Abstract
Fungal-based composites as substitutes for construction materials might represent a promising solution to reduce the environmental burdens of the building industry. Such composites can be produced biotechnologically through the cultivation of multicellular fungi that form dense mycelia whilst growing into and onto residual plant biomass from agriculture and forestry. As comprehensive environmental assessments are missing, this paper conducts a life cycle assessment for fungal-based composite bricks considering the categories of climate change, eutrophication, acidification, smog, water scarcity, and land use. Electricity for sterilization, incubation, and the drying process led to 81.4% of a total 0.494 total kg CO2 eq. for climate change and 58.7% of a total 9.39 × 10−4 kg SO2 eq. for acidification. Further, hemp shives and grain mix were identified as hotspots for eutrophication (77.7% of 6.02 × 10−4 kg PO4−3 eq.) and land use (81.8% of 19.4 kg Pt eq.). However, the use of hemp shives, rapeseed straw, or poplar wood chips did not differ in the environmental impacts. Further, lab-scale production was compared with industrial scale-up, which is mostly characterized by energy efficiency showing reduced impacts for all considered categories, e.g., a decrease of 68% in climate change. Recycling should be included in future studies as well as considering the use and end-of-life phase.
Highlights
Fungi have been used by mankind in numerous ways since prehistoric times
19.4 kg Pt eq.) and eutrophication (77.7% of 6.02 × 10−4 kg PO4−3 eq.), their share of climate change is rather low. This can be explained by the fact that hemp is an agricultural product, which needs to be cultivated and shows high impacts in categories highly influenced by agriculture, such as land use, with 90.2% of total kg Pt eq, eutrophication with
Next to a rather small share of renewable and nuclear energy, a high share of coal [42]. This results in 81.4% kg CO2 eq of the total global warming potential (GWP100 ) as well as 58.7% kg SO2 eq of the acidification potential (AP) and 73.2% kg NOx eq of the photochemical ozone creation potential (POCP)
Summary
Fungi have been used by mankind in numerous ways since prehistoric times. Known is their use as food or in food fermentation. The Iceman mummy found at Tisenjoch, known as “Ötzi”, carried parts of tinder fungus Fomes fomentarius and birch polypore Piptoporus betulina. These fungi were probably used for fire-making and healing purposes [1]. The tinder fungus was used for thousands of years to obtain tinder This soft felt-like material served as a spark catcher for fire making. It was suitable for making textile items. The formerly widespread traditional use of this “felt leather” is kept alive today in some regions, primarily in Eastern Europe, or through innovative product designers, e.g., ZVNDER [2], MYLO [3], or NEFFA [4]
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