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Our Approach

Our history

The Australian Hemp Masonry Company has been working in the hemp construction industry in Australia since 1999. Commencing our research with industrial hemp agronomic research trials, we continue to be involved in hemp production through partnerships and collaborations with regional processors around Australia with the goal of establishing standards for building-quality processed hemp hurd.  (As with all industrial products made from hemp,  the reality of production is quite a bit more complex than is commonly promoted on social media platforms. Yet quality is intrinsically tied to long term durability so it cannot be overlooked.)

Our building products were initially developed and tested over a six-year period at the Australian Centre for Construction Innovation at the University of NSW and then for a further six years in the field. Further research in 2019/20 began with assessing the impacts of various hurd/shiv consistencies on performance and compared our products to the commonly available European hemp building products. This research confirmed that the quality of our products was consistent with European hempcrete products.

We have a strong technical advisory board and work with architects and building designers, supply materials and deliver training to builders in all states of Australia. AHM has supplied to over 250 residential hempcrete projects across Australia in varied and often extreme climates as well as to 3 residential projects in New Zealand. Several of the Australian projects have won energy efficiency and sustainable design awards. We have also supplied materials for a number of quite varied commercial projects in Australia as well as in Singapore, including most recently for the construction of 3 hemp buildings in Mildura Council's Powerhouse Project Development in Victoria.

We are currently engaged in a further 3 year research project with the University of Technology in Sydney under an ARC grant, gathering the first comprehensive Australian thermal and acoustic data as well as assessing the indoor air quality in buildings constructed from our current product range, as well as from two builds constructed from our prototype prefabricated panels which we will be introducing to the Australian market. We are also investigating a range of next generation low carbon binders for hemp construction, to offer alternatives and expand the uses of hempcrete.

Our Lime Binder, Hemp-lime Render and Insulation products are manufactured in Sydney, Australia. We source our hemp from Australian farmers and processors.

Our Story

Investors

We are currently setting up a range of opportunities for early-stage investment.

To find out more please contact the team.

Our team

Mark

Mark Napper

Chairman

During Mark Napper’s 25+ years in senior management roles he has been at the forefront of company turn-arounds and change management. He has over a decade of experience in CEO and Managing Director roles. Mark’s industry experience includes agri-business, food, manufacturing, importing, exporting, wholesaling/distribution, FMCG and professional services. His skills extend to business strategy, staff management and performance, finance and accounting, marketing, branding, sales and new product development, just to name a few.

Mark serves as Deputy Chair at Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited and has been its Director since November 22, 2013. He has 30 years-experience in Australian agribusiness, 22 of which have been in horticulture.

Marton

Marton Marosszeky

Director

Marton is the principal of Marosszeky Associates and has been a Director of BCRC since 2006. He was also an Executive Consultant at Evans & Peck (2007 to 2012). His extensive experience as a qualified engineer spans road construction, structural engineering, construction contracting, research, teaching and expert technical and litigation advice in relation to quality and durability related issues in construction disputes. He also works as management consultant in construction and design process improvement and strategic planning.

Before 2007, Marton was a Professor at the University of New South Wales, teaching in the areas of process and productivity improvement, strategy development and implementation. While at UNSW, he founded the Building Research Centre and later the Australian Centre for Construction Innovation. He is Chair of the Lean Construction Institute of Australia.

Ben

Ben Convery

Director

Benjamin has worked in business development in the environment sector with government, not-for-profit and commercial enterprises since 2001. Previously the Manager and Curator of the Olive Pink Botanic Gardens in Alice Springs, he brings an innovative approach, strong governance experience and marketing expertise to the company.

He is a qualified Workplace Trainer and Assessor with experience overseeing training,  delivering training and managing a number of successful projects with indigenous communities.

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Klara Marosszeky

Managing Director

Klara Marosszeky has been involved in the Australian Hemp industry since 1999 in both farming and construction research. She has successfully run agronomic trials on dryland as well as irrigated farms in a number of regions of NSW.  Her research at the Australian Centre for Construction Innovation at UNSW between 2000 and 2006, led to the development of a low embodied energy Hemp lime building material for the Australian market. Klara trains Builders, Owner Builders and Building Designers in hemp construction and design.

With a background in land management and in the education sector, Klara has also worked as a consultant to NSW State and Regional Devt on a number of successful projects with Aboriginal communities. Between 2011 and 2014 she was Project Manager Ecological Sustainability Initiatives for North Coast TAFE. Klara was the Founding President of the Australian Industrial Hemp Alliance (AIHA) and the company remains a member of both the AIHA and the Industrial Hemp Council of Australia.

Dick

Dick Clarke

Director

Dick Clarke is an Accredited Building Designer with over 35 years experience, focusing exclusively on ecologically sustainable and culturally appropriate buildings, as well as sustainable design in vehicles and vessels, and has received many Design Awards.

He holds a Master of Sustainable Futures degree (by research at the Institute for Sustainable Futures, UTS), on the topic of the effect of state and local planning instruments on the sustainability of the built environment. Dick holds Building Designer Accreditation (No. 6029) under the Building Designer Accreditation (NSW) scheme. Dick is the Director of Sustainability, and Past President of the NSW Chapter of Building Designers Australia (BDA). He is a Past President and Board Member of the Association of Building Sustainability Assessors (ABSA).

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