Building Insulation Inspired by Mushrooms

Innovation: Industry

Biohm

2021

Image: Christopher Ott / Unsplash / CC BY SA - Creative Commons Attribution + ShareAlike

Physically Assemble Structure

Living systems use physical materials to create structures to serve as protection, insulation, and other purposes. These structures can be internal (within or attached to the system itself), such as cell membranes, shells, and fur. They can also be external (detached), such as nests, burrows, cocoons, or webs. Because physical materials are limited and the energy required to gather and create new structures is costly, living systems must use both conservatively. Therefore, they optimize the structures’ size, weight, and density. For example, weaver birds use two types of vegetation to create their nests: strong, a few stiff fibers and numerous thin fibers. Combined, they make a strong, yet flexible, nest. An example of an internal structure is a bird’s bone. The bone is comprised of a mineral matrix assembled to create strong cross-supports and a tubular outer surface filled with air to minimize weight.

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Patents

WO2018078346A1
1.3 MB PDF

Biohm uses mycelium from mushrooms to create more sustainable building insulation.

Benefits

Sustainable
All-natural materials

Applications

Commercial and residential buildings

UN Sustainable Development Goals Addressed

Goal 9: Industry Innovation & Infrastructure
Goal 12: Responsible Production & Consumption

Bioutilization

Fungi

The Challenge

The World Economic Forum has identified global construction waste as a major sustainability challenge, expected to increase to 2.2 billion tonnes per year by 2025. Another 1.3 billion tonnes or ⅓ of all food produced globally is wasted. With the climate crisis becoming a priority for governments and organizations, carbon reduction and energy efficiency are at the forefront of global needs.

Innovation Details

Biohm is a bio-based building materials company that makes insulation made from mycelium (the “root” structure of mushrooms) and a 100% natural sheet material called ORB (organic refuse bio-compound) made out of biowaste and a plant-based binder. Their building materials are more affordable and outperform current products on the market. By embracing circular design and the systemic nutrient cycling found in nature, Biohm is leading innovation in the construction industry to create a more sustainable built environment.

Watch how Biohm was inspired by fungi and nature's nutrient cycle to develop a building product that also reduces waste and sequesters CO2.

Biological Model

Woven through a single shovelful of soil are miles of fibers called mycelia that form the underground parts of fungi. These fibers are made of proteins, chitin fibers and sugars, all coated with a gel-like material. This structure makes them strong, flexible, compressible, expandable, moldable, and durable—a highly desirable combination of traits that provide inspiration for innovative design of packaging, clothing, insulation, and more.

EXPLORE THIS BIOLOGICAL STRATEGY

small green seedlings sprout from rich dark soil

Biological Strategy

The Subterranean Substance With Surprising Superpowers

Fungi

Fungi create a strong but lightweight material by producing a random network of tiny threads.

Ray of Hope Prize

The Ray of Hope Prize® celebrates nature-inspired solutions addressing the world’s biggest environmental and sustainability challenges. Created in honor of Ray C. Anderson, founder of Interface, Inc. and a business and sustainability leader, the $100,000 Ray of Hope Prize helps startups cross a critical threshold in becoming viable businesses by amplifying their stories and providing them with equity-free funding. The prize shines a light on the innovative, nature-inspired solutions that we need to build a sustainable and resilient world. Biohm was selected as a finalist for the 2021 Ray of Hope Prize.

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