Eco-Friendly Mycelium Based Insulation Tiles Inspired By Buffalo Skin Optimized for Semi-Temperate Climates

Overview

Eco-Friendly Mycelium-Based Insulation Tiles Inspired by Buffalo Skin Optimized for Semi-Temperate Climates Insulation is commonly manufactured using synthetic materials such as spun fiberglass and plastic foams, including polyurethane and polystyrene. The production of these materials generates significant carbon emissions and non-biodegradable waste, contributing to long-term environmental impact. Fungal mycelium is a biodegradable material with strong insulation potential due to its fibrous network and the air pockets formed during growth. In this project, we evaluated three oyster mushroom species, Pleurotus ostreatus (Blue Oyster), Pleurotus pulmonarius (Phoenix Oyster), and Pleurotus eryngii (King Oyster), as alternative insulation materials. The mycelium was cultivated in buckets and transferred into buffalo skin-based molds to form composite tiles. Oats and straw were incorporated to improve structural strength and load resistance. Our total of 30 tiles (10 tiles per mycellium strand) was compared to 10 tiles of polystyrene, one of the most widely used commercial insulation materials. By obtaining ranges from our sample using a two-sided 95% t confidence interval. Thermal conductivity testing showed that blue oyster samples ranged from 0.06459312 to 0.06761224 cal/s·cm·°C, phoenix oyster from 0.06982750 to 0.07281205 cal/s·cm·°C, and king oyster from 0.06534520 to 0.06790449 cal/s·cm·°C, while polystyrene ranged from 0.06447918 to 0.06495106 cal/s·cm·°C. Because the blue oyster mycelium tile and polystyrene tiles overlapped in ranges, the data suggest that they had comparable thermal conductivity. This is backed by our Holm-adjusted non-inferiority test with a null hypothesis that compared to the control of polystyrene, the mycelium tiles had worse thermal conductivity and an alternative hypothesis that the mycelium tiles had similar or better thermal conductivity. We chose this test because it reduced error and was better suited for smaller sample groups, and obtained the following p-values: Blue Oyster: 0.0330513, Phoenix Oyster: 0.999700, King Oyster: 0.0448490. Because both blue oyster and king oyster were below the predetermined alpha level of 5%, the data suggests these 2 tiles have the same or better thermal conductivity. Thermal resistance was also measured, where higher values indicate better insulation performance. By obtaining ranges from our sample using a two-sided 95% t confidence interval. Thermal resisting testing showed that blue oyster samples ranged from 0.05694362 to 0.05961792 cal/s·cm·°C, phoenix oyster from 0.05287079 to 0.05514844 cal/s·cm·°C, and king oyster from 0.05671337 to 0.05890201 cal/s·cm·°C, while polystyrene ranged from 0.05926098 to 0.05969287 cal/s·cm·°C. Because the blue oyster mycelium tile and polystyrene tiles overlapped in ranges, the data suggest that they had comparable thermal resistance. This is backed by our Holm-adjusted non-inferiority test with a null hypothesis that compared to the control of polystyrene, the mycelium tiles had worse thermal resistance and an alternative hypothesis that the mycelium tiles had similar or better thermal resistance. We chose this test because it reduced error and was better suited for smaller sample groups, and obtained the following p-values: Blue Oyster: 0.0223467, Phoenix Oyster: 0.999636, King Oyster: 0.0250856. Because both blue oyster and king oyster were below the predetermined alpha level of 5%, the data suggests these 2 tiles have the same or better thermal resistance. In addition, all mycelium samples had significantly lower density than polystyrene, with relative percent differences of - 21.7% (blue oyster), -26.1%% (phoenix oyster), and - 13.9% (king oyster), resulting in a substantially lighter material. Along with significantly lower relative overall CO2 production index: 1 (blue oyster) : 1.1 (phoenix oyster) : 1.6 (king oyster) : 10 (polystyrene tiles) Overall, the blue oyster and king oyster mycelium tile demonstrated the strongest insulation performance among the fungal samples, which is statistically similar to our control group polystyrene. Given its biodegradability and lower production emissions, mycelium-based insulation shows strong potential as a more sustainable alternative to conventional synthetic materials. Further research with larger sample sizes and streamlining the tile creation process will need to be conducted. Potential applications of the tile include using them for emergency housing and potential biodegradable packaging insulation, especially in situations where temporary, lightweight, and non-permanent materials are needed.

Competition history

• CSEF 2026 Environmental Engineering (Track 2) (Senior Division) · Entry S-12-06

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