Eco-Friendly Insulation Panel Using Mushroom Mycelium for Green Buildings

The current study examines the development and characterization of green insulation panels from oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) mycelium grown on wheat straw substrate. Traditional insulation materials like polystyrene and polyurethane are energy intensive, non- biodegradable, and often flammable, making sustainable substitutes desirable. Mycelium, which is the vegetative part of fungi, grows spontaneously onto organic substrates to form porous, light-weight composites with intrinsic fire and heat resistance. Two 200 × 195 × 60 mm boards were made in this study without incorporating chemical additives or binders. The wheat straw substrate was pasteurized and inoculated with a mushroom spawn and then incubated in silicone molds at 24–28 °C for 10–14 days until the colonization process was completed. Consolidation was then done by oven-drying at 60°C. We tested the thermal conductivity, water absorption, compressive strength, and fire performance of the panels. The tests registered good insulation with a thermal conductivity of about 0.062 W/m·K. The natural fiber composites exhibited moderate water absorption with 38% water absorbed. The fire tests exhibited inherent fire safety with ignition retarding, limited flame spread, low char depth, and minimum mass loss. Its 0.065 MPa compressive strength further guaranteed that it was ideal for non- load-bearing applications. Overall, these findings confirm that mycelium-wheat straw panels, being light in weight, biodegradable, and sustainable materials, are an ideal replacement for conventional insulation material in green buildings. This research is a model of the possibility of upcycling wastage from agriculture while producing usable, sustainable building materials that contribute to green building methods.