This Plant Could Help Save The Planet. Find Out How, Why and What's Stopping It Being Used

In this enlightening episode of the Refurb and Retrofit podcast, host Matt Milloy delves into the world of industrial hemp with industry expert Jamie Bartley, CEO of Unyte Group. Listeners will be captivated by the transformative potential of hemp as Jamie shares his journey on developing and promoting a breakthrough product poised to revolutionize the sustainable materials market. Jamie Bartley's journey with Unyte Group began by recognizing the immense potential of industrial hemp for large-scale decarbonization. Experimenting with various cultivars, seed densities, and harvest systems, his team strategically researched and trialed to pinpoint the most effective methods for hemp cultivation specific to UK conditions. With a DEFRA and Innovate UK-funded project, the group aimed to harness regenerative agriculture and is now on the cusp of producing hemp-based construction materials such as Hempcrete blocks and non-woven insulation at an industrial scale.

Jamie Bartley is a leading authority on industrial hemp and the CEO of Unyte Group. With a background rooted in waste recovery solutions and land remediation, Jamie embarked on a mission to harness the power of industrial hemp for environmental sustainability and economic growth. His tenacious research into phyto-remediation and carbon sequestration has positioned him as a prominent figure in the field. Under his guidance, Unyte Group has taken an innovative approach to cultivating hemp, focusing on its potential to make substantial contributions towards decarbonization on a large scale and to revolutionize the construction industry with hemp-based materials.

Industrial hemp has vast potential in decarbonizing the construction sector, which accounts for 40% of UK carbon emissions.
Unyte Group's detailed research into various hemp cultivars has laid the groundwork for optimized cultivation and high yield in the UK.
Hemp's high tensile strength and quick growth rate make it an ideal material for construction, offering environmental benefits over traditional materials.
A significant barrier to expansion is acquiring the necessary £60 million capital investment for the first of five planned infrastructure facilities.
Unyte Group has an assured market for its products among existing retrofit schemes and is ready to supply as soon as the infrastructure is established.

What Jamie Says:

"We formed the group of companies around the potential for industrial hemp to decarbonize at scale." - Jamie Bartley
"It's a cost efficiency scale calculation that means that, unfortunately, to be able to make cost efficient products, we need to have that infrastructure in place." - Jamie Bartley
"If you build exactly the same passive house out of Hempcrete and hemp insulation, it achieves net zero carbon by 2035." - Jamie Bartley
"All of our revenue generated comes through the waste business at the moment, but the majority of it is actually the retrofit works we're doing." - Jamie Bartley
"The biggest barrier is unlocking the investment piece at the scale that's needed." - Jamie Bartley