Environmental assessment of mycelium based straw insulation composite: A sustainability analysis at building material level

The construction industry is increasingly adopting sustainable materials to mitigate environmental impacts. This study evaluates the environmental performance of Mycelium-Based Straw Insulation Composite (MBSIC), an innovative material combining mycelium and agricultural waste to create a biodegradable, lightweight, and thermally efficient insulation alternative. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), following ISO 14040 standards, examines the environmental impacts of MBSIC from raw material extraction to transportation, identifying opportunities for sustainability optimization. Additionally, a Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) compares MBSIC with conventional insulation materials based on cost, durability, and aesthetics. The methodology involves a cradle-to-gate LCA approach, assessing greenhouse gas emissions, resource consumption, and environmental impact categories such as global warming potential, acidification, and human toxicity. Two production scenarios—standard room conditions and climate chamber cultivation—are analyzed to determine their respective environmental implications. MCA integrates expert evaluations using Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) and Multiplicative Exponential Weighting (MEW) methods to assess MBSIC’s comparative performance. Results indicate that MBSIC produced under standard room conditions significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions and resource consumption compared to climate chamber cultivation. MCA findings demonstrate that MBSIC outperforms traditional insulation materials, such as rock and glass mineral wool, in key sustainability metrics. The study underscores MBSIC’s potential for integration into sustainable construction practices, offering valuable insights for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and researchers.