13th International Hemp Building Symposium Program

Program Draft

Building the Future with Hemp – Innovation, Community, and Sustainability

Join the IHBA Symposium at Jackpot Junction Hotel, a unique event showcasing the future of hemp building materials. The program includes a conference where global experts share the latest research, industry insights, and innovative projects, alongside an expo hall for companies to present their products and services. Attendees can also experience live demonstrations and site visits around the Lower Sioux reservation.

Evening highlights include a Gala Dinner with a charity auction benefiting the Lower Sioux School, hosted by a celebrity MC (to be announced), followed by an awards ceremony. With profits shared between the International Hemp Building Association and the Lower Sioux, this event is not only an opportunity to connect with leaders in the field but also to support sustainable development and the local community.

DAY 1. Friday October 3, 2025

8:00 a.m. Registration.

9:00 a.m. Welcome by Steve Allin director of the IHBA and Danny Desjarlais Hemp Construction Project Manager, Lower Sioux.

AGRICULTURAL SESSION

Presentations of Farming and Harvesting Systems, Regenerative Agriculture, Seed varieties.

9:15 – 9:35 a.m. Anndrea Hermann M.Sc, B.Gs, P.Ag

9:40 – 10:00 a.m.

10:05 – 10:25 a.m.

10:30 – 11:00 a.m. Coffee break and panel discussion.

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

Presentations by leading researchers and academics.

11:00 – 11:40 a.m. Keynote speech by Eshrar Latif, Associate Professor, Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff, Wales. U.K.

11:45 – 12.05 a.m.

12:10 – 12.30 a.m.

12:30 – 1:00 p.m. Panel discussion lead by Liam Donohoe, Technological University Dublin, UK Hempcrete.

1:00 – 2:00 p.m. LUNCH

2:00 p.m. Tour of Lower Sioux Processing Facility.

5:30 p.m. End of day.

DAY 2. Saturday October 4, 2025

DESIGN SESSION

Presentations by leading architects and designers regarding design implications for building including hemp based materials.

9:00 – 9:20 a.m. Ian Svilokos of PIE architects

9:25 – 9:45 a.m.

9:50 – 10:10 a.m. Steve Allin, Hemp Building Expert.

10:10 – 10:40 a.m. Coffee break and panel discussion.

PROJECTS SESSION

Presentations by project leaders on planned or successfully completed projects involving hemp based designs.

10:45 – 11:05 a.m. Presentation by Gabriel Gauthier of Artcan who have been the pioneer of hemp construction in North America since 2003.

11:10 – 11:30 a.m. April Hatch RM, MSN, Saint Louis University.

11:35 – 11:55 a.m. Felix Drewes, Nutzhanf-Netzwerk, Germany. – Regional Innovation: Processing Winter Hemp and Post-Coal Transition.

12:00 – 12:20 p.m. Arta Yazdanseta, Professor of Architecture, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute NY.

12:25 – 1:00 p.m.

1:00 – 2:00 p.m. LUNCH

2:00 – 5:30 p.m. Demonstrations of Hemp Building Materials, Application and Installation led by Cameron McIntosh Americhanvre.

7:30 p.m. GALA DINNER & Charity Auction in Aid of LOWER SIOUX SCHOOL. Awards Ceremony.

DAY 3. Sunday October 5, 2025

MATERIALS SCIENCE

Presentations of material science for new materials and systems.

9:00 – 9:20 a.m. Alexandros Tsamis, Ph.D. Associate Professor in Architecture, Associate Director, CASE Center for Architecture, Science and Ecology, Graduate Program Director, Built Ecologies. MS & PhD, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute NY.

9:25 – 9:45 a.m. Laura Schramm, Boku University Vienna, Austria.

9:50 – 10:10 a.m. Guillaume Delannoy – FRD-CODEM, France.

10:10 – 10:30 a.m.

10:30 – 11:00 a.m. Coffee break and panel discussion.

NEW MATERIALS

Presentations by leading manufacturers of new Hemp based materials and products.

11:00 -11:25 Presentation by Steven Clarke of HeavenGrown, Mexico.

11:30 – 11:50 p.m. Alex Sparrow, UK Hempcrete.

11:50 – 12:10 p.m.

12:10 – 12:30 p.m.

12:30 – 1:00 p.m. Panel discussion.

1:00 – 2:00 p.m. LUNCH

2.00 – 5.00 p.m. Tour of Hemp Building Projects at the Lower Sioux Community led by Danny Desjarlais.

5:00 – 5:30 p.m. Summary and close. Steve Allin , Cameron McIntosh and Danny Desjarlais.