Sauk Futures

media release:

Regional and national experts in hemp for building houses will be presented at a Sept 28 event at River Arts Ctr in Sauk Prairie. The event is hosted by Sauk County Development Corp. Director Thomas Cox, and will feature hands-on programming from Sativa Building Systems of Wittenberg, whose Z Panel system is meeting demand by the US Army for carbon-neutral building products.

While hemp is generally known for its connection to marijuana, the plant's fiber is making a comeback worldwide as both an economic and environmental ally. Wisconsin Battery Company in Portage, for example, recently broke ground on a plant to make a new battery using hemp-based carbon. 

The event will feature experts from agriculture, research, engineering, economics and workforce development. According to event producer Bevan Suits, "Sauk County is a great location to launch something that will attract visitors year-round. This speaks to the history of Wisconsin's hemp agriculture and opportunities to get ahead of the advanced hemp projects in Europe. The houses built of hemp are competitively priced and have many attractive features, starting with mold-resistance and overall insulation properties that out-perform the traditional house. Also, the fiber is grown by farmers. How many farm-grown products go into building a house today? None."

Thomas Cox has been planning with Mr. Suits and others in the community for several months to develop the program. “It’s exciting to see innovative materials like hemp entering the mainstream in Sauk County." he said. "The potential economic upside is significant—not only are we creating sustainable building solutions, but we’re also opening up new markets for our farmers and driving growth in construction, tourism, and beyond. This event is a key step in positioning Sauk County as a leader in sustainable development, with opportunities that could benefit our entire region.”

A key focus of the event will be jobs and workforce development. Sativa's Zachary Popp is a second generation builder who has developed his products to meet new markets and the demands of engineers for code-compliance. He is also former Dean of Enrollment Strategy at Mid-State Technical College in Wisconsin Rapids. The goal of the event is to include community members whose concerns are youth engagement and workforce training. Madison College's construction program is currently evaluating the Z Panel. 

The 4-hour event at Sauk Prairie High School will seek to spark creative discussions and build relationships with some of the presenters, such as Georgia Tech's Dr. Chris Luettgen, a leading expert on nonwoven fibers, including hemp. Dr. Luettgen is co-Director of the Renewable Bioproducts Institute and worked for Kimberly Clark in Wisconsin for 25 years. "Georgia Tech is an ideal institution to conduct research into biomass capabilities such as available through the hemp industry," he said.