The International Hemp Building Association (IHBA) is a non-profit company Limited by Guarantee and not having a Share Capital, formed on the 20th November 2009 in Ireland. Company number 477769. The IHBA currently has over 200 members from 25 different countries from all over the globe.
Welcome. Click on the button or image to read and download the IHBA Position Paper from February 2022 on The Appropriate Measurement of Hemp and Other Natural Building Material Performance.
The IHBA, founded in 2009, aims to promote and support the sustainable and bio-regional production and use of hemp-based construction materials and by-products worldwide.
The association focuses on gathering and sharing knowledge about these materials and systems, connecting those developing and using them with those interested in learning more. It also assists members in developing systems for producing and utilizing these materials in vernacular and contemporary architectural styles suited to their regions.
In addition, the IHBA educates and informs government and trade bodies to establish the infrastructure necessary for creating a global hemp building industry while striving to minimize the environmental impact of such materials.
Steve Allin, the IHBA’s director and founder, has been a pioneer in hemp construction since 1997. He is the author of Building with Hemp (2005) and Hemp Buildings: 50 International Case Studies (2021).
As a hemp building consultant, Steve has advised on projects in Belgium, Canada, Ireland, South Africa, Switzerland, the UK, and the US. He also introduced hemp construction to Haiti, Nepal, and Latvia. Since 2001, he has conducted numerous successful hemp building courses in Australia, Canada, Finland, Ireland, Sweden, and the US.
As IHBA director, Steve has delivered presentations in countries such as the Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, Spain, Sweden, and the US, sharing his expertise and advancing the mission of hemp-based construction globally.
List of activities and Symposiums organised by the International Hemp Building Association since its forming in 2009.
| Year | Location | Event | Capacity | Title of Presentation given |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 2024 | Troyes, France | World Hemp Forum | Speaker | History of the IHBA |
| October 2024 | Staffanstorp, Sweden | 12th International Hemp Building Symposium | Organiser | Symposium |
| June 2024 | Brussels, Belgium | European Industrial Hemp Association 21th Conference | Leading Construction Panel | - |
| October 2023 | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 11th International Hemp Building Symposium | Organiser | Symposium |
| July 2023 | Brussels, Belgium | European Industrial Hemp Association 20th Conference | Panel | - |
| October 2022 | Lacapelle-Marival, France | 10th International Hemp Building Symposium | Organiser | Symposium |
| June 2022 | Brussels, Belgium | European Industrial Hemp Association 19th Conference | Speaker | Hemp Building Session |
| October 2020 | online | 2nd US Hemp Building Summit | Speaker | |
| Sep 2020 | Online | 9th International Hemp Building Symposium | Organiser | Symposium |
| October 2019 | Ketchum, Idaho, USA | 1st US Hemp Building Summit | Keynote Speaker | Time to Get Serious, What Has CBD Got To Do With Hemp Building |
| June 2019 | Cologne, Germany | European Industrial Hemp Association 16th Conference | Speaker | The Broad Range of Hempcrete Applications Worldwide |
| February 2019 | Kathmandu, Nepal | 1st Asian Hemp Summit | Speaker | A More Human Approach: Local hemp value chain organization & culture |
| December 2018 | Vienna, Austria | International Cannabis Policy Conference | Speaker | Hemp and the Environment |
| October 2018 | Brussels, Belgium | 8th International Hemp Building Symposium | Organiser | Symposium |
| October 2017 | Montreal, Canada | 7th International Hemp Building Symposium | Organiser | Symposium |
| June 2017 | Cologne, Germany | European Industrial Hemp Association 14th Conference | Session chairman | Hemp Building |
| May 2017 | Tillburg, Netherlands | EcoWeek | Speaker | Bio Based (R)evolution |
| October 2016 | Verona, Italy | 6th International Hemp Building Symposium | Organiser | Symposium |
| June 2016 | Wesserling,Germany | European Industrial Hemp Association 13th Conference | Delegate | Steve Allin |
| March 2016 | Tangier, Morocco | INTERNATIONAL COLLOQUIUM on CANNABIS and Drugs | Speaker | Use of Hempcrete Internationally |
| March 2016 | Kathmandu, Nepal | Dr Baburam Bhattarai ex Prime Minister of Nepal | Meeting | Hemp Building |
| December 2015 | Paris, France | COP 21, World Hemp Quarter | Info Stand/Speaker | Hemp Building |
| October 2015 | Uckermark, Germany | 5th International Hemp Building Symposium | Organiser | Symposium |
| May 2015 | Wesserling,Germany | European Industrial Hemp Association 12th Conference | Delegate | Terry Barman |
| September 2014 | Washington DC, USA | Hemp Industries Association Conference | Speaker | Building a Hemp Building Industry |
| April 2014 | CatWise Centre, Wales | 4th International Hemp Building Symposium | Organiser | Symposium |
| October 2012 | Yverdon-Les-Bains, Switzerland | 3rd International Hemp Building Symposium | Organiser | Symposium |
| March 2012 | Malmo, Sweden | Hemp ConferenceUniversity of Agricultural Science in Alnarp | Speaker | Hemp Building |
| November 2011 | San Francisco, USA | Hemp ConferenceUniversity of Agricultural Science in Alnarp | Speaker | Past, Present and Future of Hemp in Building |
| June 2011 | Cork, Ireland | NEES Kick-off meeting | Speaker | Hemp Building |
| May 2011 | Wesserling,Germany | European Industrial Hemp Association 8th Conference | Speaker | Hemp Composite Production in Ireland |
| May 2011 | Kaunus,Lithuania | Baltic Bast Fibres Growers and Processors Association Conference | Speaker | Hemp Building |
| April 2011 | Malaga, Spain | ExpoCannabis | Info Stand/Speaker | Hemp Building |
| April 2011 | Granada, Spain | 2nd International Hemp Building Symposium | Organiser | Symposium |
| November 2010 | Prague,Czech Republic | Cannafest | Info Stand/Speaker | Hemp Building |
Since 2009, the IHBA has hosted the annual International Hemp Building Symposium, bringing together experts and enthusiasts in various countries. Discover the history of our past events here.
Our symposiums are well known for the ground-breaking technological innovations presented from around the world while at the same time providing an ideal opportunity for learning in this growing sector.
The highly anticipated symposiums organised by the IHBA are run annually and held in different countries every year, they draw the attention of individuals from all corners of the globe.
With a primary focus on the innovative topic of building with hemp, the events aim to provide a unique platform for like-minded professionals and enthusiasts to come together and exchange their knowledge, experiences, and ideas.