Fungal-based materials, so-called mycomaterials, are spreading across the border between microbiology and construction. Still little used, especially due to the lack of industrial production, mycomaterials would allow a reduction in the ecological footprint of the construction industry.
According to Geoffroy Renaud, student researcher at the Plant Biology Research Institute at the University of Montreal and founder of Mycélium Remédium Mycotechnologies, mycommaterials meet some of the needs of the construction industry. We want environmentally conscious elements. The insulation polymerized by the mycelium […] may [éliminer] a number of residues on the construction sites themselves, he said.
What is mycelium?
The mycelium is the underground mycological network of the fungus. It consists of countless tiny white threads called hyphae.
Its main function is to extract food from the soil. The mycelium secretes enzymes that break down organic material so it can consume it.
Three main categories of mycomaterials
Geoffroy Renaud explains that mushrooms can be grown to produce materials comparable to leather, for example.
The underground network, the mycelium, can be used in two ways. The first solution without a substrate allows the extraction of mycomaterials similar to cardboard or, by using the air side of the mycelium, like Styrofoam.
The second method, by mixing the mycelium with a substrate such as sawdust, hemp fiber or coffee grounds, allows the production of panels or bricks that can be used in construction, especially as thermal or acoustic insulation.
The properties of these materials depend heavily on the inputs, says Geoffroy Renaud, who is currently in the process of growing the wall coverings in his offices.
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Panels made of mycelium, which feed on hemp, for example, are making their first steps in the construction sector.
Photo: Provided by Mycélium Remédium Mycotechnologies / Alan Boccato
Residue management technology
For the walls of his offices, he finely grinds organic materials that he mixes with water. We then bring them into contact with a fungal culture. Depending on the combination, we will wait 3 to 20 days for settlement, he explains.
Anything that can burn [et] Everything we put in the compost can serve as food for the mycelium, says Geoffroy Renaud.
The interesting thing about mycomaterials is that we can deal with the three main sources of problematic residues: construction, textile and food waste.
Everything is made in a mold to give the product the desired shape. This object is then removed from the mold and then cooked to destroy the fungal organism so that it is no longer alive, continues Geoffroy Renaud. The final product can now be attached to the walls.
From the inanimate to the living
Joseph Dahmen, an assistant professor in the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Architecture, says most mycomaterials used today are cooked to stop the mycelium from growing.
For his part, he is interested in the living potential of these materials. We could imagine a material that becomes dynamic and adaptable so that we can give it a different resistance. It continues to grow, so we can encourage that growth or stop it if necessary, he suggests.
The expression “like mushrooms grow” is accurate. They grow very quickly. […] We can adapt them to the particular environmental aspects of the place where we want to use them.
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While fungal-based materials are often cooked to prevent deformation, researchers at the University of British Columbia are interested in how “living” mycomaterials can change to adapt to an evolving environment.
Photo: Provided by the University of British Columbia
Mushroom houses in the distant future
According to the researchers, widespread spread of living or inanimate mycomaterials is not imminent.
We are just beginning to understand the potential of these materials, says Joseph Dahmen. “We want to ensure that the materials we use in buildings are safe for human health and from a structural perspective,” he says.
Geoffroy Renaud adds that there is currently no general theory for mycomaterials, just as there is for concrete, steel or wood. When characterizing materials, which part depends on the presence of the fungus? […] Which part belongs to the inputs?
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The properties of mycomaterials used in construction vary depending on the input used, be it hemp or sawdust, for example.
Photo: Provided by Mycélium Remédium Mycotechnologies / Alan Boccato
He believes that cultural dissonances also need to be reassessed.
All our lives we have been told that mushrooms are dangerous to houses.
According to Geoffroy Renaud, the establishment of circular economy circuits that recycle residues, in particular through the marketing of the resulting finished products, is one of the solutions to facilitate the adoption of mycomaterials.
With information from David Ball