(CHUCKLES) YES, IT IS WHAT YOU THINK IT IS. THIS IS A REALLY MASSIVE FIELD OF CANNABIS. BUT THIS IS NOT AN ILLEGAL DRUG. IN FACT 500 BALES OF THIS CANNABIS IN THE NETHERLANDS IS DESTINED FOR A LAW-ABIDING FAMILY IN TARANAKI. THEY'RE GOING TO USE IT TO BUILD A RATHER UNUSUAL HOME. 'GRAND DESIGNS' THEME CAPTIONS BY VIRGINIA PHILP, ALANA DRAYTON AND SHRUTIKA GUNANAYAGAM. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2016 BIRDS CALL SOFT, PEACEFUL MUSIC GREG WHITHAM IS A TRUCKING COMPANY MANAGER BY DAY AND A BEEKEEPING FARMER AFTER HOURS. HIS PARTNER, GAYLE AVERY, TEACHES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND IS A KEEN ORGANIC GARDENER. TWO YEARS AGO THE COUPLE SOLD THEIR VILLA IN NEW PLYMOUTH AND BOUGHT AN 11HA LIFESTYLE BLOCK WHERE THEY PLAN TO CREATE A HEALTHY HOME FOR THEIR FAMILY. HOW YOU GOING? OH, GOOD. YOU NEED TO GET SOME WATER IN HERE. IT'S A BIT DRY. OK. WE NEVER ACTUALLY GOT MARRIED, BUT WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER PROBABLY ABOUT 35 YEARS. WE KNEW EACH OTHER, UM, WHEN WE WERE TEENAGERS, I SUPPOSE. I MOVED TO AUSTRALIA, LIVED THERE FOR QUITE A WHILE. GAYLE CAME OVER AND LIVED IN MELBOURNE AS WELL, AND WE WENT TRAVELLING. AROUND SOUTH-EAST ASIA FOR... THREE OR FOUR MONTHS. ...THREE OR FOUR MONTHS, YEAH. AND THEN WE CAME BACK HERE AND FOUR BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN LATER. YES. THAT'S RIGHT. (CHUCKLES) NOW WE'RE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON ANOTHER ADVENTURE, AND IT'S QUITE EXCITING FOR US BOTH. WE'VE NEVER BUILD BEFORE. GAYLE AND GREG'S NEW HOME WILL BE PART OF A SPRAWLING FAMILY ESTATE. THEY CURRENTLY LIVE IN A TWO-BEDROOM COTTAGE ON SITE. THERE'S ALSO ACCOMMODATION FOR KIDS, GRANDPARENTS AND FARM VOLUNTEERS. GAYLE AND GREG'S TASTES APPEAR QUITE ORDINARY, BUT THEY'RE ABOUT TO BUILD SOMETHING TOTALLY UNCONVENTIONAL. SO, I HEAR YOU'VE GOT SOME UNUSUAL PLANS. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BUILD? YEAH, WELL, WE STARTED OFF, AND I SAID TO GREG I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF THE MEDITERRANEAN, FRENCH PROVINCIAL SORT OF STONE FINISH AND RUSTIC LOOKING. WE BOTH DECIDED WE WANTED RUSTIC, DIDN'T WE? WE DIDN'T WANT SOMETHING THAT WAS GOING TO LOOK TOO POLISHED AND NEW. AND WE'VE DECIDED TO USE HEMP FOR THE CLADDING, UM, WHICH WE THINK IS REALLY FANTASTIC. HEMP AS IN...? MARIJUANA? WELL, I SUPPOSE IT'S THE SAME FAMILY. IT'S INDUSTRIAL HEMP, SO IT'S GOT A THC LEVEL OF BELOW 0.5, SO IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY OF THE, UM` THE QUALITIES OF MARIJUANA, I SUPPOSE, WHEN YOU SMOKE IT. YOU DON'T GET HIGH OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. YOU TRIED IT OUT? I HAVEN'T TRIED IT YET, NO. MAYBE WE SHOULD. WHAT ON EARTH IS THE REASON FOR DOING THIS? IT'S A SUSTAINABLE PRODUCT. IT'S GOT VERY GOOD THERMAL QUALITIES. UM, IT'S FIRE RESISTANT. AND, UM, YEAH, WE THINK IT'S QUITE NEAT AND A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. WE WERE GOING TO TRY GROWING IT, WEREN'T WE, GREG, ORIGINALLY? YES, WE THOUGHT ABOUT GROWING IT HERE, BUT, UM, THE PROCESSING OF THE FIBRE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT HERE, SO` I LIKE THAT IDEA ` GROW YOUR OWN HOUSE. MM. YEAH, I WOULD BE NEAT, WOULDN'T IT? IT WOULD BE NEAT. YEAH. GREG AND GAYLE'S HOME WILL BE A WHOPPING 320M2 AND INCLUDE A BEDROOM WING FOR THEMSELVES AND VISITING FAMILY. GAYLE WANTS A GRAND ENTRANCE WITH AN ARTISAN RIVER-STONE WALL LEADING FROM THE OUTSIDE IN, A GLASS ROOF AND A RUSTIC TIMBER LIBRARY. THE LIVING AREA IS THE SIZE OF A BOWLING ALLEY, WITH THE FOCAL POINT A LARGE FIREPLACE. AN EXTRAVAGANT HOME, BUT THERE'S A TWIST. THEY WANT THEIR HOME SHIELDED FROM ELECTROMAGNETIC FREQUENCIES, OR EMF, INVISIBLE RADIATION EMITTED BY RADIO TOWERS, MOBILE PHONES AND THEIR ELECTRICAL CIRCUITRY, SO THEY'LL SEAL THEIR INSIDE WALLS WITH A PROTECTIVE BLACK PAINT. THE OUTSIDE WILL BE CLAD IN HEMPCRETE ` A MIX OF GROUND HEMP, LIME AND WATER. MORE PROTECTION COMES FROM A GRAPHITE MESH EMBEDDED IN THE PLASTER THAT CREATES THE RUSTIC FARMHOUSE FEEL GAYLE LOVES. DRAW THE EMF-PROTECTIVE BLINDS, AND GREG AND GAYLE HOPE THEIR HOME WILL BE A HEALTHY REFUGE FROM THE ILL EFFECTS OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY. SO, WHAT'S WITH THIS ELECTROMAGNETIC MALARKEY? WE'VE READ UP ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE IMPACT OF RADIO WAVES AND CELLULAR PHONES AND CELL PHONES AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. I'M KIND OF SHOCKED, BECAUSE I'M THINKING YOU GUYS DON'T STRIKE ME AS THE KIND OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE DOING BRAVE PIONEERING, ESPECIALLY INTO SUPER-GREEN ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES. WHAT'S GOING ON? WELL, HEY, IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE. DIFFERENT TACT, MAYBE. MIX IT UP A LITTLE BIT. WE JUST THINK IT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO GO IN THE FUTURE. MM. HEALTHY LIVING. HEALTHY LIVING. HEALTHY LIVING, YEAH. