Mushroom Mycelium: An Eco-Friendly Insulating Alternative

Overview

Objectives/Goals Heating and cooling of households uses one-fifth of the total energy consumed in the USA every year. To reduce energy expenditure, new and existing homes should be better insulated. While traditional insulation products take oil and petroleum to make, other #green# methods are in production. Recently, two inventors have found that mushroom mycelium has a binding effect that creates good insulating traits. To imitate and replicate their material for this project, perlite, sawdust and water were combined with oyster mushroom grain spawn, put into molds, and grown for 16 days, into panels. These grown "mushroom" panels were placed into the interior of a small house-like structure imitating insulation under varying temperature conditions. Results were then compared with similar traditional foam-board insulation. Methods/Materials Materials: Sawdust; Perlite; Inoculum (master grain spawn); 6#x6# house structures; R-Tech 1# foam board insulation; Sterile room-framed cubicle sheathed in plastic wrap; Cool mist humidifier; Refrigerator; Oven; Remote temperature gauge with base gauge. Methods-24 trials as follows: 1.Cube interior was heated using a lightbulb to a temperature of 123 degrees F. Internal temperature was recorded, as it decreased. 2.Cube interior was stabilized to a temperature of 63 degrees F then placed in an oven at 170 degrees F. Internal temperature was recorded as it increased. 3.Cube interior was stabilized to a temperature of 63 degrees F then placed in a refrigerator at 30 degrees F. Internal temperature was recorded as it decreased. Results Findings show mushroom insulation is as insulating, or better insulating, than traditional polystyrene foam board insulation in multiple environments. LIGHTBULB TEST Foam Insulation: 48 degrees F change in 71 minutes Mushroom Insulation: 34 degrees F change in 70 minutes OVEN TEST Foam Insulation: 63 degree F change in 46 minutes Mushroom Insulation: 63 degree F change in 68 minutes REFRIG TEST Foam Insulation: 20 degree F change in 58 minutes Mushroom Insulation: 20 degree F change in 96 minutes Conclusions/Discussion

Competition history

• CSEF 2009 Environmental Engineering (Junior Division Only) · Entry J1129

Resources

• CSEF project summary ↗

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