Mycelium Congress 2021
Entirely virtual conferences ON LINE
4 days of conferences and networking
Every Thursday in September! 2,9 & 16 Sept, 2021 and 23 Sept, 2021
An international scientific event from Quebec, Canada, dedicated to fungal innovation and edible forest products. The conference includes seminars, workshops and networking activities aiming at bringing together. Regional, national and international experts in mycology and mycotechnology to showcase mycological innovation successes from the past 5 years. In order to allow optimal functioning of the virtual platform, please note that registrations will close at noon the day before each conference day.
In this post:
COP26,
Mycelium is “in Industry”, says the news and growing demand
a game called Mycelium,
…Mycelium in Industry, the entire list at the end, my other Mycelium posts
Mycelium Momentum
“The crisis takes a much longer time coming than you think, and then it happens much faster than you would have thought.”
Rüdiger Dornbusch
Mycelium Momentum
All branches of industry that use Mycelium should be part of the Race to Zero and should focus on this next important event:COP26 ; 31 October to 12 November 2021, in the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in Glasgow, UK.
June 2021 – Architects are failing to engage with the UN’s drive to reduce
carbon emissions with none of the 50 largest firms signed up to its Race to Zero campaign, according to Nigel Topping, the UN’s Race to Zero champion for the upcoming COP26 climate conference.
This is despite the fact that the built environment contributes around 40 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions.
“By revenue, globally, we don’t think that any of the top 50 stand-alone architectural companies are in the Race to Zero. We are working hard to change this so that when we reachCOP26 we can really show ambition within the sector.” said Topping.
“Designers and architects making choices to specify circular, low-carbon and innovative materials on their projects act as a huge demand signal to industry, product manufacturers and material producers,” Topping told Dezeen in an email interview. …
?? What about the other “industry sectors” that are considering Mycelium????? They are on the Race to Zero!
While we wait forCOP26 ………………………..
In the first half of 2021, lots of articles about how Mycelium is “in Industry” and the growing demand….
From Kind Earth.Tech
This infographic is from January 2020
If your mycelium company is not on the Map, get on it: https://newprotein.org/
Mycelium Momentum
Drive to reduce embodied carbon in buildings
makes biomaterials market a “really exciting space”
July 2021 – Concerns over carbon emissions caused by the construction process are fuelling a surge of interest in biobased materials according to Arup research and innovation leader Jan Wurm.
Demand for biomaterials such as mycelium, hemp, algae, bamboo and cork is growing, Wurm said, as architects search for materials that store atmospheric carbon rather than emitting it. … the European Commission this week announced proposals that would limit emissions from buildings for the first time. “So it’s now part of the overall discussion on climate change,” Wurm said. …
…Wurm said these experimental materials are now going mainstream and architects consider using them on major projects.
“Focus is shifting to embodied carbon,” Wurm said. “Roughly over the whole life of a building, carbon emissions are 50% embodied and 50 % operational. …The big driver is the focus on whole-life carbon,” Wurm said. “The focus has shifted from making buildings energy-efficient to looking at carbon.”
…The drive to create net-zero buildings that create no emissions over their entire lifecycle means that architects need to reduce embodied carbon, which includes all emissions generated by the manufacture of materials [operational] as well as the construction process itself….
…Biomaterials can be more effective at sequestering carbon than trees. Cambridge University materials researcher Darshil Shah told Dezeen that a field of fast-growing hemp absorbs twice as much carbon as an equivalent area of forest.
“This is why biomass materials are so interesting,” said Wurm. “And especially fast-growing plants, because they absorb carbon quickly.”
Filamentous Fungi and the Patent Landscape:
What has Happened Lately?
APRIL 2021 – …The key trends that we identified concerning the patenting landscape of filamentous fungi are:
1) the use of the organism as a food source (mycoprotein) by a wider variety of players,
2) the continued improvement of cultivation techniques mostly due to genetic and metabolic engineering, and
3) the use of filamentous fungi as biodegradable materials in applications such as insulations and packaging.
Furthermore, the use of fungi in environmental technology is increasing, where filamentous fungi are for example applied in wastewater treatment, with China spearheading the inventions in this field. Filamentous fungi are also becoming an increasingly important part in pesticide formulation and agricultural practices. We will certainly see a further increase of intellectual property (IP) in the area of fungi biotechnology, since the need for green and sustainable technology in all areas of industry is increasing. With only a small fraction of fungi characterised and used in industry, there is still a lot to learn regarding their applications, and the potential of these fascinating organisms has by far not reached its peak yet.
The large and increasing activity in patent filing and other actions relating to intellectual property is an important sign of the continued importance of filamentous fungi in the shift of global markets into large-scale bio-economies. From: https://mycorena.com/
Will Builders Embrace Mushroom-Based Bricks?
