Greensulate: Building Industry Warms Up to Mushrooms

Flip on HGTV or TLC and you’ll notice that building with sustainable resources is a flourishing concept. From bamboo flooring to all-natural paint, builders and home owners want eco-friendly solutions. Now there is an organic way to stay warm…and cool.

Greensulation is a renewable and biodegradeable insulation currently undergoing testing, and when it hits the market – potentially as soon as 2010 – it will be the first of its kind in the industry. The insulation is made mainly of rice hulls, mushroom roots and recycled paper, which are mixed together with water and hydrogen peroxide, placed in plastic containers, and put in a dark place where it can literally grow into shape. It is then baked to stop photosynthesis of mold and spores, and voila! – a rigid panel of insulation that can withstand heat up to 1,112 degrees Fahrenehit. The best part is it can be done cheaply since it utilizes agro-garbage and easily obtained ingredients, and contains no petroleum.

The product is proven to be fire retardant - far more so than common pink insulation products - but is still under testing to make sure it can resist mold growth and conforms to strict building codes. But building companies all over the world are already contacting the inventors at Ecovative wanting to know more about the innovation.

Along with other boons to the building industry and eco-friendly home construction, Greensulation will be a welcome addition to the growing arsenal of cheap, sustainable materials.

Via Scientific American

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