Hempcrete is naturally both fire-retardant and pest-resistant. Lime is completely unappealing to pests/termites (they will not eat it) and hydraulic lime in your hempcrete mix will render the encapsulated wood fire-proof and not create a toxic black smoke. As mentioned above, these unique characteristics mean that no harmful/toxic chemicals need to be added to provide these important properties.

In 2009, a British Fire test showed that a 10 x 10 x 12-inch wall could withstand temperatures of 1,800 degrees Celcius while subjecting to a vertical load of 13,500 kilograms. The wall met requirements for integrity, insulation and load bearing capacity for 73 minutes.