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF UNHEALTHY LIVING, SO IT'S PROBABLY TIME TO GET A BIT HEALTHIER. YOU HAVE NOT. ALL CHUCKLE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HOW THIS ONE'S GOING TO ROLL OUT. WE'RE PLEASED TO HAVE YOU ON BOARD. SEE HOW WE GO, EH? YOU GOT ME ON BOARD? ALL LAUGH YOU CAN HELP, CAN'T YA? I'VE ALREADY ROLLED MY SLEEVES UP, CAN'T YOU SEE? (LAUGHS) THIS IS A CURIOUS BUILD ` AN ARCHITECTURALLY DESIGNED FRENCH PROVINCIAL FARMHOUSE WITH SOME WACKY ADDITIONS. A GOOD AMOUNT OF THEIR $1 MILLION BUDGET WILL GO TOWARDS INNOVATIVE BUILDING PRODUCTS THEY BELIEVE WILL GIVE THEM A HEALTHY HOME, STARTING WITH THEIR FOUNDATIONS. INSTEAD OF POLYSTYRENE BLOCKS UNDER THEIR CONCRETE FLOOR, GREG AND GAYLE WANT WHAT APPEAR TO BE A SERIES OF PLASTIC STOOLS. THIS SYSTEM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE MORE OF THE AIRFLOW THEY WANT THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE. IT'S A NEW UNDERFLOOR SYSTEMS THAT'S DESIGNED AS A FLOATING SLAB. SO, UM, WE DON'T PUT ANYTHING IN THE GROUND. IT'S EASY TO WORK WITH. IT'S VERY QUICK. WE, UM` WE CAN DO A HOUSE IN A COUPLE OF DAYS, GET IT ALL BOXED OUT AND GET IT READY FOR AN INSPECTION, AND IT'S ONLY ONE INSPECTION INSTEAD OF TWO, WHICH IS REAL HANDY. TWO WEEKS AGO, GREG AND GAYLE HAD NO IDEA WHO COULD BUILD THEIR UNCONVENTIONAL HOME, BUT A GROUP BUILD COMPANY THAT INSTALLS THIS UNDERFLOOR SYSTEM HAS UNEXPECTEDLY OFFERED TO MANAGE THE ENTIRE BUILD. THESE BUILDERS HAVE NEVER WORKED WITH HEMP OR ELECTROMAGNETIC PROTECTIVE MEASURES BEFORE. SO, I POPPED OUT TO SEE GREG TWO WEEKS AGO, JUST OVER TWO WEEKS AGO. HAD A MEETING WITH HIM. UM, AND BASICALLY ASKED HIM WHO WAS BUILDING THE HOUSE. AND I SAID, 'WELL, WE'RE UP FOR THE CHALLENGE.' BECAUSE ROBERT AND HIS TEAM ARE TACKLING NEW BUILDING TECHNIQUES, THEY'RE UNWILLING TO GIVE GREG AND GAYLE A FIXED PRICE FOR THEIR BUILD. WHEN YOU GET INTO SOMETHING THAT'S VERY UNKNOWN, IF YOU'RE DOING A CONTRACT PRICE, YOU'VE REALLY GOTTA LOAD IT TO COVER YOURSELF, UM, IN CASE THERE'S ISSUES ALONG THE WAY. IT'S GONNA BE A CHALLENGE. WELL, I'M EXCITED FOR A CHALLENGE. I NEVER BACK DOWN FROM A CHALLENGE, SO IT'S GONNA BE GOOD. UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. GREG AND GAYLE HAVE BEEN SOLD ON HEMP SINCE ATTENDING AN ORGANIC FARMING SEMINAR WHERE THEY MET TARANAKI'S OWN SELF-STYLED HEMPBUSTER, GREG FLAVELL. GREG WHITHAM IS KEEN FOR ME TO HEAR HIS SALES PITCH. THIS IS GREG FLAVELL. HE'S OUR HEMP MAN. THE MAN BEHIND THE MADNESS. (LAUGHS) YOU COULD SAY THAT. HI. HOW ARE YA? GREG FLAVELL HAS BEEN HIRED TO MANAGE THE MORE ALTERNATIVE ELEMENTS OF THE HOUSE, AND HE'S ALREADY BEEN DOING SOME WHEELING AND DEALING. $10,000 WORTH OF CANNABIS SITS IN THE SHED, READY TO ROLL. ARE THE AUTHORITIES AWARE OF THIS? YES, ACTUALLY, COMPLETELY. IN FACT, I MEAN, THERE'S NO WAY YOU'RE GONNA GET HIGH ON OUR HEMP. THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO THC IN THIS HEMP. IN FACT, YOU'D NEED A TELEPHONE-POLE SIZED JOINT IF YOU WANTED TO TRY AND GET A HEADACHE. HEMP IS A DIFFERENT VARIETY OF CANNABIS TO MARIJUANA. IT'S BEEN USED FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS FOR MAKING FIBRE, ROPES AND CANVAS, AND IT'S NOW BEING TOUTED AS A FIRE-RESISTANT, CARBON-NEUTRAL BUILDING MATERIAL. BUT IT'S HARD TO SOURCE. THIS STASH WAS IMPORTED FROM ` NOT SURPRISINGLY ` THE NETHERLANDS, AND GREG AND HIS ARCHITECT HAVE HAD A LONG BATTLE TO GET APPROVAL TO BUILD WITH IT. YOU'VE BEEN PATIENT ENOUGH TO WAIT 10 MONTHS. I MEAN, NORMAL COUNCIL TIME TO GET BUILDING CONSENT APPROVAL IS 20 WORKING DAYS. IT'S ONE MONTH. YEP, YEP. TO WAIT 10 MONTHS, YOU MUST HAVE BEEN PULLING YOUR HAIR OUT AND GOING, 'WHY AM I DOING THIS?' YEAH, WELL, I MEAN, I GUESS I GOT TO THE STAGE, REALLY, WHERE I SORT OF DISCOUNTED IT AND THOUGHT IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. UM, FORTUNATELY OUR ARCHITECT, SHE DIDN'T LET GO OF IT, AND GREG WAS SUPPORTING IT AS WELL, AND IT FINALLY GOT THERE. BUT, YEAH, WE DID GET TO THE STAGE WHERE WE THOUGHT, 'NAH, IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.' WHAT'S DRIVING THIS IS THE IDEA OF USING A SUSTAINABLE CROP TO CREATE A HEALTHY HOUSE THAT BREATHES. THE INTERIOR CORE OF THE HEMP PLANT IS WHAT'S CALLED HYGROSCOPIC, WHICH MEANS IT'S VAPOUR PERMEABLE. SO IF YOU MAGNIFY IT 5000 TIMES APPROXIMATELY, YOU SEE ALL THESE LITTLE AIR POCKETS RUNNING THROUGH IT, RIGHT? AND THIS IS WHAT MAKES IT SO ATTRACTIVE AND SO BENEFICIAL AS A BREATHABLE WALL SYSTEM. GREG'S SHOWING GREAT COMMITMENT TO BUILDING AN ALTERNATIVE HOME WITH SOME STRONG GREEN CREDENTIALS WHICH WILL ALSO PROTECT HIM FROM ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION. BUT HE'S NO HIPPIE LUDDITE. HE OWNS AND MANAGES A TRUCKING COMPANY, DRIVES A MODERN CAR AND USES A MOBILE PHONE. HELLO. GREG SPEAKING. I'M ALL FOR TECHNOLOGY. MY ONLY CONCERN'S REALLY ABOUT THE ELECTROMAGNETIC AND THOSE SORTS OF INFLUENCES THAT HAVE ON US AND THE ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW? GREG. GIDDAY. HOW'S IT GOING? IT'S REALLY JUST TRYING TO QUESTION AND TAKE A WIDER VIEW ON THINGS RATHER THAN LEST WE BELIEVE EVERYTHING THAT GETS SERVED UP TO YOU FROM THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA. I THINK GREG'S DRIVING IT PROBABLY MORE THAN ME. I THINK HE'S TRYING TO LOOK AFTER OUR HEALTH, SO I'D BE HAPPY TO GIVE IT A GO. I APPLAUD GREG AND GAYLE'S ENTHUSIASM TO EXPERIMENT WITH THEIR BUILD AND SEE THEIR NEW HOME NOT JUST IN TERMS OF HOW THEY WANT IT TO LOOK BUT ALSO HOW IT FUNCTIONS. THERE WE GO. THE TECHNOLOGIES THEY PLAN TO USE ARE EXPERIMENTAL. I'M JUST HOPING THEY'RE PREPARED FOR WHAT COULD BE A ROCKY AND COSTLY ROAD AHEAD. TRUCK BEEPS IT'S 4AM IN TARANAKI, AND THE BUILDERS OF GREG AND GAYLE'S HEMP HOME ARE ALREADY UP AND AT 'EM. THEIR TARGET IS TO COMPLETE THIS LARGE 320M2 HOUSE WITHIN NINE MONTHS, EVEN IF IT MEANS POURING CONCRETE IN THE DARK. STARTED EARLY BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT ANY CRACKING. SO WE'VE` IT'S GONNA BE A PERFECT DAY TODAY. WE'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF CLOUD COVER. UH. WE'VE GOT 10 TRUCKS COMING, WHICH IS 50` 50-PLUS CUBED. UM, THAT'S A BIT OF CONCRETE FOR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. THE BUILDERS WORK LIKE A WELL-OILED MACHINE. ONCE THE FLOOR'S DOWN, IT'LL BE, UM` UM, ALL GO. WE'VE GOT, UM, TIMBER COMING TOMORROW, SO WE CAN START BUILDING FRAMES ON MONDAY. BUT I WONDER HOW THEY'LL COPE WITH WHAT'S AHEAD. THEY'VE NEVER BUILT WITH HEMP BEFORE OR CREATED A HOUSE WITH ELECTRO-MAGNETIC SHIELDING. EVEN GREG AND GAYLE WERE SURPRISED WHEN THEY TOOK THE CHALLENGE ON. