b'SUSTAINABLE BUILDING HEMPCRETEHempcrete, a natural building material made from hemp hurds, is used in construction and insulation. It has been in use in France since the early 1990s and is increasingly being adopted in other countries. In Canada, it is gaining traction, especially in Ontario and Qubec.One way of utilizing hempcrete consists of manufacturing prefabricated blocks. Although it is not known for its strengthhempcrete blocks should not be used for load-bearing foundationsit can be used as a filling material in frame structures. Hempcrete is also a good insulator and moisture regulator, and most importantly, a sustainable material. Another plus is that hempcrete block walls can be laid without any covering and do not need expansion joints, so there is ease of assembly.Mainland. Once up and running, Marriottcommunities so that they will have theirin Indigenous communities. I was on estimates that TOP Carbon Capture willown facility that contributes to a circularthe outside looking in and learned that have the capability to produce upwardssystem of economic growth.the easiest way for people to become of 18,800 hempcrete blocks in half acommunity-based is by having safe and day, which is enough to build four to sixFor Marriott, TOP Carbon Capture ishealthy places where people can go, 1,600-square-foot houses. a venture born out of personal expe- he says. rience. As a child, he was taken from Eventually, we want to mass producehis White Bear First Nation reserve inPeopleshouldnthavetochoose these bricks at a speed that will allowSaskatchewan during the Sixties Scoop.between food or heat, Marriott stresses. our facilities and infrastructure to beBefore reconnecting with his family, heSo, for me, this company is our way of built quickly in the Indigenous commu- experienced firsthand the criticalityfinding the best way [to] create safe nities, Marriott says. Then, down theof having a safe and accessible roofand healthy homes that give back road, we also want to open these facili- over his head. He sees a similar needto communities.ties up to local communities and let them use the greenhouses to provide jobs and support local food security.COMMUNITY SUPPORTCommunity partnerships are integral to TOP Carbon Captures strategy. As its facilities and greenhouses come online, Marriott and Mason aim to give commu-nities a minority share of the resulting operations, which will grow to a majority share after a period of training and infra-structure development. Following this, Marriott adds, The idea is to partner with communities to the point where they buy us out and take a majority share, and we maintain a portion of the company as a brand for the biofuel side and community devel-opment. Ultimately, the goal is to offer a facility partnership through different Joel Marriott and Mary Mason of TOP Carbon Capture aim to create a more eco-friendly solution 28A CCIB PUBLICATIONSummer 2024 to housing in Indigenous communities'