FEBRUARY 2021 – Emerging research on fungi’s unique properties as a highly renewable material points to a possible future in construction
…In recent years lab-grown fungi has gone in a variety of applications, including acoustic paneling and flooring—all of which are made from the same base: a part of a fungus called mycelium.
Martina Eandi, an architect and researcher at Portugal-based materials research institute Critical Concrete, understands the growing interest in mycelium as a construction material. She also sees what the future might hold for this intriguing life form as the industry continues to move toward more sustainable building materials.
from: Built, The Bluebeam Blog, by the editorial team at Bluebeam, the Pasadena, California-based company that produces collaboration and workflow efficiency technology solutions for the design and construction industry.
Crafting Earth-Friendly Materials and Techniques
APRIL 2021 – One of the most promising construction trends on the horizon is the development of living materials like bacteria and fungi.
….The industry is greening for the welfare of the next generation – and for the many commercial and residential clients who see the value in sustainable building.
“Standard building practices use and waste millions of tons of materials each year; green building uses fewer resources and minimizes waste. LEED projects are responsible for diverting more than 80 million tons of waste from landfills, and by 2030, that number is expected to grow to 540 million tons,” says the U.S. Green Building Council.….
…One of the most promising construction trends on the horizon is the development of living materials like bacteria and fungi.
…They are like nature’s super glue – which means that they can be used to make products that are stronger than concrete, more insulating than fiberglass, and completely compostable. Because these new materials are built and made of bacteria and fungi, they are also super-light and portable – impressive when you think of all the possibilities for greener building and efficiencies.
Now products and inspiration are coming out of the laboratories and onto the market. …
Mycelium Momentum
Made of fungi,
mycelium hits market as Mycelium Momentum substitute for …
March 2021 – …Mycelium is already on the market in the form of styrofoam-like packaging, “un-leather” handbags, flooring and sound-proofing acoustic panels. It’s also been experimentally used to build larger structures such as benches, coffins, composting toilets and even buildings.
But manufacturers are now aiming to scale up these products and applications made from mycelium, which they tout as a more sustainable substitute for petroleum-derived plastics such as styrofoam and vinyl, leather made with harsh chemicals from water-guzzling, methane-belching cows and even other bio-based materials such as cardboard and wood….
…That means it might be possible to engineer a building made with inert, mycelium-based materials that can trigger decomposition or self-demolish at the end of the building’s useful life. “In the right conditions, they might reawaken and start digesting the materials and finish the building.” says Joe Dahmen, an associate professor at the University of British Columbia School of Architecture….
…”It’s simply incredible what a fungus can do,” Alexander Bismarck, a professor of materials chemistry at the Technical University of Vienna said, adding that there are an estimated 5.1 million types of fungi out there, many with untapped potential. “It’s still a vast space of biology that can do something for you.”
like many of the pioneers………………..
Ecovative advances
ECOVATIVE RAISES $60M SERIES D TO SCALE UP MYCELIUM APPLICATIONS
With more than a decade of experience, Ecovative uses proprietary bioreactors and workflow to capitalize on mycelium’s unique biology that can grow materials that self-assemble into complex, fully-formed structures. The process requires no light, can be carried out in any location, and sequesters carbon in the growing fungus. These resulting materials are high-performance, low-environmental impact products used by the food, textile, and packaging industries.
Atlast Food Co. Secures $40M Series A Round to Expand Whole Cut Plant-Based Meat Analogues
This new funding will be used to scale the company’s technology, production, and team to bring its product to a commercial scale. To create the new whole cuts of alternative meat, Atlast is partnering with Ecovative, its parent company. Using Ecovative’s AirMycelium manufacturing platform, Atlast is currently building the largest aerial mycelium farm in the U.S. to supply its production of meat alternatives. … Atlast offers its first product, mycelium-based bacon, through its brand MyEats. Dubbed MyBacon, it consists of six plant-based ingredients, is cholesterol-free, and the serving size of two slices contains 4 grams of protein. The Honest Weight Food Co-op in Albany, New York is the only retailer that carries MyEats bacon right now, but the product will be distributed to more grocery retailers as production picks up.
At Ecovative, we design, test and operate a variety of first-in-the-world custom incubation systems each tailored to a specific process and material output.
A new structure at Ecovative Design‘s Green Island facility that allows for pilot-scale manufacturing.
?Ecovative developed its AirMycelium™ manufacturing platform to produce mycelium at industrial scale, and recently activated 100,000 pounds per year of new manufacturing capacity to support growing demand from partners, ranging from packaging suppliers to tanneries, for custom mycelium solutions.
