Mushrooms become source for eco-building - AP

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Mushrooms become source for eco-building

By JESSICA M. PASKO, Associated Press Writer
Sun Jun 24, 10:38 PM ET

TROY, N.Y. - Eben Bayer grew up on a farm in Vermont learning the
intricacies of mushroom harvesting with his father. Now the Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute graduate is using that experience to create an
organic insulation made from mushrooms.

-snip-

Combining his agricultural knowledge with colleague Gavin McIntyre's
interest in sustainable technology, the two created their patented
"Greensulate" formula, an organic, fire-retardant board made of water,
flour, oyster mushroom spores and perlite, a mineral blend found in
potting soil. They're hoping the invention will soon be part of the
growing market for eco-friendly products.

Bringing the insulation to market is still at least a year away though,
said McIntyre, and will require much more research and work, not to
mention more sophisticated equipment and a better work space.

-snip-

The two say recent tests at the National Institute of Standards and
Technology have shown it to be competitive with most insulation
brands on the market. A 1-inch-thick sample of the perlite-mushroom
composite had a 2.9 R-value, the measure of a substance's ability to
resist heat flow. Commercially produced fiberglass insulation typically
has an R-value between 2.7 and 3.7 per inch of thickness, according
to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070625/ap_on_sc/mushroom_insulation

[fazoolius_2006]

1. Sweet.

I wonder if it is going to be super expensive.

[Eugene]

2. According to the inventor the material "doesn't require much energy or cost to make it."

...from the article.