A

B

  • Bracket : The use of brackets is recommended to hold hemp blocks over windows and doors when the application of an IsoHemp lintel is not considered. This solution is preferred in interior renovation principally when the height to be isolated above the bay is low and there are only a few rows of blocks to be placed. The bracket can also be used to distribute and take up loads in some applications.

C

  • Capillary rise Capillary rise is the migration of humidity into walls that are in contact with wet ground.
     
  • CLT : These laminated and/or counter-nailed panels consist of solid wood planks arranged in crossed layers of a number depending on the use and desired thickness.  (Source: CSTC)
     
  • Construction The set of techniques that are involved in building; the sector of activity whose purpose is to build. (Source: Larousse)
     
  • Constructive node The term “constructive node” designates a place where the walls of the envelope of the protected volume join (junction) and the place where the insulating layer is locally interrupted linearly or punctually (parapets, foundations, connections to windows, etc.). (Source: https://www.energieplus-lesite.be/index.php?id=16873#c20932479)
     
  • Corner piece : The use of corner pieces is recommended when placing the first row of hemp blocks in some applications. This solution is preferred in external insulation as an alternative to basements (sand lime, cellular glass, etc.) when there are no suitable foundations. They can also be used in new construction to support the masonry of hemp blocks when the latter is suspended. Recently, corner pieces can now also be used as lintels in some applications.

D

E

  • Exterior insulation : Exterior insulation consists of doubling the walls of your home from the outside. This is the optimal solution for achieving high thermal performance.
    Whatever your outdoor insulation project, IsoHemp blocks are perfectly suited. Hemp blocks are a self-supporting and very strong material that allows the creation of an insulating envelope to protect the home durably while allowing the existing wall to breathe. In addition, it also protects the building from external noise nuisance.

F

  • Fireproof Not likely to catch fire. (Source: Larousse)
     
  • Fire resistance : Fire resistance is the length of time for which an element or construction material plays a role in limiting the spread of fire.

G

H

  • Hemp : Hemp is an ancient native crop which was commonly used until the early nineteenth century. Industrial hemp does not contain a psychoactive substance (THC). Only farmers are allowed to grow hemp and only the authorised varieties. The plant consists of three parts, each valued for different uses:
     - An oilseed called HEMPSEED (rich in Omega 3, gluten-free), used in food and cosmetics;
     - A very strong fibre called HEMP CHAFF (the “skin” of the stem), valued in textiles, stationery, plastics and construction;
     - A woody and brittle straw called HURDS (the “flesh” of the stem), valued in livestock farming, horticulture and fruit growing, landscaping and construction.
    In the lime-hemp mixture, it’s the woody part of the hemp (the hurds) which is used. It is obtained by a process of defibration, consisting of separating it mechanically from the fibrous part (the chaff) of the plant. In insulation board, it’s the fibrous part that is used. (Source: Chanvre Wallon)
     
  • Hemp block The IsoHemp Block is a bonded, non-load-bearing masonry product for the production of healthy, natural insulating envelopes, partition walls and bulkheads. It is very versatile and prized by professionals for both new construction and renovations, whether they are single-family, collective or tertiary projects.
     
  • Hemp concrete : Hemp concrete is a mixture of IsoHemp, Prokalk lime and water. It is a lightweight and insulating concrete that can be implemented on site quickly and easily. It can be used both in renovation and new construction. Hemp concrete can also be used as an addition to IsoHemp blocks in specific applications if the walls to be insulated are not plumb, for example. In this case, it is recommended to fill the gap between the existing wall and the new wall of hemp blocks with the correct mixture.
     
  • Hempro system : The Hempro system from IsoHemp is a construction solution that allows the creation of a sustainable and efficient building with a single insulating material: IsoHemp hemp blocks. It responds to many technical challenges and allows the creation of different types of constructions, both for specific projects and for single-family homes. In addition, the Hempro system allows for low-energy, very low-energy and passive buildings.
     
