New Collaborative Research Center MYCO-BUILD researches and develops fungus-based construction materials – DFG funding of approximately 10 million euro

Martin Weinhold, TU Berlin

The first interdisciplinary research on fungal-based construction materials will lead to the development of more fungal composite building blocks like the one shown.

Around 40 percent of global CO₂ emissions originate from the construction sector. Developing sustainable building materials therefore plays a key role in fighting the climate crisis. The newly approved Collaborative Research Center 1743 “MYCO-BUILD”, with the participation of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), is investigating novel fungus-based building materials. The German Research Foundation (DFG) will fund the project with around 10.3 million euro over the next four years.

Interdisciplinary Project Ranging From Building Physics to Sustainability Assessment

Researchers from biology, chemistry, physics, materials science, and architecture are examining structures ranging from the micro level to large construction components. Their focus lies on the mechanical, thermal, acoustic, and structural properties of these materials.

The Institute of Concrete Structures and Building Materials (IMB) at KIT is contributing a subproject on the building physics properties – including fire protection – of the new materials to the consortium. “We aim to understand how the materials behave in real construction environments and which standards they could meet in the future,” says Professor Frank Dehn of IMB. The long-term goal is to lay the foundation for products for the construction industry.

The researchers also investigate, which fungal species are best suited as construction materials, which types of plant waste can serve as raw materials, and what an efficient manufacturing process looks like – supplemented by AI-supported sustainability assessments.

iha, January 27, 2026