Hemspan BIOHAUS® System Product Development
Client: Hemspan Ltd
Location: UK
Project: BIOHAUS® System and Product Development
Timeline / Status: 2022-2024 - completed
Value: Confidential
Project Description
The BIOHAUS® system is a BOPAS-accredited, high-performance, whole-house, Category 2 panellised system setting the benchmark for climate positive living. BIOHAUS® provides a structural solution for residential and public buildings up to three storeys, with further scope to develop designs for buildings up to 18 metres (five storeys).
The Category 2 building system forms the structure and fabric for a variety of building typologies and is suitable for all external claddings including masonry, timber, rainscreen and render systems.
Description of our Work
Industrial hemp absorbs more carbon than most other commercial crops. Even after harvesting, the CO₂ remains sequestered within the material, making it carbon negative and offsetting the embodied carbon generated during processing into building products. With a four-month growth cycle, no requirement for pesticides, and the ability to enrich soil, hemp is an ideal rotational crop that produces minimal residual waste and can be harvested twice in a season. For HEMSPAN® building products, the fibrous outer stalk is used to manufacture insulation batts, while the dense woody core is processed into BIOBOARD®. Any remaining plant material is fully biodegradable and returned to the soil to support future growth.
APPLY supported HEMSPAN® in developing the BIOHAUS® system, which combines innovative processed hemp products with a Larsen truss structural timber frame to create a Category 2 panelised offsite solution. The system is designed to meet Passivhaus principles as standard, further enhanced through integrated renewable technologies. This combination delivers high-performing buildings with superior thermal comfort, significantly reducing both energy consumption and operational carbon.
A key feature of the HEMSPAN® BIOHAUS® system is its outstanding fire safety performance. APPLY managed a comprehensive fire testing programme with Efectis, that confirmed the system exceeds minimum requirements for fire integrity, insulation, and load-bearing capacity, by a significant margin. This achievement reflects the team’s commitment to surpassing industry standards for safety and resilience.
APPLY is proud to have achieved BOPAS accreditation for the HEMSPAN® BIOHAUS® system, recognising the rigorous testing and quality assurance processes undertaken. This certification demonstrates APPLY’s commitment to excellence, innovation, and long-term durability and championing net-zero in contemporary construction.