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.