  • Humidity  : The more or less abnormal presence of water vapour in the air, in a room, etc. Larousse)
     
  • Hurds : Hurds are the woody part of the hemp stalk (the central part). The size of marketed hurds is generally between 0.5 mm and 3 cm long. There are two types of hurds:
     - Defibrated hurds: resulting from defibration factories, very light beige in colour, representing 55% of straw;
     - Dibrated hurds: from the cutting of straw, with a more ochre beige colour, still containing the cortical fibres, representing 85 to 90% of hemp straw.
     - The fields of application are the same regardless of the type of hurds. (Source: Chanvre Wallon)
     
  • Hygrometry : Hygrometry is the measurement of the humidity level of the atmosphere.

I
 

  • Inertia : The property of matter which states that bodies cannot themselves modify their state of movement. (Source: Larousse)
     
  • Installation guide : An installation guide is a document containing all the techniques for implementing a product. You can find our installation guide for IsoHemp hemp blocks here.
     
  • Interior insulation : In some situations, exterior façades cannot be modified because the aesthetic character of the home must be preserved or due to lack of space.  In this case, an effective compromise is insulating your home from the inside. IsoHemp blocks are a suitable and efficient solution for handling technical challenges during interior insulation. They are placed inside the wall lining and allow the insulation of old brick/stone walls or damp walls. In addition, insulating from the inside with hemp blocks allows for longer heat storage and warmer walls thanks to their high inertia.  The sensation of comfort is increased and the energy input required for the home is reduced.  In addition, they allow the recovery of the plumb of the walls and naturally regulate the humidity level of the building to create healthier air.
     
  • IsoHemp : IsoHemp is an industrial manufacturer of sustainable products for the construction and renovation sector. The company offers its customers durable and efficient insulation solutions for all new construction or renovation projects, both for the residential and commercial and industrial sectors.  Active in 5 countries through a wide distribution network, the company is based in the Namur region in the heart of Belgium. Its production plant makes it possible to manufacture more than one million blocks of hemp per year and has a constant stock of 2,000 product pallets.

J

K

L

  • Lambda :  The lambda is represented by the symbol “λ” and defines the coefficient of thermal conductivity of a material. It makes it possible to determine the insulating power of a material (specific to each material). A low lambda value indicates higher insulating power.  The value  is expressed in W/m.K.
     
  • Levelling course : Thin stone or brick element designed to compensate for a difference in level in a wall. (Source: Larousse)
     
  • Lintels : IsoHemp lintels are prefabricated hemp concrete lintels with a reinforced concrete core used for opening doors and windows in hemp block masonry. They are perfectly suited to new constructions and interior or exterior renovations. They make it possible to eliminate thermal bridges and obtain a global and continuous insulation envelope.
     
  • Lime : Lime is a product derived from limestone (CaCO3). Limestone is extracted from quarries and mines. The hydraulic lime (Ca(OH)2) and hydrated lime (Ca(OH)2) used in our IsoHemp blocks are obtained by calcination of limestone (CaCO3).

M

  • Masonry : Work consisting of materials (cut stones, rubble, bricks, etc.) joined by a binder (mortar, plaster, cement, etc.). (Source: Larousse)

N

O

P

  • PCS  : PCS is a healthy interior plaster with the quality of natural plaster, lime and sand ideal for rendering your interior walls and ceilings both in renovations and new constructions.
     
  • Phase shift : A phase difference between two alternating phenomena of the same frequency. (Source: Larousse)
     
  • Plumb : Direction perpendicular to the plane of the horizon. (Source: Larousse)
     
  • Post-beam : This technique consists of creating a large open structure composed of a small number of load-bearing elements with a large section: the vertical elements (posts) are arranged in a frame, at regular and relatively large intervals (from 0.9 m to several metres) and are connected by horizontal elements (beams). The stresses transmitted by the floors and roof are concentrated on these few elements whose composition and dimensioning are optimised. (Source: CSTC)
     
  • Prokalk : Prokalk lime is a pre-formulated binder specially designed to produce hemp concrete.  It consists of hydraulic lime and hydrated lime. It’s a ready-to-use product allowing the production of mixtures directly on the building site, thus avoiding any risk of bad mixtures. It can be used both for manual application in a mixer and in a machine dedicated to the spraying of hemp concrete.