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, OR THREE WEEKS AGO, THERE WAS NOTHING THERE, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT'S JUST HAPPENING. THERE'S BLINKING WORKERS EVERYWHERE, AND THE PROGRESS IS AMAZING. THIS WILL ONLY BE THE FOURTH HOUSE IN NZ TO BE BUILT USING HEMP. GREY AND GAYLE'S HEMP COMES FROM A TOWN WHERE I LIVED FOR 15 YEARS ` GRONINGEN IN THE NETHERLANDS. YOU KNOW, I'VE LIVED IN THE NETHERLANDS FOR QUITE SOME TIME, BUT THIS SCENE WOULD BE ASTONISHING FOR MOST PEOPLE. I THINK THAT IT'S ENORMOUS HERE. HOW BIG IS THIS FIELD? UH, THIS FIELD IS ABOUT 50HA. TOTALLY, WE GROW IN THIS WHOLE AREA, 1300HA. MOST DUTCH PEOPLE EVEN DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS. BECAUSE WE` WHEN WE SEE SOME PEOPLE FROM AMSTERDAM, THEY ONLY THINK OF MARIJUANA AND NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT INDUSTRIAL HEMP. AND WHAT MAKES IT ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY? THE HEMP GROWS SO QUICK, SO WE HAVE NO CHANCE. SO ALL THIS FIELD THAT WE ARE GROWING IN HEMP DON'T USE ANY PESTICIDES OR CHEMICALS ON IT. ALBERT STARTED PRODUCING HEMP FOR USE IN CAR BODIES, AND IT NOW ALSO SELLS FOR FABRICS, MATTRESSES, ANIMAL FEED AND, OF COURSE, BUILDING PRODUCTS. HE'S A PIONEER WHO SPENT 7 MILLION EUROS DEVELOPING MACHINERY HARDY ENOUGH TO HARVEST AND PROCESS WHAT IS ONE OF THE STRONGEST FIBRES IN THE WORLD. WHEN YOU STARTED, WAS THERE ANY COMPETITION? NO, BUT WE DON'T SEE IT AS A COMPETITION, ALSO, SO WE HOPE MORE FIBRE, OR MORE HEMP PROCESSING PLANTS WILL BUILD, BECAUSE WE ARE TOO SMALL TO FEED THE MARKET. HE'S STILL WORKING TO MAKE THE PROCESSING MORE COST-EFFICIENT AND MAKE USE OF HEMP MORE WIDESPREAD. YOU'RE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO THIS, AREN'T YOU? YES. OTHERWISE, WE HAVE NO CHANCE. WHEN WE'RE ONLY THERE FOR A LITTLE FEW PEOPLE WHO HAS THE MONEY TO DO SPECIAL THINGS, THEN THIS HEMP HAS NO CHANCE. GREG AND GAYLE ARE USING HEMP BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE IT WILL ENABLE THEIR HOUSE TO BREATHE AND ELIMINATE TOXINS. BUT TO MAKE THIS WORK, THEY'VE HAD TO CHOOSE OTHER UNCONVENTIONAL BUILDING PRODUCTS, LIKE BREATHABLE MAGNESIUM OXIDE BOARDS FOR THEIR INTERNAL LININGS. IT'S PROBABLY ABOUT DOUBLE THE PRICE OF GIB. I THINK IT'S AROUND ABOUT $52 A SHEET. UM, BUT THAT'S PART OF THE PROCESS. YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT IF YOU WANT TO, UM, BENEFIT FROM THE BREATHABILITY OF THE HEMP. USING THE HEMP AND MAGNESIUM BOARD IS COSTING GREG AND GAYLE ABOUT $50,000. BUT THEY'RE PREPARED EVEN MORE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AGAINST THE INVISIBLE RADIATION EMITTED BY RADIO TOWERS, MOBILE PHONES, WI-FI AND ELECTRICITY. I'VE NEVER HEARD OF ANYONE BUILDING A HEMP HOUSE WITH ELECTROMAGNETIC SHIELDING BEFORE, BUT THERE IS ANOTHER THAT'S JUST BEEN COMPLETED. IT'S 15 MINUTES DRIVE AWAY IN NEW PLYMOUTH. IT'S THE HOME OF INVENTOR ROB EDIE, WHO'S IN BUSINESS WITH HEMPBUSTER GREG. HE'S BEEN ADVISING BOTH GREGS ON THE NEW PROTECTIVE MEASURES HE'S BEEN IMPORTING FROM AUSTRIA, LIKE THIS LATEX-BASED PAINT THAT COSTS $125 A LITRE. IT GETS RID OF ALL THAT CELL PHONE TOWER RADIATION THAT WE'VE GOT 24/7 THESE DAYS, AND IT DEALS WITH, THE, UM, RF SIGNAL FROM YOUR POWER CABLES IN YOUR WALLS AS WELL. MF PROTECTION ON THE WINDOWS ` HOW HAVE YOU APPROACHED THAT? THE BEST SOLUTION AT THE MOMENT APPEARS TO BE THAT STUFF RIGHT THERE. I GOT A WHOLE SWATHE ` ENOUGH TO DO ALL THE WINDOWS IN THE HOUSE. 25M OF THIS. IT'S WORTH AN ARM AND A LEG AGAIN. BUT IT'S A` A VERY NICE SHEER CLOTH, AND IT'S GOT A VERY HIGH METALLIC CONTENT. LOOKS QUITE GRACEFUL, AND, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S VERY SHEER. SO YOU CAN SEE THROUGH IT. YEAH. I THINK I PAID SOMETHING, LIKE, ABOUT 12 GRAND FOR THAT. (WHISTLES) $12,000 FOR NET CURTAINS?! THOUSANDS FOR PAINT? ROB ALSO RECOMMENDS PROTECTIVE MESH FOR THE EXTERIOR WALLS. IT'S, UM, CALLED GPA MESH, AND IT COSTS AN ARM AND A LEG. (CHUCKLES) SO I HEAR. 1600 BUCKS. YEAH. I'M PICKING GREG AND GAYLE WOULD NEED AT LEAST 10 ROLLS TO PROTECT THEIR WHOLE HOUSE. THAT'S $16,000. WE'RE TALKING SERIOUS MONEY TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM SOMETHING YOU CAN'T SEE AND THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE POSES A THREAT. DEFINITELY, IT'S THE WAY OF THE FUTURE. