About Matt
Matt Marino is the President and founder at Homeland Hempcrete. He has a background in operations and has focused most of his career on supply chain efficiencies, but has also spent years renovating and managing rental properties. Early on when exploring the hemp industry he realized that building with hemp not only aligned with his interests but also provided the opportunity to make a significant impact. His goal now is to make hempcrete more accessible, more scalable, and accelerate the adoption of healthy and sustainable building materials in the US.
“By the time college came around I swore I would move away and never come back. After 9 years away we decided to move back to start this business. Its been a great decision for our business and our family, and the thing people complain about the most here (winter) has become one of my favorite aspects about ND!“
About Homeland Hempcrete
Founded the same year the US Farm Bill legalized the production of industrial hemp, Homeland Hempcrete entered the market utilizing the traditional cast-in-place build method. After years of trial and error, they decided there must be a more effective solution that will decrease installation time and get more hempcrete to more customers.
The solution that they have embraced is pre-made, pre-cured, high-quality hemp wall panel assemblies. Homeland Hempcrete’s panel system allows for consistent quality, customized design, a variety of finishes, and quick and easy installation, and finishes can be applied immediately after installation.
Tell us about Homeland Hempcrete and your mission.
“The reason our business came to be is for the simple fact that we know homes can be built better. Not just better in quality and performance, but better for the homeowner’s well-being, better for the local economy, and better for the generations to come. We believe this is accomplished by utilizing locally sourced, high-performance, natural building materials. In short, homegrown homes!”
What are some wins you are celebrating?
“Wins for the industry, we helped write the IRC Build Appendix for Hempcrete which was officially accepted by the ICC at the end of 2022. This basically means that hempcrete is now accepted as a building material in the US and can be adopted in any region! For ourselves, we are proud to have built the first hempcrete structure in North Dakota back in 2019, and we now serve as the regional leader for the United States Hemp Building Association to help others learn and adopt hempcrete building practices in their own regions. ”
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned throughout your entrepreneurial journey?
“That collaboration and cooperation are critical to success. No one person or company can do it all. Especially in an emerging market like the one we are part of it takes everyone working together towards a common goal to make progress. We are fortunate to be in an industry that relies on and also values supporting each other for the common good.”
Homeland Hempcrete is officially a part of the Fargo-Moorhead founder family. How can our community support you in your next stage of growth?
“Buy local! Our local businesses need our support, and our state economy benefits so much more when we invest in our own communities. And next time you’re in the market for building a home, reach out to us for the most locally sourced home you can buy.”
What are you grateful for today?
“I am so grateful for groups/tribes just like this one. Bringing like-minded individuals together from all types of backgrounds and industries is truly special, and presents the opportunity for unique collaboration and growth within our region, and growth for our region is what we are all about, so thank you!”
Check out Homeland Hempcrete!
Readers can learn more about Matt and Homeland Hempcrete by visiting their Instagram page, Facebook page, and website!
