A healthy, natural hemp home in Quebec [TOUR]
— Solution Era
Line’s hemp house project
Line Pariseau’s hemp house is particularly inspiring due to the scale of the project. This self-builder, a graduate of the Certificate in Ecological Building Design, brought her dream home to life. Francis went to meet her and discover this eco-friendly home built entirely with hemp and wood construction materials.
It all began a few years before construction even started. Line tells us she was going through a time of major change. Her job was about to be relocated, and her property had just been sold. Line wanted to return to her roots and settle back in her native region.
She eventually found land for sale in the exact area she’d hoped for. The view of the surrounding countryside is breathtaking, and nature is all around. But to make her healthy, eco-friendly home a reality, Line was on her own. She only had just enough construction knowledge to know her project was viable.
To bring it to life, she enrolled in Solution ERA’s Certificate program. The training offered a complete framework and gave her access to a network of over 4,000 people for support.
For Line, the program became a springboard that allowed her to:
- Acquire the technical knowledge needed to build her home
- Engage with experts in green building and evolve her project toward greater resilience
- Join a community that supported her and answered her questions
The courses and workshops gave Line the confidence and the skills she needed to boldly turn her vision into reality. She’s one of the people who succeeded in building with her own hands:
- A healthy home made with environmentally respectful materials
- An autonomous and resilient dwelling
100% hemp and wood construction
The frame of the house is entirely made of wood, and the insulation is exclusively hemp. Hemp is a plant perfectly suited to the environmental and economic challenges of our time:
- It tolerates drought
- It’s resistant to common pests and diseases
- It absorbs carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the air
- It’s ideal in crop rotations because it regenerates the soil
Hemp and straw are the only two insulating materials that don’t require additional layers of plastic. While most insulations are sensitive to moisture, hemp has hygroscopic properties—meaning humidity doesn’t compromise its insulating capacity. Walls no longer need to be covered with vapor barriers.
And that’s not the only advantage of hemp! Hemp insulation offers numerous benefits for building a healthy and eco-conscious home:
- Natural thermal regulation: the material’s thermal mass helps retain heat in winter and coolness in summer
- Moisture regulation: it balances indoor and outdoor humidity
- Environmentally respectful: it has a low embodied energy (energy consumed over a material’s life cycle)
- Naturally fire-resistant and repellent to pests
- Recyclable at the end of its life
This information comes from the website of Gabriel Gauthier, founder of ArtCan and contributor to Solution ERA.
This expert has been active since 2013 and is one of the pioneers in developing hemp housing in Quebec. He advised and supported Line throughout her project.
A custom-designed hemp home
The house was designed to meet the exact expectations of its owner. Line wanted a living space where she could feel comfortable but also welcome the people she loves.
Her home includes an upper floor to enjoy a panoramic view of the outdoors and the sunsets. Her kitchen and dining room are large enough to host 25 people for family dinners. And in addition to her main bedroom, Line built a guest room—so loved ones can enjoy weekend stays in this idyllic setting!
A hemp house designed for self-sufficiency
The land Line purchased doesn’t allow her to raise livestock to achieve full food autonomy. But that hasn’t stopped her from growing most of her vegetables, thanks to a greenhouse built right next to the home.
The greenhouse, built on one side of the house, creates a thermal buffer zone that stores and preserves heat during winter. It’s also the perfect solution for year-round access to fresh food!
The hemp insulation and adjoining greenhouse significantly reduce the home’s heating needs. And every watt of electricity not used is a watt gained toward energy independence!
As for electricity, Line is currently connected to the public grid. Quebec produces 100% hydroelectric power at some of the lowest rates in the world—so the benefits are both economic and ecological.
She’s also prepared to eventually produce her own electricity with solar panels. Her electrical setup is already ready to accommodate a photovoltaic system.
In the meantime, the public grid remains the most cost-effective solution for Line—especially since her bioclimatic home has such low energy consumption.
When Francis visited, the hemp house was still under construction. Today, it’s fully completed and proudly stands among Quebec’s natural and ecological homes. Many volunteers from the Solution ERA community participated in the self-build process. For Line, who started this journey alone, that moment was the true highlight of the adventure!