By: Dr. Connie Reimers-Hild, Futurist
Across the United States, housing shortages are reshaping local economies, squeezing middle-class families, and making it increasingly difficult for communities to attract and retain workers. Nowhere is the problem more visible than in rural Western states like Wyoming, where the need for new homes far outpaces the capacity of traditional construction methods.
According to the Wyoming Community Development Authority, the state will need between 20,000 and 38,000 new homes by the end of this decade. At the same time, a recent national study ranked Wyoming as the second-worst state for affordable housing. This shortage is more than an economic inconvenience—it’s a direct barrier to growth, workforce retention, and long-term prosperity.
Traditional approaches to construction simply can’t scale fast enough. Material shortages, supply-chain bottlenecks, and ever-rising costs pose significant hurdles. To build the future Wyoming—and the nation—needs, we must look toward innovations that strengthen local economies while reducing environmental impacts.
One of the most promising solutions? Hemp-based construction materials.
Stronger Communities, Greener Homes
A new research study from Georgia Tech, published in the Journal of Cleaner Production, offers confirmation of the economic potential of hemp-based construction materials: hemp-based insulation and construction materials are not only viable—they have enormous potential to create jobs, build manufacturing capacity, and dramatically reduce emissions.
The findings are eye-opening:
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Buildings account for roughly 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
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Switching to hemp-based insulation could reduce the environmental impact of insulation by 90% or more.
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Hemp insulation can directly replace fiberglass in homes and commercial buildings.
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The U.S. has a “promising market opportunity” for hemp building materials—if production scales and demand grows.
What makes hemp uniquely compelling is its dual benefit: it helps solve environmental challenges and strengthens local economies. The fast-growing crop sequesters carbon, requires fewer chemicals, and can be grown in many regions of the U.S.—including Wyoming.
But perhaps the most exciting insight from the study is this:
Merging the rising demand for housing with the emerging market for hemp construction materials could allow the U.S. to tackle both problems at once.
A Market With Transformational Potential—If We Choose To Support It
The Georgia Tech researchers used machine learning and techno-economic modeling to evaluate the feasibility of U.S. hemp insulation production. Their conclusion was clear: it can. However, the future of the industrial hemp industry depends on early investment, policy support, and local manufacturing.
Because hemp insulation currently costs about twice as much as fiberglass and relies on a still-developing supply chain, government incentives and private investment could be the catalysts that turn hemp construction materials into a national industry.
Senior co-author Joe Bozeman summarized the opportunity:
“We get less embodied carbon in buildings, a new industry, new jobs… and there's a lot of opportunity for technological advancements on the back of this market viability.”
The environmental benefits are enormous. The economic benefits are enormous.
But the industry needs support to get off the ground.
States Like Wyoming Are Perfectly Positioned to Grow the Hemp Industry
Wyoming’s wide-open landscapes, strong agricultural presence, and urgent housing needs place it at the center of this opportunity. By producing hemp fiber locally and manufacturing hemp-based materials in-state, Wyoming can generate new revenue streams for farmers, create manufacturing jobs, and reduce reliance on strained national supply chains.
A “farm-to-frame” approach—growing, milling, and manufacturing hemp construction materials entirely within the state—could:
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Build thousands of homes faster and more sustainably
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Stimulate rural economic development
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Keep construction dollars circulating within Wyoming
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Position the state as a national leader in low-carbon building technologies
For a state seeking 20,000 to 38,000 new homes, the need for scalable, cost-efficient, and locally sourced materials is urgent. Hemp construction could fill that gap.
We Know the Solution Works. Now We Need Leaders to Back It.
The Georgia Tech study makes one point abundantly clear:
Hemp insulation and building materials are economically viable—but only if early investors and policymakers step up. Supporting the hemp construction industry has exponential impacts as well when it comes to Wyoming's economic growth. According to Harvard's Growth Lab, Wyoming's housing market constraints have deep consequences:
This housing constraint weighs heavily on the broader Wyoming economy, and chokes off growth in new industries that could add to the Wyoming economy beyond its natural resource base.
We are at a pivotal moment. States like Wyoming can become pioneers in solving housing shortages with sustainable, locally produced materials… or they can fall behind as others act first.
The technology exists. The research is sound. The demand is enormous.
Now it comes down to the collective will of:
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State legislators
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Federal agencies
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Investors
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Philanthropic organizations
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Local leaders and communities
We are building the future in the present moment. With strategic support today, hemp could help build the homes (and the economies) of tomorrow.
