Roeselare (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Zabra tested large-scale hemp insulation at the Roeselare West housing project in Sept 2025, using hemp grown in Kallo. Project leaders Steff Brantegem and Simon Beerlandt highlight its sustainable potential.
As VRT News reported, Roeselare has taken a new step in sustainable construction with the first large-scale use of industrial hemp as floor insulation. The trial took place on Monday, Sep 8, 2025, at the Roeselare West housing project, developed by Zabra at the corner of Westlaan and Diksmuidsesteenweg.
The company did not buy the material from outside suppliers but chose to produce it itself. Earlier this year, hemp was sown and harvested on Zabra’s own site in Kallo, East Flanders, and then processed into insulation.
How is Zabra testing homegrown hemp insulation in Roeselare West?
Project manager Steff Brantegem says the decision reflects a clear choice for sustainability in the construction sector. Hemp grows rapidly, requires minimal treatment, and captures large amounts of CO₂ while in the field.
The Roeselare West development now acts as a test to measure hemp’s performance in residential housing. Officials mentioned that if the outcome proves successful, Zabra plans to use the material in more projects in the future.
“By working this way, we extract more cement from the building. Hemp is less polluting and also has acoustic value. When you walk around here during the construction, you don’t smell the industrial, but the natural,”
Says Steff Brantegem of Zabra.
Zabra has set a first in Flanders by turning its own hemp cultivation into insulation for housing projects. On its site in Kallo, East Flanders, the company planted industrial hemp from May 2025 to September 2025. The project was carried out with the support of several partners.
A farmer was responsible for sowing and harvesting the crop, while the company Exie took on the task of processing the plants into insulation panels. This cooperation allowed the hemp to move directly from the field into the construction chain within a single growing season.
“They delivered the hemp by truck to our site in Roeselare today for the West project. They built a completely new truck so the hemp can be sprayed, instead of having to be delivered in large bags,”
Says project leader Simon Beerlandt.
The developer says it wants to apply hemp insulation in more projects in the future where possible. Project manager Steff Brantegem explains that Zabra has already invested in research. The product is still more expensive than established techniques, but the company believes that sustainable and bio-based solutions will become essential for the construction sector.
In Belgium, hemp has been tested before in building projects, but only on a smaller scale. In 2021 and 2022, Flemish initiatives used hempcrete blocks and hemp wall insulation in eco-houses and renovation works, often supported by research bodies such as VITO and local universities studying circular construction.
Similar experiments were also seen in France and the Netherlands since the late 2010s, where hemp-lime mixes and insulation mats from specialised producers were applied in sustainable homes.
