Analytical review of the mycelium-based materials to apply in construction industry

Abstract

EN: In the last decade, supplies of traditional building materials such as cement, bricks, wood, cladding and partition materials have sought to keep pace with the ever-growing global population [1]. Up to 36 % of the lifetime energy intensity of a typical dwelling can be attributed to the collection or extraction of primary materials, the production, transport and construction of buildings [2]. Modern energy-efficient buildings, although sustainable during the exploitation phase, are not environmentally friendly due to the construction process requiring an increased level of insulation and higher density materials, as well as additional technologies [3]. A new form of low-energy biological production and waste recycling is the vegetative growth of fibrous fungi (mycelium). Mycelium-derived materials have several key advantages over traditional synthetic materials, including their low cost, density and energy consumption, as well as their biodegradability, low environmental impact and low carbon footprint. A wide range of usable substrates, together with controlled processing techniques (e.g. growth media and hot pressing), allow mycelial-derived materials to meet specific structural and functional requirements, including fire resistance and thermal and sound insulation. These materials use the natural growth of fungi as a low-energy method of organic production to recycle abundant agricultural by-products and waste into more sustainable alternatives to energy-intensive synthetic building materials. Current research on mycelium-based materials lacks basic details regarding material composition, incubation conditions and production methods, as well as an analysis of the prospects for its use and wide application in the construction industry for zero-pollution buildings, facades, insulation, interiors as well as heritage restoration.