Greenwood Kentucky High School is setting a new standard in educational facility design by installing sustainable hemp-based wood flooring in several classrooms and offices. The school flooring, produced by Kentucky-based HempWood®, is made with fast-growing hemp fibers and bonded with soy-based adhesives. Developed with research supported by the United Soybean Board and Kentucky Soybean Board, HempWood highlights the value of U.S. soy as an adhesive in creating innovative, environmentally friendly building materials.
The 1,422-student high school installed HempWood in November 2024. “Installing HempWood flooring in our school was an easy decision,” said Chief Financial Officer and Construction Supervisor for Warren County Public Schools Chris McIntyre. “As a zero-VOC, formaldehyde-free, Kentucky Proud product, it supports a healthier environment for our students and staff while also contributing to a negative CO2 impact—something we value deeply in our commitment to sustainability.”
HempWood is cost competitive with domestic hardwood flooring. Traditional wood flooring often contains harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, which can negatively impact indoor air quality and student health. In contrast, HempWood’s flooring is formaldehyde-free, helping to create a cleaner and safer environment for both students and staff. Improved air quality has been linked to better cognitive performance, fewer respiratory issues, and reduced absenteeism. All are critical outcomes for schools seeking to support student success.
Emission of volatile organic compounds and hazardous air pollutants can contribute to a variety of unhealthful conditions. To avoid them, HempWood uses soy flour-based adhesives. Soy flour is a co-product that remains after oil is extracted from soybeans, offering a natural replacement for formaldehyde and phenol-based resins that global and U.S. health organizations have targeted for removal from wood materials. Petroleum is currently the main source of raw materials for phenol and formaldehyde commercial production.
“U.S. soybean farmers, through their soy checkoff, partner with pioneering innovators like HempWood to offer high-performing sustainable materials,” said Gene Stoel, a soybean farmer and USB Director from Minnesota. “In the last 40 years, our soybean farmers have significantly boosted our resource efficiency per bushel. On average, U.S. soybean farmers are producing our crop with 43% less greenhouse gas emissions.”
Greenwood Kentucky High School installed HempWood in November 2024.
HempWood flooring benefits from additional U.S. soy due to their use of a layer of Forest Stewardship Council-certified Columbia Forest Products’ formaldehyde-free PureBond® plywood adhered to the HempWood for additional durability. PureBond plywood panels deliver a cost-competitive, environmentally friendly adhesive to replace the toxic urea–formaldehyde (UF) resin. EPA awarded the researchers who developed this soy-based panel assembly approach with the 2007 Presidential Green Chemistry Award. According to the EPA, the technology represented the “first cost competitive, environmentally friendly adhesive that replaced the toxic urea– formaldehyde (UF) resin.
HempWood is carbon-negative, meaning it absorbs more carbon dioxide than it emits during its lifecycle. The hemp used grows in just four months, making it a highly renewable resource. It is the first USDA Certified BioPreferred hardwood flooring made in America and won the “Coolest Thing Made in Kentucky” award for 2024.
Beyond health and environmental benefits, the flooring delivers outstanding durability at a cost-competitive price. Thanks to the product’s density and hardness, HempWood continues to stand up to moving chairs, foot traffic and cleanings. HempWood is finished with a strong commercial-grade, water-based finish.
A Kentucky elementary school completed their installation of HempWood in May 2025.
Architects and residential customers alike can contact HempWood to buy direct or attain samples. HempWood offers diverse products that can be purchased factory direct or from a local dealer. Wood Natural Flooring, Lumber, Paneling, Woodturning Blanks, Cabinet Kits, and Picture Frames are all made from HempWood® Blocks. HempWood Lumber is a non-structural hardwood intended for cabinetry, furniture, and other hobby wood applications.
For more details, go to https://hempwood.com/