What will the kids think up next?

The Washington Post ran an interesting article about a couple of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates that hit upon an interesting idea for insulation…mushrooms.

From the article…

“Here’s how it works: A mixture of water, mineral particles, starch and hydrogen peroxide are poured into 7-by-7-inch molds and then injected with living mushroom cells. The hydrogen peroxide is used to prevent the growth of other specimens within the material.
Placed in a dark environment, the cells start to grow, digesting the starch as food and sprouting thousands of root-like cellular strands. A week to two weeks later, a 1-inch-thick panel of insulation is fully grown. It’s then dried to prevent fungal growth, making it unlikely to trigger mold and fungus allergies, according to Bayer. The finished product resembles a giant cracker in texture.”

Imagine building with this material. If you can build it on site, to the dimensions needed, what would be the reduction in building waste? Could you grow a bit extra to use at home for pizza toppings?

Read the entire article about this new green insulation product.