Life Cycle Assessment of Fungal-Based Composite Bricks

Lisa Stelzer, Friederike Hoberg, Vanessa Bach, Bertram Schmidt, Sven Pfeiffer, Vera Meyer and Matthias Finkbeiner
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Lisa Stelzer: Applied & Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany
Friederike Hoberg: Applied & Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany
Vanessa Bach: Sustainable Engineering, Institute of Environmental Technology, Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany
Bertram Schmidt: Applied & Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany
Sven Pfeiffer: Department of Digital Design Planning and Building, Hochschule Bochum, Am Hochschulcampus 1, 44801 Bochum, Germany
Vera Meyer: Applied & Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany
Matthias Finkbeiner: Sustainable Engineering, Institute of Environmental Technology, Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 21, 1-17

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 CO 2 eq. for climate change and 58.7% of a total 9.39 × 10 −4 kg SO 2 eq. for acidification. Further, hemp shives and grain mix were identified as hotspots for eutrophication (77.7% of 6.02 × 10 −4 kg PO 4 −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.

Keywords: life cycle assessment; fungal-based composites; composite material; construction material; climate change; architecture; fomes fomentarius (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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