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE WAKING UP TO THESE ISSUES, AND WITH THAT THING THERE, THAT CELL PHONE TOWER THERE, AND THE SIGNAL BEING INCREASED ALL THE TIME, UM, IT'S ONLY GONNA GET WORSE. WE'RE ALL BEING FRIED. (LAUGHS) WE'RE ALL BEING FRIED. YOU KNOW, THEY ARE JUST MICROWAVES WITHOUT WALLS. WHILE ROB MIGHT SOUND LIKE A CONSPIRACY THEORIST, SHIELDING HOMES AGAINST ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY POPULAR IN EUROPE. I'M SCEPTICAL, BUT GREG IS CONVINCED ENOUGH TO PUT SOME SERIOUS MONEY BEHIND THIS POTENTIALLY WEIRD SCIENCE. YEAH, WE'RE KEEN TO GIVE AS MUCH MF PROTECTION AS WE CAN, BUT, UM, WE'LL BE PRAGMATIC ABOUT IT. WE CERTAINLY KNOW THERE'S AN ADDED COST, AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT WITH THE ELECTRICIAN. LAID-BACK GUITAR MUSIC IN LATE SUMMER, CONVENTIONAL AND UNCONVENTIONAL MEET ON THE BUILDING SITE. CONSTRUCTION OF THE HEMP WALLS HAS BEEN SUBCONTRACTED TO GREG FLAVELL, BUT BRAYDEN NEEDS TO MAKE SURE HIS SCHEDULE STAYS ON TRACK. TECHNICALLY, WE SHOULD GET 2M3 DONE... ALL RIGHT, SO YOU GET,... ...TODAY. ...UH, MOST OF THAT BIG WALL DONE, THEN. IF` IF WE CAN, YEAH. I THINK THE FIRST DAY'S ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT SLOWER, COS EVERYBODY'S... EVERYTHING'S GETTING SET UP, YEAH. ...GETTING SET UP. SO, UH, YEAH, LET'S ROCK AND ROLL, SHALL WE? HEMPCRETE IS A MIXTURE OF HEMP HURD, WHICH IS THE INTERIOR, SOFT, WOODY CORE OF THE PLANT, MIXED WITH OUR SPECIAL LIME-BASED BONDER AND ENOUGH WATER TO MAKE IT STICK TOGETHER ` A BIT LIKE MAKING A SNOWBALL, IF YOU LIKE. AND THEN WE'RE GONNA CAST THAT INSIDE THE FORMS, OUR TEMPORARY FORMS, THAT WE'VE SET UP AROUND THE STRUCTURAL FRAME OF THE HOUSE. ALL WE'RE DOING IS ADDING A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, COMPACTION ON THE EXTERIOR EDGE. THE REST OF IT'S ALL AIR AND TRAINED. THIS IS WHAT MAKES IT SUCH BEAUTIFUL INSULATING MATERIAL. THAT'S ALL WE NEED TO DO. WE'VE ACTUALLY GOT AHEAD ALREADY FOR THE FIRST DAY. AND THIS IS THE MOMENT OF TRUTH. THIS IS THE FIRST CORNER OF THIS HOUSE THAT WE'VE DONE. OH, LOOK AT THAT. HUH? IT'S STILL THERE! (LAUGHS) BEAUTIFUL. YES! BUT JUST AT THE HEMPCRETING SEEMS TO BE GOING SO WELL, BRAYDEN SPOTS A PROBLEM. THE SECOND SHUTTER WAS DOWN TO THERE, AND THAT'S FINE. FROM THAT POINT DOWN, YOU CAN SEE IT'S BOWED OUT THERE. THE CORNER'S JUST GOING. FINISHED IT` STARTED TAPPING THE NEXT ONE DOWN... ...OH, TOO HARD. YOU CAN'T TAMP IT TOO HARD. WHILE IT'S SOFT LIKE THAT, IF YOU KNOCK IT, IT'S GONNA FALL OFF. THERE'S NO TWO WAYS ABOUT IT. BUT AT THE SAME TOKEN ` YEAH, I CAN SEE A LITTLE BIT OF A BOW THERE. IT'S COME OUT PAST HERE, TOO, HASN'T IT? YEAH. YOU CAN SEE THAT JUST THE WEIGHT OF IT KEEPS PUSHING IT DOWN. HMM... IN AN ATTEMPT TO HOLD THE HEMP IN PLACE AND PREVENT ANY FURTHER SAGGING, BRAYDEN IS REPLACING THE BRACING. JUST A PAIN IN THE ASS, COS IT'S BOWING OUT. DUNNO WHAT THEY'VE DONE WRONG, BUT THEY'VE DONE EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID, AND IT'S TURNING TO SHIT. ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE'VE GOT SLUMPING. LIKE, SOMETHING'S GONE WRONG HERE. UNEASY MUSIC AS TENSIONS RISE BETWEEN THE CONVENTIONAL BUILDERS AND THE HEMPBUSTERS, GREG CALLS HIS SUPPLIERS. ON THE FIRST DAY, THERE'S ALWAYS SOME TEETHING PROBLEMS GETTING STARTED ON ANY JOB, BUT, (SIGHS) TODAY, WE'VE COME ACROSS A DOOZY WHICH WE HAVEN'T COME ACROSS BEFORE. THE BINDER COMPANY THAT MAKES OUR BINDER, OR BAGS IT FOR US ` THE LAST` THE LAST HOUSE WE DID, WE HAD 20KG BAGS. THEY'VE DELIVERED US THE SAME` THEY DELIVERED TO US THE BINDER ON THIS JOB IN 10KG BAGS. NOW, I'M NOT GONNA BLAME THEM, COS WE REALLY SHOULD HAVE` YOU KNOW, WE REALLY SHOULD HAVE DONE THE NUMBERS, BUT, ANYWAY, MY BOO-BOO. WE'VE GONE` WE'VE BASICALLY MADE THIS MIX IN HERE WITH HALF THE AMOUNT OF BINDER THAT WE SHOULD HAVE USED. ANYWAY, GLAD TO HAVE FOUND IT ON THE FIRST DAY OF WORK. NOW WE CAN` WE'RE GONNA LEAVE THE SHUTTER IN THERE OVER THE WEEKEND AND COME BACK ON MONDAY AND SEE HOW` YOU KNOW, HOW IT FARES. BUT BRAYDEN IS NOT HAVING A BAR OF THAT PLAN. I DON'T CARE. I DON'T WANT THAT SHITTY PRODUCT SITTING ON THE WALL. JUST HATE SEEING ALL THIS GOOD WORK GONE TO WASTE. I` I'D RATHER TAKE OFF NOW THAN WAIT TILL MONDAY AND USE SIX BAGS INSTEAD OF THREE. OK. ALL RIGHT. I'LL JUST TAKE THE TOP ONE OFF HERE, THEN YOU GUYS CAN TAKE ALL THE SHIT OUT. YEAH, OK. SOME OF IT'S STICKING, BUT... OOH, CATCH THAT ONE. AND SO THE HEMP WALLS COME TUMBLING DOWN. THE MISTAKE IS ABLE TO BE REMEDIED, BUT I'M PICKING RELATIONS BETWEEN THE BUILD CREWS HAVE SUSTAINED SOME PERMANENT DAMAGE. UPBEAT COUNTRY MUSIC TWO DAYS AFTER A HALF-BAKED START TO THE HEMPCRETING, I'M KEEN TO FIND OUT IF GREG AND GAYLE'S ALTERNATIVE BUILD CREW ARE BACK ON TRACK. HOW YOU DOING? OH, GIDDAY, CHRIS. HOW ARE YA? GOOD. OH, YOU COME TO SEE OUR HANDIWORK, HAVE YOU? WELL, YEAH. OH, GOOD GOLLY. YOU GONNA SHOW ME, UH, THE FUN AND GAMES YOU HAD THE OTHER DAY? OH, I'D RATHER NOW. (LAUGHS) COME ON, OUT WITH IT. OH, OK. IT'S ALL ABOUT LEARNING, ISN'T IT? I KNOW IT'S ALL ABOUT LEARNING, AND CERTAINLY, WE LEARN SOMETHING NEW ON EVERY SINGLE JOB WE DO. THE LAST JOB, THREE BAGS OF BINDER WAS 60KG IN TOTAL. BUT THEY'VE HALVED` THEY'VE HALVED THE SIZE OF THE BAGS ON US, SO THREE BAGS WAS ONLY 30KG. PHWOAH. WELL, THAT` THAT` THAT'S KIND OF A CLASSIC` (LAUGHS) THAT'S KIND OF A CLASSIC BUILDER'S ERROR, ISN'T IT, YOU KNOW? IT IS, YEAH. MEASURE TWICE... MEASURE TWICE, CUT ONE, HEY. HAVING TWO BUILD CREWS CAN PROVIDE FOR SOME CHECKS AND BALANCES BUT ALSO SOME POTENTIAL CONFLICTING AND UNSETTLING MESSAGES FOR THE OWNERS. HOW ABOUT THE PRAGMATICS ON SITE? BECAUSE IN A WAY, YOU'VE GOT TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTION TEAMS, HAVEN'T YOU? HOW ARE THOSE TWO DIFFERENT TEAMS GETTING ON? INTERESTING, YEAH. (LAUGHS) WHEN THE` WHEN THE HEMP BOYS ROLLED UP ON FRIDAY, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT CHALK AND CHEESE. YOU SEE THESE YOUNG GUYS ON THE WORK SITE, AND THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING. 