‘The possibilities are really exciting’

A future where sustainable, self-healing homes are built with engineered living materials (ELMs) has moved closer to reality, thanks to a promising new study.

CNN reported Researchers in Montana have succeeded in growing mycelium as a scaffold for biomineralized ELMs. Mycelium acts like the root of a fungus, consisting of a dense network of intertwined threads beneath the soil. In the wild, we experience decomposition, nutrient absorption and even networking among plants.

These rapidly growing topics have truly great possibilities for future research and applications. As Scientific American notes, it can be used to: almost everything From packaging to clothing and even lab-grown meat can make it a reality. Already being worked on for packagingSo it’s not that far-fetched to imagine it as a building material.

Biomineralization is the process by which living organisms produce minerals; This is how we grow teeth and bones through mineralization of collagen. That’s essentially what the research team accomplished: adding a bacterium, Sporosarcina pasteurisiIt can produce calcium carbonate. It transforms the spongy material into a much stronger structure. So when future real estate agents say a property has “good bones” they may mean it literally.

Construction has a huge pollution output, and research could offer a much more sustainable alternative to cement. As the CNN article points out, cement accounts for 8% of the world’s pollution that is causing the planet to warm, but the problems don’t end there. When a building is demolished, a large amount of waste is produced, almost all of which is thrown into the nearest landfill. USA produces more 600 million tons Each year, construction and demolition waste is twice as much as solid municipal waste.

We still have a long way to go before we can realistically see the first mycelium buildings, but the study’s lead author, Chelsea Heveran, said: optimistic: “It can be a lot cheaper when you’re trying to build infrastructure for a community that really needs it, or if you’re trying to build infrastructure in space… the possibilities are really exciting to me.”

Until the first mushroom house hits the market, there are ways to make your own home more sustainable and affordable. weather resistance and using smart technology.

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