Rodrigo Segamarchi traveled many paths until he found his true purpose. A civil engineer with a master's degree in Smart Cities in France, he envisioned his future surrounded by large structures. But during a trip to Paraguay in 2021, his journey took another turn. Amid unexpected discoveries, a small hemp block caught the attention of the entrepreneur and civil engineer. That object, simple at first glance, carried with it a new horizon: greener, more accessible, and smarter constructions.

“It was as if everything finally made sense. I came from engineering, urbanism, always seeking efficiency. I had already participated in the founding of medicinal cannabis associations in São Paulo, but there was still a bridge missing that connected all these experiences,” Rodrigo reports. The hemp block united his passions. In September 2023, Hempower.co was born, the first Brazilian community focused on civil construction with hemp.

“It's an ecosystem. We want to gather good practices from around the world, adapt them to the Brazilian context, and connect both those who already work with cannabis and professionals in engineering and architecture,” he explains.

The Main Barrier: Regulation

In Brazil, the cultivation of hemp — a variety of Cannabis sativa with low THC levels — is still prohibited by law. Despite this, a growing number of entrepreneurs and researchers are betting on this alternative, eyeing innovation and environmental urgency. 

“Working with this here is still a pioneering act. The terrain is full of restrictions, but someone needs to pave the way,” says Segamarchi.

Abroad, the future has already begun. In Portugal, for example, the company Cânhamor, founded in 2020, recently began producing ECOblocks at a new factory in Alentejo. The investment of 22 million euros allowed scaling production: from four monthly constructions to over 250. An advancement that proves the potential of hempcrete as a real solution for 21st-century construction.

After All, What is the Hemp Block?

Also known as hempcrete or “hemp-lime,” the material is made from mixing hemp fiber with a lime binder. The result is a moldable, lightweight mass with superior thermal performance. Its great differential lies in the combination of properties: it regulates temperature, improves acoustic comfort, resists fire, and even captures carbon dioxide throughout the building's life cycle.

Depending on the proportion between hemp and lime, the material can be used as breathable insulation in floors, walls, and roofs. It serves both new constructions and renovations. And it has another advantage: hemp grows quickly, completing its cycle in less than four months — a characteristic that has already made it useful in the textile industry and biofuel production. But it is in civil construction that the plant has shown its true transformative power, especially in a sector responsible for about 37% of global CO₂ emissions.

For Rodrigo, the hemp block represents more than innovation: “We need to think differently. This block is not just a new material; it's a new paradigm.”

The Hidden Market

Since its foundation, the company aims far. The growth plan was structured in three stages: develop, manufacture, certify and teach. The first phase, already underway, involved creating the brand and positioning it as a national reference in hempcrete. Rodrigo highlights his participation in the 4th Brazilian Congress of Medicinal Cannabis, which took place in May 2025, as a milestone.

The second stage is more technical: testing the material's resistance, insulation, and durability, with support from universities and research centers. At this moment, the company is already negotiating a partnership with a federal university authorized to study industrial hemp. “It is essential to characterize the material, test it, and homologate it within the Brazilian construction system. This will allow an engineer to use the hemp block with technical and legal support,” Rodrigo explains. The forecast is that the cycle of tests and certifications will take between a year and a half and two years.

Meanwhile, the third phase begins to take shape: small-scale production combined with training actions. “The idea is to create a medium-sized factory, with block production and an area dedicated to education. Practical courses, workshops, training for engineers, architects, and construction entrepreneurs,” he projects. Given the prohibition of national cultivation, the raw material may be imported initially.

But the plan goes further. Rodrigo already envisions his own production chain: planting, harvesting, processing, and integrated manufacturing. “This would ensure fiber quality. All this is possible, as long as legislation advances.”

Beyond the Brick

For the engineer, innovating with hemp is not just about replacing bricks or cement. It's about rethinking the entire logic of civil construction. “Today, the sector is one of the largest consumers of natural resources and emitters of greenhouse gases. The hemp block offers a lighter, more efficient, and sustainable alternative that still captures carbon.”

He knows the process requires time, articulation, and study. “It's a dance between sectors. The university develops, the institutes validate, the government promotes, the industry produces. Each has its role.” And although national blocks have not yet reached construction sites, Hempower is already planning experimental constructions with imported blocks. “We want to show that it's possible, generate visibility, and foster regulatory debate.”

While regulation for industrial hemp cultivation in the country is not yet in place, Rodrigo remains determined. 

“I've been on this path for two years and preparing for the next two. When this shift happens, I want to be ready. I want Brazil to be ready.”

Research on Other Fronts

Rodrigo's journey is not solitary. In Rio Grande do Norte, a parallel project also explores the use of cannabis in civil construction. Since 2023, the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), in partnership with the startup Liamba Comitiva P&D and the association Reconstruir Cannabis, has been developing construction blocks from plant residue.

With about 140 units already produced, the team seeks the ideal formula between cement, clay, and cannabis fiber. “We conducted several tests until reaching a satisfactory result. Now, we are evaluating thermal and acoustic resistance,” says Felipe Farias, director of Liamba and president of the association.

Unlike hempcrete, the project in Rio Grande do Norte uses clay and cement instead of lime. “It's a brick that vitalizes at room temperature, without the need for kilns. The environmental impact is much lower,” Felipe explains.

The proposal also has a social character. The goal is for the material to be used to build housing in quilombola communities, settlements, and family farming properties. 

“We want these communities to be able to produce their own bricks with simple machines. It's about autonomy and emancipation, not just construction.” The expectation is to start scale production by 2026.