Mycotecture

Mycotecture is a term created to describe buildings made of mushrooms, or more specifically, made of bricks made of mushroom roots known as mycelium.

“Mycelium doesn’t taste very good, but once it’s dried, it has some remarkable properties. It’s nontoxic, fireproof and mold- and water-resistant, and it traps more heat than fiberglass insulation. It’s also stronger, pound for pound, than concrete. In December, Ross completed what is believed to be the first structure made entirely of mushroom.  . . .The 500 bricks he grew at Far West Fungi were so sturdy that he destroyed many a metal file and saw blade in shaping the ‘shrooms into an archway 6 ft. (1.8 m) high and 6 ft. wide. Dubbed Mycotectural Alpha, it is currently on display at a gallery in Germany.”
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1957474,00.html#ixzz0exE930rS

A Time Magazine article gives more information  about Philip Ross and Far West Fungi farm in Monterey, California where this amazing crop is grown and processed. Talk about green and sustainable!

It doesn’t appear that any energy efficient houses have been built yet, but Ecovative Design in Green Island, NY is making Greensulate rigid board insulation and Ecocradle packaging material using the same technology. I do love weird and wonderful news stories.