The race for fashion’s leather alternatives heats up – Vogue
March 2021 – ….While mycelium cultivation can be energy-intensive, says Ken Kassenbrock, a mycologist at Colorado State University, it has a much lower footprint than rearing cattle. As long as it’s leather that mycelium is replacing and is used in relative moderation, it’s a significant improvement for the environment. “I’m a little disappointed that it hasn’t gotten bigger faster, in a way,” he adds. …
…“There’s a lot of pent-up demand for solutions like this,” CEO Eben Bayer says. “The missing link has been, how do you make these at scale?”
The Gaia Project’s mission is to empower youth to take action on climate change through education.
4 Ways Mushrooms Can Save the Planet & Shape Our Future
Why does a mushroom get invited to all the parties?
Because it’s a fun-gi!
…and because mushrooms have countless uses that we are only beginning to discover, many of which can (and probably will) save our planet.
In 1928, Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, which is an isolated antibiotic substance derived from Penicillium notatum, a fungus! This mysterious substance went on to save millions of lives in WWII and millions more since. If this modest mushroom had not accidentally been discovered as a cure to basic infections, our life expectancy today might have been significantly lower.
Today fungi are receiving the attention they deserve and the results are looking good……
Building Material:
Concrete is the most widely used man-made material in existence. It is second only to water as the most-consumed resource on the planet. … Mycelium which can act as a glue-like substance that bonds by-product materials together can create a durable and lightweight block. Replace Concrete? Only time will tell.
Packaging Material:
In the 1970s, research found that EPS (expanded polystyrene foam) not only degrades in seawater, but also that the resulting pieces called styrene monomers are toxic when ingested by marine life. “It doesn’t biodegrade, it just breaks down, and as it breaks down it just becomes edible to more things and it just leads further down the food chain,” says Nathan Murphy, the State Director for Environment Michigan.
In addition to harming marine ecosystems, it is quickly filling up our landfills constituting as much as 30% of landfill’s capacity. Clearly this is another area that must transition to become more environmentally-responsible. …The global market for sustainable packaging is poised to reach more than US $142 billion in coming years. There’s a lot of room to grow, as today bio-plastics and green materials only constitute 1% of the total packaging market share.
Mushroom Leather: Mycologists and designers have teamed up to create a product that not only looks and feels like leather, but can be created using low-carbon methods of production. Paul Stamets, possibly the most famous mycologist of our time, is known for the famous mushroom hat that he wears during his presentations.
Bioremediation or ‘Myco’remediation:
(remedial action: an action taken to effect long-term restoration of environmental quality)
Plastic pollution and environmental contamination, from events such as oil spills, are damaging to ecosystems. Mushrooms have proven to be voracious eaters of all things including plastics, fossil fuels and radiation, helping to remediate sites such as the Fukushima Nuclear disaster of 2010.
Certain species, including the oyster mushroom, produce enzymes that break down the tough, aromatic hydrocarbons found in petroleum, in addition to soaking up heavy metals like mercury. This has proven to be successful in parts of the Amazon rainforest where some large oil spills have occurred.
Fungi for the Future
As mysterious as they may seem, mushrooms have the potential to help us transition toward a world that works with, rather than against nature, by mimicking natural phenomena to suit our human needs. The more we can learn from natural systems and incorporate them into our daily lives, the more resilient and regenerative our societies will become.
a game called MYCELIUM
Thank you for visiting the website for Mycelium, the creative thinking game that won the 2017 Oxford University Humanities Innovation Challenge, devised by two times Creative Thinking World Champion Dan Holloway. ROGUE INTERROBANG UK,
An Accidental Entrepreneur
…. Mycelium was born, a training game in which creative thinking problems are generated and players have a limited time to come up with as many original ideas as possible. I was clearly onto something, because the idea won last year’s Humanities Innovation Challenge.
…One of the parts of the wonderful prize for that was taking part in the incredibly useful VIEW course run by the Entrepreneurship Centre. I have never learned so much so quickly. But in one way I found myself right back at the start. I had soon realised that Mycelium could be two things, connected but very different and for very different audiences. On the one hand there was a beautifully made, fun to play together, really addictive card game. And on the other was a training programme tailored to industries who needed to get creative quick to survive disruption.
Mycelium Momentum
Additional posts, about Mycelium in Industry:
….all of which starts here:
Mycelium in Industry – Ancient and New
Construction industry,
Packaging industry,
Textile industry,
Furniture industry
Mycelium R&D Projects
Mycelium in Fashion Marketing – One Approach
May 2019 Mycelium in Industry update: Construction, Packaging, Textile, Furniture, +
June 2019 Mycelium Composites? Hands-on – Do it yourself
October 2019 Mycotecture? more-Mycelium in Construction
March 2020 “Mycelium in Industry” Where else can you get information?
