolinas, these workshops allow participants to work directly with natural materials—mixing, placing, and installing hempcrete within real wall systems.
Rather than learning in a classroom setting, participants gain practical, tactile experience while also developing a deeper understanding of how hempcrete performs, from moisture regulation to thermal behavior. Each workshop creates a collaborative environment where builders, designers, and homeowners can learn side by side and leave with real, applicable knowledge.
A Broader Impact
Beyond workshops, RDBC also supports research, pilot projects, and advocacy efforts that help advance the use of hempcrete and other low-carbon building methods. This work plays an important role in expanding both awareness and real-world application of these materials, while keeping the focus on giving people the hands-on experience to build with confidence.
Designing with Hempcrete in Mind
The reality is, hempcrete is not just another building material. Its ability to create healthier, more resilient, and carbon-conscious homes calls for a more intentional approach to design and construction. That is exactly why we created the Hempstead Living collection.
The collection includes a range of thoughtfully designed house plans, from compact ADUs to full-scale family homes, each developed with hempcrete construction in mind. Wall assemblies, structural systems, and material considerations are fully integrated from the beginning, making it easier to build with confidence and clarity. While these plans are optimized for hempcrete, they can also be adapted for more conventional building methods, offering flexibility without compromising thoughtful design.
If you are still exploring the material itself, we recommend reading our full guide: What Is Hempcrete?, where we break down how it works, why it performs so well, and what makes it such a compelling alternative to conventional building systems.
Together, these resources, from hands-on education through RDBC to thoughtfully designed house plans, are meant to give you both the knowledge and the framework to bring your project to life.
Ready to Get Your Hands in the Mix?
Curious what it’s actually like to build with hempcrete? The workshops are the best place to start. The upcoming workshop is already sold out, and future dates tend to fill quickly, so it’s worth checking what’s coming up on https://www.rootdownbuildingcollective.org/.
For those thinking about their own build, take a look at our intentionally designed Hempstead Living collection.
Together, these paths are meant to help you move from curiosity to confidence as you begin your own building journey.
And if questions come up along the way, feel free to reach out. We’re here to help.