In the United States, nearly one fifth of the energy we use goes to our households. And of this, between 50 and 70 percent is expended on heating and cooling. If we could find a way to insulate our homes more efficiently and with less waste, the reduction in energy costs could be astounding. It is with this goal in mind that Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s recent graduates Gavin McIntyre and Eben Bayer created their grow-able insulation: Greensulate
Greensulate is made from mushrooms. The process is fairly simple and relatively cheap. The process starts with perlite, a highly absorptive volcanic material that is easy to produce, which makes up the base of the insulating tiles. Combined in a square mold, the perlite is mixed with water and a starch for mushroom food. This is where it gets interesting. The two researchers then add the spores of oyster mushrooms, which thrive in the damp environment and feed off the starch. As the spores grow, their tendril-like mycelium grow through and around the crushed perlite, forming a very tough and durable panel. Once dried and cured, these panels are not only good insulators with R-values (measure of heat transfer) which are very competitive in the current market, but have the additional benefit of being fire retardant, making them excellent for use for fire walls. [...]
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