From Fungi to Fireproof Homes: The Future of Sustainable Building Materials

Forget concrete and steel. The future of sustainable building materials might be a little more...fungal.

Two new studies are showcasing the amazing potential of mushrooms and their root-like network, mycelium, to create strong, lightweight, and fire-retardant building materials that are environmentally friendly and reduce our reliance on harmful chemicals.

Mycelium: A Building Block for Sustainability

Mycelium is the hidden powerhouse of fungal colonies, a vast, interwoven network of threads that acts as the foundation for mushrooms and other fungi. Scientists have been exploring its potential for years, using mycelium to create everything from leather substitutes to biodegradable packaging materials. Now, the focus is shifting towards building applications.

Mycocrete: A Lightweight, Sustainable Alternative

A team from Newcastle University and Vrije Universiteit Brussel has developed a new material called myocrete, a lightweight construction material grown from mycelium. The process is simple and sustainable. They combine mycelium spores with grains, paper fibers, and a mix of water, glycerin, and xanthan gum. This mixture is then injected into a knitted fabric mold and placed in a controlled environment where the mycelium thrives. As the mycelium grows, it binds the materials together, creating a stiff, moldable material.

This new myocrete boasts impressive properties, including excellent thermal and acoustic insulation, making it ideal for soundproofing and replacing traditional foams, timber, and plastics in building interiors. The team has even constructed a self-supported freestanding arched dome using a system of slender myocrete tubes, showcasing its structural capabilities.

Mycelium: A Natural Fire-Retardant

Meanwhile, researchers at RMIT University are tapping into the fire-retardant properties of mycelium. When exposed to high temperatures, mycelium forms a protective char layer that shields the material underneath from fire damage.

By adjusting the growth conditions of mycelium, the researchers have engineered a paper-thin, uniform film that can be layered onto other materials to provide thermal protection. This mycelium-based fire retardant offers a significant advantage over traditional phosphorus-based alternatives, which are potential carcinogens and neurotoxins and can persist in the environment, harming wildlife.

A New Era in Building

These groundbreaking studies show that fungi are not just delicious additions to our meals, but also powerful agents for creating sustainable building materials. Mycocrete and mycelium-based fire retardants offer promising alternatives to conventional materials, reducing our reliance on harmful chemicals and fossil fuels.

This emerging field is paving the way for a greener future in the construction industry, one where nature’s own building blocks are used to create durable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly buildings.