'I'M ON THE ROOF; YOU'RE DOWN THERE.' AND THEY'VE GOT IT SO WELL ORGANISED. AND YOU'VE GOT THESE MAD SCIENTISTS ON THE OTHER SIDE... (LAUGHS) YEAH, WELL` YEAH, WHEN I` I WONDERED WHEN THEY ARRIVED` I CALLED THEM BLOWN-AWAY HIPPIES. I WOULD SAY AS SOMEBODY WHO IS PAYING THE BILLS, THAT WOULD BE A CONCERN. CORRECT, YES, YES. YEP. IS THAT A NERVOUS SMILE THAT I'M DETECTING? (LAUGHS) OH, YEAH, NAH, YOU'RE QUITE RIGHT. ON SATURDAY I WAS THINKING, 'DO THESE GUYS KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING?' I WAS` I DID HAVE SOME CONCERNS, SO I SPOKE TO GREG, AND WE WENT THROUGH IT ALL, AND HE REASSURED ME, AND SO TODAY, THEY'RE ONTO IT. I ADMIRE GREG AND GAYLE'S COMMITMENT TO THEIR ALTERNATIVE BUILD ELEMENTS, BUT I EXPECT THE CONVENTIONAL BUILDERS COULD DO WITHOUT IT. I THINK IT'S GONNA HOLD US UP, BECAUSE THE WAY THEY'RE GOING, IT'S... NOT VERY QUICK. COS THEY CAN PUT IT UP, BUT WE NEED TO WAIT THE SIX WEEKS FOR IT TO DRY FULLY, AND THAT'LL HOLD US UP ON THE INSIDE, AND THEN` SO YOU'RE A BIT CONCERNED? I AM VERY CONCERNED, YES. ESPECIALLY, UM, COMING INTO WINTER, AND THE WEATHER. GENTLE PIANO MUSIC GREG AND GAYLE WANT THIS HOME TO BE A HEALTHY HUB FOR THEIR EXTENDED FAMILY ` FOUR CHILDREN, INCLUDING DAUGHTERS KIMBERLEE AND GINA, GREG'S MOTHER, KATH, AND GAYLE'S MOTHER, AVIS, SO I'M WONDERING WHAT THEY THINK OF THIS UNUSUAL HOME. THE THING THAT REALLY INTRIGUES ME ABOUT THIS HOUSE IS IT'S RATHER LARGE. SO WHAT ARE YOU GONNA BE DOING WITH ALL THIS SPACE? GOOD QUESTION. WE WANT IT TO BE OPEN AND AVAILABLE TO THE WHANAU. HOPEFULLY, WE HAVE SOME GRANDKIDS COMING ALONG OR... NO SIGN OF IT YET, BUT, UH... LAUGHTER I THINK IT'S AWESOME THAT MUM AND DAD ARE FINALLY ABLE TO BUILD THEIR DREAM HOME. THEY CAN RETIRE AND KEEP THE FAMILY AROUND. WHEN DAD BROUGHT HOME THE HEMP FOR THE FIRST TIME, I WAS LIKE, REALLY, DAD? (LAUGHS) LIKE, REALLY? I DUNNO. I NEVER ACTUALLY HEARD OF IT BEING USED AS A BUILDING PRODUCT. DO YOU GUYS KNOW WHERE ANY OF THESE CRAZY IDEAS CAME FROM? GREG'S ALWAYS BEEN AN INDIVIDUALIST AND HAD HIS OWN IDEAS JUST QUIETLY AND WORKED TOWARDS THEM, AND THAT'S WHAT HE'S DOING. THEIR PLAN, AVIS, IS TO HAVE NO CONNECTION WITH ANYTHING THAT'S ELECTRONIC THAT IS USING THE AIRWAVES. WHY NOT? LAUGHTER WOULD YOU GO AND VISIT THEM? OH, IT WOULDN'T STOP ME VISITING THEM. I CAN DO WITHOUT IT FOR A DAY. RIGHT, BUT YOU WOULDN'T LIVE WITH THEM? NO. LAUGHTER WON'T WANNA STAY TOO MUCH IF THERE'S NO WI-FI OR CELLULAR RECEPTION INSIDE. I LOVE USING MY IPHONE. (LAUGHS) SO YOU'RE AN ADDICT? I'M AN ADDICT! I'M AN ADDICT. I CAN'T GET OFF. BUT WE CAN'T LET GAYLE OFF THE HOOK. I MEAN, YOU'RE A PARTY TO THIS. YOU TOTALLY BUY INTO THE EMF TECHNOLOGY. I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW. I'M OPEN-MINDED, AND I'M READY TO GIVE IT A GO. LAID-BACK GUITAR MUSIC (MOOS) TWO WEEKS LATER, THERE ARE SOME NEW FACES ON THE HEMPBUSTERS CREW, AND IT APPEARS THEY ARE EXCEEDING BRAYDEN'S RATHER PESSIMISTIC EXPECTATIONS. BRAYDEN, HEY, HOW'S IT GOING? GOOD, MAN. LAST TIME WE SPOKE, I MEAN, I THOUGHT YOU'D BE MILES BEHIND BY NOW. OH, NAH, THE HEMP GUYS GOT A COUPLE OF NEW GUYS IN, AND THEY'VE BEEN GOING REAL GOOD. THE FIRST CREW THAT HE HAD HERE WERE A BIT SLOW. I WAS A BIT WORRIED, BUT THESE NEW GUYS THAT CAME IN ARE FLYING THROUGH IT. SO IS IT ALL GOING ACCORDING TO PLAN? IT'S, UM, VERY CLOSE TO ACCORDING TO PLAN. I NOTICED WHEN IT WAS DRYING, IT WAS, UM, COMING OFF THE STUDS. YOU CAN SEE IT AROUND THE WINDOWS. IT'S JUST COMING OFF THE STUDS WHEN IT WAS DRYING, WHICH YOU EXPECT IT TO WHEN IT DRIES, BUT, UM, SOME OF THE AREAS WERE COMING OFF, LIKE, 15 MIL OR 20 MIL. I WASN'T HAPPY WITH THAT. ALSO, THE GUYS DOING THE PLASTER SYSTEM AREN'T HAPPY WITH IT EITHER, SO WE'VE GOT, UM, AN ENGINEER TO COME THROUGH, AND THEY'RE GONNA BE PUTTING THROUGH 150 MIL STAINLESS STEEL, UM, SCREWS AROUND ALL THE WINDOWS AND DOORS AND THROUGH THE CENTRES AS WELL. I GUESS THIS HAS TO BE PUT DOWN TO SOME FACTOR. I'M IMAGINING IT MUST BE THE WEATHER. YES, IT HAS BEEN AN EXCEPTIONALLY HOT SUMMER, SO THAT HASN'T HELPED THAT A LOT, SO IT'S PROBABLY DRIED OUT TOO QUICK. ANY OTHER SURPRISES? UM, NOT REALLY. NOT SO FAR. I'LL` I'LL HOLD MY JUDGEMENT UNTIL WE'RE FINISHED. RIGHT. (LAUGHS) THE SHRINKAGE APPEARS MOSTLY TO DO WITH NATURAL CAUSES, BUT IT HASN'T HELPED WIN THE CONVENTIONAL BUILDERS OVER TO HEMP CONSTRUCTION. HERE'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. YEP. UM, THIS GAP HERE, WHERE IT'S DRY AND IT'S COMING OFF THE WALL. COS IT'S JUST NOTHING HOLDING IT BACK. YEAH, THAT'S QUITE BAD THERE, ISN'T IT? IT IS. A LOT OF THE POINTS ARE FINE. IT'S JUST, YEAH, THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE WORST SPOTS. IF I WAS IN GREG'S SHOWS, BRAYDEN'S CONCERNS ABOUT THE ALTERNATIVE BUILDER'S METHODOLOGY MIGHT BE STARTING TO RUB OFF ON ME. WE'RE` WE'RE COMMITTED, REALLY. WE'RE` (LAUGHS) CAN'T REALLY CHANGE TACK NOW. