Mycelium Composites for Sustainable Development in Developing Countries: The Case for Africa

Akromah, Stefania; Chandarana, Neha; Eichhorn, Stephen J.

doi:10.1002/adsu.202300305

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 175 publications

(428 reference statements)

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“…In our recent review paper, 10 we emphasised the importance of integrating the MC technology with local practices to facilitate its establishment and potentially reduce production costs. However, we recognise that achieving complete integration might pose challenges for various reasons.…”

Section: Fuel Sourcementioning

confidence: 99%

Potential Environmental Impact of Mycelium Composites on African Communities

Eichhorn,

Akromah,

Chandarana

et al. 2024

Preprint

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The ecological and economic benefits of mycelium composites offer a promising opportunity for supporting sustainable development in Africa. This study focuses on assessing the environmental impact of mycelium composites for building and construction (MCBs) by conducting a life cycle assessment (LCA) in the context of Africa. It is demonstrated that the potential environmental impact of MCBs is substantially influenced by the use and source of electrical power for autoclaves, incubators, and ovens, making the culturing and post-processing phases the major environmental hotspots. The impact of MCB production is also relative to the energy mix of specific countries, being higher in countries that rely on fossil fuel energy (e.g., South Africa) and lower in those that rely more on renewable sources (e.g., Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC). Furthermore, the impact of MCB production is found to be sensitive to travel distance, suggesting that situating production facilities closer to agricultural, agro-industrial, and/or forestry waste sources could be more beneficial than interregional sourcing, for example. It is also demonstrated that MCBs have the potential to be a more ecologically sustainable alternative to some conventional construction materials (e.g., concrete) over an entire life cycle. Based on the insights obtained from this LCA, some recommendations have been proposed to address potential environmental repercussions pre-emptively and proactively: this is especially crucial for countries (mostly in the Global South) that may be challenged in resolving catastrophic environmental degradation due to financial constraints. Furthermore, with the rapid expansion of mycelium composite technology, there is a need to increase awareness about its potential environmental impact and, ultimately, to mitigate its potential contribution to pressing environmental concerns (e.g., global warming and climate change). Consequently, this study also adds to the existing body of literature on LCA studies, delineating key factors for consideration in future LCA studies and providing guidance for the sustainable establishment and expansion of this technology.

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Section: Fuel Sourcementioning

confidence: 99%

Potential Environmental Impact of Mycelium Composites on African Communities

Eichhorn,

Akromah,

Chandarana

et al. 2024

Preprint

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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Potential environmental impact of mycelium composites on African communities

Akromah,

Chandarana,

Rowlandson

et al. 2024

Sci Rep

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The ecological and economic benefits of mycelium composites offer a promising opportunity for supporting sustainable development in Africa. This study focuses on assessing the environmental impact of mycelium composites for building and construction (MCBs) by conducting a life cycle assessment (LCA) in the context of Africa. It is demonstrated that the potential environmental impact of MCBs is substantially influenced by the use and source of electrical power for autoclaves, incubators, and ovens, making the culturing and post-processing phases the major environmental hotspots. The impact of MCB production is also relative to the energy mix of specific countries, being higher in countries that rely on fossil fuel energy (e.g., South Africa) and lower in those that rely more on renewable sources (e.g., Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC). Furthermore, the impact of MCB production is found to be sensitive to travel distance, suggesting that situating production facilities closer to agricultural, agro-industrial, and/or forestry waste sources could be more beneficial than interregional sourcing, for example. It is also demonstrated that MCBs have the potential to be a more ecologically sustainable alternative to some conventional construction materials (e.g., concrete) over an entire life cycle. Based on the insights obtained from this LCA, some recommendations have been proposed to address potential environmental repercussions pre-emptively and proactively: this is particularly important for nations, mainly in the Global South, that exhibit low resilience to climate change due to limited economic resources. Furthermore, with the rapid expansion of mycelium composite technology, there is a need to increase awareness about its potential environmental impact and, ultimately, to mitigate its potential contribution to pressing environmental concerns (e.g., global warming and climate change). Consequently, this study also adds to the existing body of literature on LCA studies, delineating key factors for consideration in future LCA studies and providing guidance for the sustainable establishment and expansion of this technology.

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Evaluating Environmental Sustainability in Africa: The Role of Environmental Taxes, Productive Capacities, and Urbanization Dynamics

Ben Youssef,

Dahmani

2024

Economies

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This study examines the complex relation among environmental taxes, productive capacities, urbanization, and their collective effects on environmental quality in Africa, drawing on two decades of data from twenty African countries. It situates the study within the broader discourse on sustainable development and economic growth, emphasizing the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) framework to examine the relationship between economic development, characterized by urban expansion and increased productive capacities, and the adoption of environmental taxes amidst the continent’s diverse economic and environmental environments. Using advanced econometric techniques, including the Cross-Section Augmented Autoregressive Distributed Lag (CS-ARDL) model and the Dynamic Common Correlated Effects Mean Group (DCCEMG) estimator, the study addresses data challenges such as cross-sectional dependence and slope heterogeneity. The results provide important insights into the dynamics of environmental quality in relation to economic and urban growth and the role of environmental taxation. The study proposes tailored policy strategies aimed at strengthening sustainable development initiatives in line with international agreements such as the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. These strategies advocate for a nuanced application of environmental taxes and the promotion of productive capacities to enhance environmental sustainability across the African continent.

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Mycelium Composites for Sustainable Development in Developing Countries: The Case for Africa

Cited by 4 publications

References 175 publications

Potential Environmental Impact of Mycelium Composites on African Communities

Potential Environmental Impact of Mycelium Composites on African Communities

Potential environmental impact of mycelium composites on African communities

Evaluating Environmental Sustainability in Africa: The Role of Environmental Taxes, Productive Capacities, and Urbanization Dynamics

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