Brief
Discover how mycelium bricks, made from mushroom fibres, are transforming the construction industry into a greener future. Explore their potential in reducing carbon emissions and their revolutionary debut in New York’s Hy-Fi tower.
Insight
The humble mushroom’s transformative power may redefine the future of sustainable architecture. Among its many derivatives, one stands out – mycelium bricks. These are composed of microscopic fungi fibres obtained from agricultural waste. With its robust and water-resistant qualities, mycelium has proven its versatility, even demonstrating bulletproof characteristics in one study.
Mycelium bricks hold significant promise in combating climate change, a crucial goal for the construction sector, which accounted for 37% of the world’s energy and process-related CO2 emissions in 2021. Cement production, a significant contributor to these emissions, could be partly replaced by mycelium bricks, known for their carbon sequestering potential. This essentially makes these organic bricks a low-carbon solution, absorbing CO2 rather than releasing it.
A landmark example of mycelium brick use is the Hy-Fi tower, a biodegradable structure that debuted at MoMA’s 2014 Young Architect’s Program. This project, the result of a collaboration between New York architects The Living and Arup, a sustainable design and engineering consultancy, is seen as a near-zero carbon emissions construction.
The Hy-Fi tower not only signifies a shift towards low-carbon design, but also addresses the waste generated by construction. It incorporates reflective bricks for natural light and ventilation, thus minimising energy requirements. Additionally, its biodegradable bricks can be composted, contributing to waste reduction.
In essence, mycelium bricks herald a new era of sustainable building, leveraging the regenerative powers of mushrooms to create environmentally friendly architectural solutions. The Hy-Fi tower represents a promising beginning, offering myriad possibilities for future green design initiatives.
Highlight
- Mycelium bricks hold significant promise in combating climate change, a crucial goal for the construction sector, which accounted for 37% of the world’s energy and process-related CO2 emissions in 2021.
- mycelium bricks. These are composed of microscopic fungi fibres obtained from agricultural waste.
- This essentially makes these organic bricks a low-carbon solution, absorbing CO2 rather than releasing it.
- It incorporates reflective bricks for natural light and ventilation, thus minimising energy requirements. Additionally, its biodegradable bricks can be composted, contributing to waste reduction.
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