Q

R

  • Renovation : The action of refurbishing by making major transformations: The renovation of an apartment. (Source: Larousse)
     
  • Rising damp Rising damp is the rise of humidity originating from the soil into walls.
     
  • Rotproof : Said of a material that cannot putrefy or rot. (Source: Larousse)

S

  • Sealing : Quality of that which is sealed.  That which does not allow the passage of liquids, gases, dust or humidity. (Source: Larousse)
     
  • Self-supporting : Said of certain reinforced concrete, metal or plastic structures whose stability is ensured only by the rigidity of their shape. (Source: Larousse)
     
  • Soundproofing  : Noise is ever more present in our daily lives. In view of this, hemp blocks offer real solutions thanks to their excellent performance in terms of soundproofing. It helps dampen the majority of acoustic waves and thus protects against noise pollution.

T

  • Technical data sheet : A technical data sheet is a document containing all the characteristics of a product. You can find our technical data sheets for IsoHemp products here.
     
  • Thermal bridge : A thermal bridge corresponds to the temperature conduction (hot or cold) of a material. This term is principally used in the sector of buildings and homes, and more particularly with regard to the problems of insulation. (Source: http://www.pont-thermique.fr/)
     
  • Thermal conductivity : A magnitude characterising the thermal conductivity of a substance and equal to the quotient of the thermal flux density and the temperature gradient. (The SI unit of thermal conductivity is the watt per metre and per Kelvin [W/mK ].) (Source: Larousse)
    The thermal conductivity coefficient is represented by lambda whose symbol is “”.
     
  • Thermal inertia : Thermal inertia is the physical ability of a material to maintain its temperature. The thermal inertia of a building is sought in order to minimise the thermal inputs to provide to it to maintain a constant temperature. Thermal inertia is important to ensure a comfortable climate for the occupants. A building with high thermal inertia will balance its temperature by accumulating heat during the day which it will return at night to ensure an average temperature. Materials with high thermal inertia are used to accumulate heat or cool. (Source: https://www.climamaison.com/lexique/inertie-thermique.htm)
     
  • Thermal regulation Whether in summer or winter, everyone likes to have a constant and pleasant temperature inside our home. Hemp blocks meet this need by regulating the temperature of the building naturally thanks to their ability to diffuse accumulated heat. This high-inertia material protects : 
     - From cold in winter, by keeping heat inside the house for longer ; 
     - From heat in summer, by preventing overheating of the home. 
    Hemp blocks thus keep the interior temperature constant by significantly reducing the impact of heat variations between day and night.
     
  • Thermal resistance (m²K/W) : The thermal resistance (R-value) defines a material’s level of resistance to heat transfer.  This is the thermal performance of the material.
     
  • Timber frame : The timber frame system is the successor to half-timbered constructions. The structure consists of a skeleton of vertical elements with a small section (uprights) arranged at regular intervals and interconnected by horizontal elements of the same section (rails), together forming frames. Given the standard dimensions of the bracing panels used (120 cm), the uprights are generally placed every 40 or 60 cm. (Source: CSTC)

U

V

W

  • Water regulation  : Naturally present in a dwelling, humidity can have adverse effects on the inhabitants and their health if not properly regulated: appearance of bad smells, development of mould, etc. Hemp blocks regulate the humidity content of the air continuously thanks to their breathable wall permeable to water vapour. The indoor climate is therefore kept healthy and pleasant through the seasons.
     
  • Water-repellent : A water-repellent material is a material that protects against humidity.

X

Y

Z

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