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I'M OK WITH IT, YEAH. GREG AND GAYLE HAVE TAKEN A HUGE LEAP OF FAITH TO BUILD ONE OF THE FIRST HEMP HOMES IN NZ, BUT THEY'RE TAKING AN EVEN BOLDER STEP, CHOOSING ELECTROMAGNETIC PROTECTION. IT'S EXPERIMENTAL AND EXPENSIVE. I'M STILL BEWILDERED AS TO WHY THIS SEEMINGLY CONVENTIONAL COUPLE HAVE TAKEN THIS ON. TO CUT COSTS, GAYLE AND GREG HAVE NOW DECIDED TO ONLY SHIELD THEIR BEDROOM WING, BUT THIS ALONE COULD COST ABOUT $20,000. ARE YOU GUYS FULLY CONVINCED THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS REALLY IS GONNA GIVE YOU, IF YOU LIKE, FULL PROTECTION? NAH, NOT REALLY. NO. NO. (LAUGHS) YOU'RE NOT? NAH, NOT FULLY CONVINCED, BUT, UM, BUT WE THINK IT'S A GOOD` A GOOD WAY TO GO. WE THINK IT MAKES GOOD SENSE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE THAT PROTECTION IN THERE. BUT, NAH, I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK IT'S A SILVER BULLET OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. RIGHT. YOU KNOW, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION THINKS THERE'S NO ISSUE THERE AT ALL. YEAH. SO... WHY ARE YOU DOING IT? YEAH, I` WELL, HEY, PRECAUTIONARY, YOU COULD SAY. I TEND TO, SORT OF, SIDE TOWARDS THE NON-BELIEVERS, I SUPPOSE. I` I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING IN IT, YEAH. (LAUGHS) IT SORT OF COMES WITH THE HEMP TERRITORY, SO IT'S LIKE, DO YOU WANT CHIPS WITH YOUR HEMP, YOU KNOW? ALL LAUGH SO, YEAH, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN ADD-ON THAT'S, YOU KNOW... YEAH. AND ONCE WE STARTED GOING INTO IT, THERE WERE ALL THESE THINGS THAT WERE OFFERED TO GO WITH IT, SO YOU'RE, SORT OF, THINKING, AW, YEAH, HOW FAR DO YOU GO? I'VE GOT TO HAND IT TO OUR HEMPBUSTERS' POWERS OF PERSUASION. GREG AND ROB HAVE MANAGED TO UPSELL GREG AND GAYLE ELECTROMAGNETIC PROTECTION THAT EVEN THEY'RE NOT CONVINCED THEY NEED. AND WHILE I'M WON OVER BY THE BENEFITS OF BUILDING WITH HEMP, I SUSPECT THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SHIELDING IS A WASTE OF MONEY. YOU KNOW, THE THING THAT IS INTRIGUING TO ME IS ALL THROUGH THIS BUILD, THERE HAS BEEN THIS KIND OF DICHOTOMY ` TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BUILDING TEAMS, TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT IDEOLOGIES. A WHOLE BUNDLE OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF MATERIALS WHICH HAVE NEVER COME TOGETHER BEFORE, AND SO... FOR ME, THE JURY'S STILL OUT. YOU KNOW, WHAT'S IT GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN THE END? IS IT GONNA BE A BEAUTIFUL FUSION OR IS IT GONNA BE A BIT OF A MONGREL? ACOUSTIC GUITAR MUSIC SIX MONTHS INTO GREG AND GAYLE'S BUILD, THE HEMPBUSTERS HAVE MOVED ON. A GLORIOUS SUMMER MADE THE HEMP DRY TOO QUICKLY, CAUSING SOME SHRINKAGE PROBLEMS, BUT THE HEMP IS NOW BOLTED TO THE STRUCTURE OF THE HOUSE, AND THE BUILDERS ARE NOT FAR BEHIND SCHEDULE. THE PUSH IS ON TO GET THIS PECULIAR HOME CLOSED IN BEFORE WINTER. THE WINDOWS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE. THEY, UM, GOT GERMAN-MADE HINGES WHICH OPEN AND TILT, AND, UM, YEAH, THEY LOOK AWESOME, BUT THEY'RE <BLEEP>ING EXPENSIVE. THE GLASS FOR THE WINDOWS IN THE BEDROOM WING IS BEING COATED IN A FILM THAT CREATES A BARRIER AGAINST ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION. GREG'S CHOSEN THIS INSTEAD OF PROTECTIVE MESH CURTAINS FOR AESTHETIC REASONS, BUT IT'S STILL COSTING $9000. YEAH, HAVE YOU DONE THIS FILM ON WINDOWS BEFORE, DAYNA, OR...? UH, NO, THE LX70, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO APPLY IT. OK. UH, THEY'VE BEEN, UH, USING IT UP IN AUCKLAND AT THE MT EDEN PRISON, UH,... OH, REALLY? ...SUCCESSFULLY TO STOP THE RADIO FREQUENCIES COMING IN AND, UH, COMMUNICATION, OBVIOUSLY COS THE PRISONERS AND THE OUTSIDE. (CHUCKLES) OH, OK, OK. REDUCE, YOU KNOW, CELL PHONE RECEPTION. YUP. AND SO, YOU KNOW, ALL THE REASONS THAT YOU'RE, UH, PUTTING IT ON YOUR GLASS TO REDUCE ALL THOSE FREQUENCIES COMING IN. WHIRRING THE REST OF THE GLAZING IN THEIR HOME WILL BE STANDARD, APART FROM HUGE PANES OF GLASS BEING INSTALLED IN THE ENTRANCEWAY. THESE FOUR 200KG SHEETS WILL CREATE A CEILING FOR LIGHT-BATHED ARRIVAL SPACE. COMING DOWN. WHIRRING BE ABLE TO GROW SOME GOOD TOMATOES (CHUCKLES) YEAH, YEAH. TO ME, THIS ENTRANCE WILL BE ONE OF THE ARCHITECTURAL HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS HOME. THINK ONCE WE GET THE STONE WALL ALONG THE SIDE AND THE POLISHED CONCRETE... YEAH, YEAH. ...IT'S GONNA HAVE QUITE A GOOD LOOK. YEAH, NAH, LOOKS BLOODY AWESOME AS IT IS WITH ALL THAT CEDAR. THE ENTRANCE WILL INCLUDE A BESPOKE STONE WALL THAT WILL FLOW THROUGH THE OUTSIDE AND INSIDE OF THE HOUSE. TO MAKE IT GREG AND GAYLE HAVE HIRED A FAMILY FRIEND, STONEMASON WES SNOWDEN. IT'S QUITE A COOL RIVER STONE BECAUSE IT'S SO DENSE, UM,... AND THE SOURCE WE'VE FOUND ` GREG ACTUALLY FOUND AN IMAGE, AND AFTER SOME HUNTING AROUND WE FOUND THE SUPPLY. THESE STONES DON'T ROLL; THEY HAVEN'T COME, LIKE, DOWN THE MOUNTAIN. SO WE END UP WITH THESE COOL SHAPES. HOWEVER, THE ISSUE IS THEY'RE ALSO VERY BRITTLE. FOR THE LOOK I'M AFTER, I'M AFTER SO FEATURE-LOOKING, SORTA, ROCKS. NOW, THE KEY IS THAT I-I DON'T WANT A GENERIC SIZE TO RUN THROUGH` RUN THROUGH THE WALL. THERE SHOULD BE A CONTRAST. THESE... THESE ARE ALSO SORTA THE MID-RANGE ONES. IT'S LIKE CHRISTMAS AND YOUR PARENTS DIDN'T QUITE GET YOU THE TOY YOU WANTED. (CHUCKLES SOFTLY) IT DOESN'T PAY TO RUSH SOMETHING LIKE THIS WHEN IT'S GONNA BE LASTING FOR SO LONG; IT'S NOT A TAKEAWAY DINNER. YOU KNOW, YOU WANNA REMEMBER IT AND BE STOKED EVERY TIME YOU COME HOME, EH. YOU KNOW, WE COULD LAID THIS, (CLEARS THROAT) BUT I THINK THAT (GRUNTS) THE