March 2020 Mycelium in Construction?…some tangible progress
October 2020 Mycelium Is IN Textile/Fashion – 2020
December 2020 MycoProteins – Mushrooms To Meat?
February 2021 Construction, Mycelium, Industry..Wait A Minute
September 2021 Mycelium Momentum; World Is Waking Up.
January 2022 Myco-Remediation – Decompose And Remedy
July 2023 Mycelium Packaging – How To Make It A Business In 2023
Suppliers of Mycelium Composite Material, around the world:
>>>>Australia:
>Mr. Russell Whittam, www.aussimushroomsupplies.com.au,
I’ve done lots of work with universities the last few years; supplying them with substrate and how to make their own materiel, etc. as well.
I’ve got a new product coming out about mid-2020 – for making things – just add water, spawn and mold the material. Then let it grow. Contact him at: [email protected]
>>>>Egypt: mycelium material This start-up team has patented their own myco-composite material using mushroom strains found in Egypt. They have started to sell bowls, pots and to offer Mycelium packaging. We offer different products in construction such as insulation panels and open to supplying packaging as protective packaging for those seeking eco-friendly alternatives. We are also open to other creative projects using mycelium material. Visit our website: https://mycellium.co/
>>>>Europe:
>Grown.bio – has a license agreement with Ecovative Design.
their new MycoComposite™ kits consist of only LIVING mushroom material and are supplied to the EU countries. Possible also for geographical Europe, but customs clearances must be taken care of by the person making the order.
Grown.bio is now supplying the Mycelium Composite ™ material to insulate buildings. They have insulated class rooms in an Amsterdam school building and in a house in a village near Rotterdam. Scroll down to Building & Architecture products here. They have supplied the MycoComposite™ to many of the projects taking place in Europe, recently, that have been mentioned in my posts. Grown.bio sells other things made from MycoComposite™.
>>>India:
Finally! >Roha.bio At Roha we develop Mycelium bio-composite based protective packaging that can replace Styrofoam using agricultural residue and mushroom mycelium, we do this by collaborating with farmers and self-help groups in the villages, boosting their income.
On other hand we collaborate with startups and brands in consumer electronics space , design and develop protective packaging for their needs. Roha.bio
>>>>Indonesia:
>MYCL, Mycotech Lab has an internship program. It makes a lot of sense to get some controlled experience with mycelium. MYCOTECH Lab produces and sells, mycelium board composite panels BIOBO, and supplied the labor and material for the MycoTree project.
>>>>Malaysia
>Fungitech Mushroom farm waste is always a big problem for mushroom growers all around the world. In our site, we fully utilise this farm waste to make 100% chemical-free and biodegradable mycelium biomaterial. Currently, we mainly supply this green biomaterial for packaging purpose. This patent pending innovative technology is able to solve mushroom farm waste problem and provide a greener life style to our mother Earth.
>>>>The Netherlands – for Large orders in the EU Mycelium Materials Europe (in short
MME) started in 2018. We grow sustainable mycelium materials based on mushroom technology. We produce two types of organic materials in our own mushroom farm: MyFoam® (pure mycelium foam) and HedelComposite Hedelcomposite is composed of sterilized residual sawdust and inoculated with mycelium. Ready to use. Grow your own biodegradable mycelium objects with Hedelcomposite in just one week! Maximum of 10 bags (300L) per order.
>>>>New Zealand
> Bio Fab NZ a new company that Ecovative has licensed in New Zealand. “Lesley, We currently work within Australasia so can only ship within New Zealand and Australia. We are looking at having a large scale plant open early to mid 2021 and aim to set up one in Australia soon after. We are planning on selling Grow-it-yourself kits, but not until our plant is up and running.” says James from [email protected]
>>>>UK
> The Magical Mushroom Company a new company/website in the UK. (Ecovative License)..The Magical Mushroom Company is the UK’s first-ever production plant manufacturing mycelium-based packaging. Founded by three friends wanting to make a difference.
>>>>USA:
>Grow-It-Yourself Kits for MycoComposite™ are now available direct from Ecovative’s Grow.bio. Here you will find all instructions, learning, and purchasing information. Grow.bio, however, only ships the MycoComposite™ material within North America.
>Ecovative LLC has transferred all their Mushroom Packaging production equipment to a facility 4x bigger at Paradise Packaging Co which is now handled under the general website: https://mushroompackaging.com. The new company and new website offer you more information about the mushroom packaging material and how it works.
>>>more places around planet Earth?
From Ecovative:
>If you are interested in building a business in MycoComposite technology, Ecovative is now handling partnership discussions from here: https://mushroompackaging.com/pages/licensing-form Licensing with Ecovative allows the partner to explore alternate substrates, techniques, and products.
>For other issues Contact Ecovative Here