MycoBamboo: when fungus and bamboo unite to build low-carbon

The building sector accounts for a significant share of greenhouse gas emissions: it is estimated that construction materials can represent up to 51% of a building’s total carbon footprint over its life cycle [1]. This reality places designers and engineers before a major challenge: how to reduce the impact of construction while meeting a growing demand for housing and infrastructure?

Traditional materials such as concrete, polystyrene, or mineral wool are widely used, but they are also linked to high energy consumption and significant emissions. Faced with this limitation, the construction sector is increasingly turning to bio-based and local solutions. It is in this context that MycoBamboo emerges as a promising innovation, capable of combining performance, renewability, and carbon sequestration potential.

Understanding MycoBamboo: a synergy between bamboo and mycelium

MycoBamboo combines two complementary natural elements: on the one hand, bamboo particles from a fast-growing biomass, and on the other, mycelium, the filamentous structure that forms the root network of fungi and acts as a natural binder [2].

Bamboo, particularly the species Phyllostachys edulis, is renowned for its exceptional growth rate and its ability to store carbon in just a few years. Mycelium, meanwhile, can be cultivated on agricultural waste, forming a biodegradable matrix, thermally stable and resistant to fire, degrading only above 220 °C.

The manufacturing process takes place in several stages. Bamboo residues are first prepared, then inoculated with mycelium. After a controlled growth phase, the material is deactivated (generally by heat) to stabilize the composite and stop biological development [3]. This step is essential, but remains energy-intensive, which raises a major challenge for further improving MycoBamboo’s carbon footprint.

Carbon footprint analyses and comparisons with traditional insulators

To better understand its potential, several scientific studies have examined the carbon footprint of MycoBamboo. Carcassi et al. (2022) conducted a life cycle assessment (LCA), combining a conventional approach and a dynamic approach (dLCA), to model the biogenic carbon sequestration and evaluate different end-of-life scenarios [2].

The results reveal nuanced conclusions. Stored biogenic CO₂ has a negative GWP value, reflecting its role as a carbon sink. However, the overall Net-GWP remains positive, due to emissions generated in certain phases, notably deactivation.

The study shows that:

• prolonged storage over 30 to 60 years significantly improves the balance, by limiting frequent replacements;

  
  

• the deactivation phase, if it relies on fossil energy, cancels out much of the carbon benefits;

• integrating renewable energy into production becomes an essential lever to reduce the overall footprint [2][4].

A concrete case illustrates this potential: in a simulated renovation of a 1 m² façade, researchers compared MycoBamboo with conventional insulators offering the same thermal performance (identical U-value). The material stands out for a notable carbon gain, attributable to its biogenic nature, even though the Net-GWP remains slightly positive.

Some companies are already exploring this path, it is the case of the American company Ecovative Design develops biodegradable insulating materials based on mycelium (panels, bricks) used in concrete projects such as the Hy-Fi pavilion at MoMA PS1 in New York. Although they do not integrate bamboo, their industrial success illustrates the potential of mycelium to transform construction, a path that MycoBamboo could also take.

Strengths and limitations of MycoBamboo in sustainable construction

MycoBamboo presents several advantages that explain the growing interest from researchers and the construction sector:

• Low carbon: thanks to natural CO₂ storage in bamboo and mycelium [1].

  
  

• Renewable and circular: bamboo grows rapidly and agricultural waste is valorized in the process [3].

• Technical performance: the hygrothermal properties and thermal stability of the composite make it a promising candidate for building insulation and climate regulation [1].

But alongside these advantages come challenges still to be overcome:

• deactivation remains an energy-intensive step, requiring either more efficient processes or the use of renewable energy;

• service life must be extended to maximize carbon benefits;

• the sector suffers from a lack of clear standards and industrial benchmarks on safety (fire resistance, durability, consistent quality), which hinders large-scale adoption [2].

Thus, the technical and environmental potential is clearly present, but still depends on the ability to overcome these structural limits.

Conclusion

The application prospects of MycoBamboo are numerous. One scenario studied by Carcassi et al. (2022) focuses on energy renovation of façades, where the composite could replace conventional insulators. This type of solution would combine thermal performance, emission reduction, and the use of renewable resources.

More broadly, mycelium-wood composites, of which MycoBamboo is part, could play a structuring role in European construction. A study on the Helsinki metropolitan region shows that the integration of these materials could store an amount of CO₂ equivalent to that sequestered by 32,500 hectares of forest over several decades [5]. This projection illustrates the transformative potential of such approaches for cities designed as true carbon sinks.

In conclusion, MycoBamboo appears as a credible path toward more sustainable construction, capable of reducing the carbon footprint while valorizing abundant natural resources. Although technical and regulatory challenges persist, particularly regarding deactivation and standardization, the available studies demonstrate real potential. By extending material lifespan, relying on renewable-energy-based processes, and developing a structured supply chain, this composite could help transform our cities into built ecosystems, reconciling technical performance with harmony with nature.

Source

[1] Build-Green. MycoBamboo : étude de l’empreinte carbone d’un composite en mycélium et bambou.

build-green.fr

[2] Carcassi, F., Minotti, P., et al. (2022). Carbon Footprint Assessment of a Novel Bio-Based Composite for Building Insulation. Sustainability (MDPI).

[3] Biobiz. Présentation du procédé de fabrication et désactivation du MycoBamboo.

 biobiz.in

[4] Pietro Minotti. Mémoire de master sur le MycoBamboo et le Green Deal européen. ETH Zurich, 2022.

[5] Frontiers in Sustainable Cities. Livne, A. et al. (2024). Fungal Mycelium Bio-Composite Acts as a CO₂-Sink Building Material with Low Embodied Energy.