RIVER'S GOT MORE TO GIVE. GENTLE ACOUSTIC GUITAR MUSIC TWO DAYS LATER WES HAS TRAVELLED THE FOUR-HOUR TRIP TO THE SOURCE OF THESE UNIQUE RIVER STONES IN DANNEVIRKE, WHERE A LOCAL QUARRY HAS GATHERED THE BROWN STONES GREG WANTS AND IS SIFTING OUT THE BIGGER BOULDERS. THIS IS GONNA LOOK UNREAL, MAN. LOOK AT THIS` YOU IMAGINE THAT IN YOUR ROOM. LIKE, THE SIZE OF THEM, DUDE ` THEY'RE GONNA LOOK WICKED. LOOK AT THAT. ROCKS THUD BIRD SINGS TRIBAL MUSIC GREG AND GAYLE ARE SPENDING ALMOST $1 MILLION ON THIS HOME, AND LARGE AMOUNTS OF THIS MONEY ARE GOING INTO WACKY ELEMENTS YOU CAN'T SEE, LIKE $5000 WORTH OF ELECTROMAGNETIC SHIELDING MESH, WHICH PLASTERER JAMIE TAPARA IS BURYING IN THE EXTERIOR WALLS OF THEIR BEDROOM WING. GIDDAY, JAMIE. OH, GIDDAY, CHRIS. HOW ARE YA? GOOD. YOU KNOW, MY BROTHER'S A PLASTERER, AND HE ALWAYS TELLS ME, 'YOU KNOW WHY WE'RE EMPLOYED, DON'T YOU? IT'S TO COVER UP YOUR MISTAKES.' THERE'S A LOTTA TRUTH IN THAT. BOTH LAUGH JAMIE, WHADDAYA THINK ABOUT THE MESH, YOU KNOW, THE EMF APPROACH? IT'S DIFFERENT. I'M NOT TOO SURE WHY HE WOULD GO THAT SORT OF EXTENT, BUT, I MEAN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S, UM` IT'S WHAT THE CLIENT WANTS. YOU WOULDN'T DO IT ON YOUR HOUSE. NO, IT'S SEEMS A BIT EXPENSIVE, TO BE HONEST. BUT THE MESH IS NOT THE ONLY CHALLENGE FOR THE PLASTERERS. AT THE ELEVENTH HOUR GREG AND GAYLE HAVE DECIDED THEY WANT AN UNUSUAL GRADUATED COLOUR FINISH TO THEIR RUSTIC PLASTER WALLS. THE FINAL LOOK OF THE PLASTER THAT HE'S TRYING TO ACHIEVE IS, UM,... IS TOTALLY OUTTA THE BOX FOR ME. IT'S A TWO-TONE FINISH, SO` OOH. THAT SOUNDS TRICKY. HOW ARE YOU DEALING WITH THAT? BIT OF TRIAL AND ERROR, CHRIS. BOTH CHUCKLE I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HOW THE COLOURED PLASTER WILL ENHANCE THE VISUAL INTRIGUE OF THIS HOME. KNOCK! WHOA. TAPPING IT'S LOOKING SERIOUS, WES. YEAH, WE'RE GETTIN' THERE, MAN. INTERESTING ROCKS. YEAH. GREG CERTAINLY SENT ME ON A BIT OF A GOOSE CHASE FINDING THESE, BUT I'M GLAD HE DID. IT'S GONNA CREATE SOMETHING REALLY QUITE INTERESTING, AS FAR AS A` (CHUCKLES GENTLY) YOU KNOW, A STATEMENT AT YOUR FRONT DOOR'S CONCERNED. (CHUCKLES) IT'S GONNA BE RAD, ACTUALLY. CERTAINLY GIVES A BIT OF HEFT TO THE WALL, DOESN'T IT? AND HEFT IS SOMETHING THIS 320m2 HOME IS NOT SHORT OF. I'M A LITTLE BIT SURPRISED BY HOW VAST THIS ROOM IS, AND I'M THINKING, 'HOW'RE YOU GUYS GONNA FILL IT?' HMM. (LAUGHS) (CHUCKLES) WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT COUCHES. (CHUCKLES) THEY'RE GONNA BE BIG COUCHES, AREN'T THEY? I THINK THEY NEED TO BE BIG COUCHES. IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE OUR MAIN LIVING AREA, SO (CLEARS THROAT) I GUESS WE'LL FILL IT UP WITH A BIT OF JUNK AND FEW TABLES AND WHATNOT, YEAH. 'WHATNOT' ` LOVE THAT. 'A BIT OF JUNK'. (CHUCKLES) NO JUNK ALLOWED. (CHUCKLES) YEAH. THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS THAT ARE STARTING TO EMERGE THAT I THOUGHT, 'OH, WAS THAT HAPPENING THERE? I DON'T REMEMBER THAT HAPPENING LIKE THAT,' AND I HAD A CHAT TO BRAYDEN, THE BUILDER, AND HE SAID, 'YEAH, GREG SHOWED ME THIS, UM, SHOT THAT HE PICKED UP IN A MAGAZINE OR ON THE INTERNET 'OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND NOW I HAVE TO WORK OUT HOW TO DO IT.' GAYLE AND GREG LAUGH YEAH, YEAH. IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S QUITE ORGANIC. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN ALMOST A PIECEMEAL FASHION. WELL, YEAH, I GUESS WE HAVE DONE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT, LOOKING AT THINGS IN MAGAZINES, BUT` AT THE BEGINNING, I THOUGHT THAT YOU HAD A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH THE HOUSE, AND NOW I'M BEGINNING TO WONDER. LIKE, ARE YOU GUYS WORRIED ABOUT HOW THE BUDGET IS KIND OF SHIFTING? OH, YEAH, I MEAN, YEAH, WE HAVE BLOWN OUT OUR BUDGET, AS WE TALKED TO, UM, YOU ABOUT ORIGINALLY, AND IT'S CERTAINLY LOOKING THAT WAY. SO, YEAH, IT'S NOT IDEAL, BUT, I MEAN, WE'RE COMMITTED, AND, UM, WE CAN SEE THE END, AND IT'LL BE WHAT IT'LL BE, REALLY. THERE'LL JUST BE PROBABLY A LITTLE MORE DEBT THAN WE HAD ANTICIPATED, BUT, UM, WE CAN MANAGE THAT, HOPEFULLY. WE HAVE TO FINISH IT. (CHUCKLES) CAN'T STOP NOW. (CHUCKLES) WHEN BUILDING A HOUSE, IT'S EASY TO GET OVERWHELMED WITH IDEAS. GREG AND GAYLE'S VISION WAS TO CREATE A RUSTIC FRENCH PROVINCIAL FARMHOUSE, BUT IT'S MORPHING INTO SOMETHING QUITE DIFFERENT. I REALLY THEY HAVEN'T LOST SIGHT OF THEIR DREAM. TARANAKI'S OMNIPOTENT MOUNTAIN AND RUGGED, BLACK VOLCANIC COAST MAKE FOR A MAGICAL LOCATION. BUT IT'S A PRETTY CONSERVATIVE NO-NONSENSE FARMING COMMUNITY ROUND HERE. NOT THE KIND OF PLACE YOU'D EXPECT TO FIND A HOUSE MADE OUT OF CANNABIS AND SOME OTHER RATHER ECCENTRIC BUILDING MATERIALS. GENTLE TINKLING MUSIC BUT AFTER NINE MONTHS OF BATTLING FOR CONSENT AND ANOTHER 10 MONTHS OF CHALLENGING BUILDING, GREG AND GAYLE HAVE MOVED INTO THEIR UNUSUAL HOME. OH MY GOODNESS! HI! YOU DOING ALL RIGHT? LOVELY TO SEE YOU. LOVELY TO SEE YOU. (KISSES) HEY, HOW ARE YA? CONGRATULATIONS. YOU KNOW, THIS IS REALLY QUITE A PIONEERING ACHIEVEMENT. ONE OF THE FIRST HEMP HOUSES IN NZ AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE FIRST ELECTROMAGNETIC SCREENED HOUSES. YEAH, WE'RE PRETTY PLEASED. WE'VE ONLY JUST LANDED, REALLY. IT'S A BIT OF A JOURNEY, ISN'T IT? IT WAS GONNA BE A DIFFERENT COLOUR, WASN'T IT? LIGHTLY: YES, IT WAS. (LAUGHS) WELL, YES, IT'S GONNA BE. IT'S GOING TO BE. WE'VE GOT THE