Hoorah! The Thorverton show was a great success, not least because it showed us all the things that we had forgotten about (a big sign to say who we are are mainly)!! We made some great contacts and had lots of interest in the Tradical Hemcrete and the earth blocks that were on display. We are glad it’s over though!!
As this was the first time we had erected this building there were a few technical issues that needed ironing out. We also had Westcountry TV filming the erection process which did rather add to the pressure of the whole event. The finishing touches were put on the building and finished around 10.30pm, we then had to be up early again on Saturday to get all of the products down to the site, get the DVD running of the Hemcrete spraying, etc. We then collapsed in a vaguely presentable heap ready to talk to people.
The overwhelming response was very positive and the one thing (probably expectedly) that impressed people was the price of this material (and the free ale we were giving away). Many sustainable materials are a lot more expensive than their less eco counterparts but we are able to make the pre-cast hemcrete panels for a similar cost to brick and block construction. The panels are obviously brimming with eco-friendliness (CO2 sequestration, airtightness, insulation beyond what is expected, speed and ease of installation, etc.) and so for smaller projects we think these will be a real winner.
We are trying to get a small stand at the Mid-Devon show next and hopefully will have everything sorted out by then. See you there???