FINAL COAT OF PLASTERING TO GO ON. THE PLASTERER'S BEEN PLAYING AROUND WITH A FEW COLOURS. YEAH, SO THIS IS WHERE WE'VE DONE OUR SAMPLE RANGE OVER HERE. OH, INTERESTING. IT'S A BIT DIFFERENT. YEAH, WELL, IT'S PROBABLY NOT QUITE HOW WE WANT IT. UM, BUT WE CERTAINLY WANNA HAVE A PATCHED-STAGE, MIXED COLOURING. LIKE THE OLD, SORT OF, ITALIAN FEEL. SO WE'VE GONE FROM FRENCH TO TUSCAN. YEAH. (LAUGHS) YEAH, PROBABLY. WE'RE A BIT OF A MIXED-UP BUNCH HERE, ACTUALLY, AREN'T WE? WE ARE. WE ARE, YEAH. YEAH, FRENCH, TUSCAN, KIWI. (LAUGHS) EASY-GOING MUSIC THIS HOME DOES COMBINE AN ECLECTIC MIX OF BUILDING STYLES AND DESIGN, AND ELEMENTS LIKE THE PLASTER IN THE ENTRANCEWAY ARE TRULY BESPOKE. OH MY GOODNESS! YEAH. BOY. THIS WALL'S COME UP WELL, HASN'T IT? I LOVE IT ` ALL THE DIFFERENT COLOURS AND TEXTURES AND THINGS. IT REALLY FEELS QUITE SPECIAL TO ME, THE WAY THE LIGHT COMES IN HERE, THE DRAMA OF THE SPACE, THE WAY IT CONNECTS THROUGH TO THE MOUNTAIN AND WES' MAGNIFICENT ROCK WALL. COME AND HAVE A LOOK AT THE LIVING ROOM. OH MY GOODNESS. IT'S VAST! I THINK WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN TERMS OF ARTICULATING THE SPACE ` YOU KNOW, LIKE GOING FROM ONE SPACE, THE KITCHEN, TO THE SPACE AROUND THE LIVING ROOM, I MEAN, IT'S REALLY ROOMS WITHIN ROOMS. IT'S SOLID, YOU KNOW. YOU CAN FEEL THAT IT'S SURROUNDED BY LOVELY, BIG GUTSY WALLS, THE BIG, THICK HEMP DIMENSION, AND YOU FEEL THAT AROUND THE WINDOWS. AND` AND WHEN I GET HERE, THE ACOUSTICS' COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE CEILING; PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE CARPET. THIS FEELS INTIMATE HERE. HERE, I'M IN` IN A TOWN HALL. (LAUGHS) THERE'S NO DOUBT THIS IS AN ENORMOUS HOME, BUT THEN, FARMHOUSES HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN GENEROUS BUILDINGS. OF COURSE, WHAT'S TRULY EXTRAORDINARY ABOUT IT CAN'T BE SEEN. BENEATH THE PLASTER, A THICK WALL OF HEMP. AND IN THE BEDROOM WING, ELECTROMAGNETIC SHIELDING IN THE WALLS AND ON THE WINDOWS. COME ON IN. THIS IS A VERY GRACEFUL ROOM. I LOVE IT. IT'S MY FAVOURITE PLACE. IT FEELS VERY OLD-WORLD. THIS IS THE PART OF THE HOUSE OF THE HOUSE WHICH YOU INVEST A LOT IN THE SPECIAL TECHNOLOGY. HAVE YOU TESTED IT? NO, BUT I HAD A FRIEND IN IT THE OTHER NIGHT, AND SHE COULD RING OUT IN HERE. YOU HAVEN'T TESTED IT? CORRECT. ALL RIGHT, I'LL HAVE TO GET YOU TO CLOSE THAT, EH? YEP. THERE WE GO. GOOD, SOLID, EUROPEAN DOORS. (LAUGHS) EXCELLENT. LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET HIM. SEE IF WE'RE GONNA GET A SIGNAL. SEE, THAT'S CALLING. (DIAL TONE HUMS) OH, HOLD ON. IS IT RINGING? WELL, THAT'S WORKING. OH DEAR! (LAUGHS) TO TRULY TEST WHETHER THE SHIELDING IS WORKING, WE'VE CALLED IN AN EMF EXPERT, STEVE HEWITT. I HAD READINGS OF 1500 MICROVOLTS ON THE BODY OUTSIDE THE HOUSE AND INSIDE, WE'RE DOWN TO 30, WHICH IS IDEAL. YOU DON'T NEED MUCH ENERGY FOR THOSE PHONES TO WORK. RIGHT. AND IF JUST A LITTLE BIT CREEPS IN, THE LITTLE BIT THAT CREEPS IN AT 30 MICROVOLTS ON THE BODY ISN'T GONNA MAKE IT AN UNHEALTHY PLACE TO BE. KNOWING THAT NOW, GUYS, ARE YOU HAPPY? I'M EXTREMELY HAPPY. YOU'RE HAPPY, AREN'T YOU? YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. I HAVEN'T SLEPT IN THE OTHER BEDROOMS, BUT I KNOW IN OUR ROOM, IT'S JUST AMAZING. I JUST FEEL SO CALM AND RESTED, YOU KNOW, AFTER SLEEPING IN THERE. YEAH. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE PIONEERS? WELL, WE'RE CERTAINLY PLEASED TO BE IN THE HOUSE AND LIVING IN HERE. BEING BIG, IT STILL FEELS COSY. IT FEELS COMFORTABLE. IT JUST FEELS EXCITING, REALLY. I FEEL REALLY EXCITED ABOUT BEING IN THE HOUSE. SO, DOES THAT MEAN THAT YOU'D DO IT AGAIN? NO. (LAUGHS) (LAUGHS) BUILDING IN ITSELF IS QUITE DEMANDING. IT SWALLOWS UP A LOT OF YOUR ENERGY AND YOUR FOCUS AND YOUR TIME. I KNOW. I THINK WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A BIT OF A CHALLENGE FOR THE BUILDERS AS WELL, YOU KNOW, COS WE WERE AROUND A LOT AND MAKING CHANGES. THE END RESULT IS KIND OF AMAZING TO ME, BECAUSE IT'S ENDED UP BEING BETTER THAN MY EXPECTATIONS WERE. I THINK THAT THE WAY THAT THIS SPACE WORKS IS SURPRISINGLY GOOD, DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT'S VAST. CONGRATULATIONS ON A JOB REALLY WELL DONE. NO, THANK YOU. WE'RE GONNA LOVE IT. YES, WE ARE. THANK YOU. LOOK FORWARD TO IT. LAID-BACK GUITAR MUSIC GREG AND GAYLE CAME IN CLOSE TO THE $1 MILLION BUDGET THE BUILDERS FORECAST AND WITHIN WEEKS OF THEIR DEADLINE. BUT THE TRUE TEST OF THEIR HOME'S SUCCESS IS HOW THEIR PARENTS AND CHILDREN RESPOND TO IT. SO, WHAT DO YOU RECKON, GINA? HOW DOES IT FEEL FOR YOU? IS IT GOOD TO BE HOME? IT'S AWESOME. IT'S SO COOL TO BE IN THIS HOUSE, SURROUNDED BY OUR FAMILY. YOU'RE MOVING HOME? YEAH, I AM. THEY TELL ME THAT IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY'LL COME, GAYLE, SO, I GUESS THAT'S SUCCESS TO YOU. I DUNNO. YEAH, I HOPE SO. I KNOW A LOT OF FRIENDS MAKING THEIR PLACES SMALLER SO THAT THEY CAN GET RID OF THEIR KIDS, BUT I QUITE LIKE HAVING THEM AROUND. WELL DONE. ARCHITECTURALLY, YOU MAY NOT THINK THIS HOUSE HAS A LOT TO SAY FOR ITSELF, BUT I BELIEVE THAT GOOD ARCHITECTURE IS NOT ABOUT FASHION; IT'S ABOUT GOOD FUNDAMENTALS. AND GRAND DESIGNS ARE ABOUT BEING BRAVE, TAKING RISK, HAVING A BOLD DREAM AND THE AMBITION TO REALISE IT. LAID-BACK GUITAR MUSIC CONTINUES CAPTIONS BY VIRGINIA PHILP, ALANA DRAYTON AND SHRUTIKA GUNANAYAGAM. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2016