Comparison of the Thermal Performance and Durability of Textured Mycelium‐Bound Composite Tiles Made Using Ganoderma lucidum and Pleurotus ostreatus

Abstract Global temperatures are steadily rising, challenging thermal comfort in urban environments. While many active cooling solutions exist, passive cooling solutions should be more widely considered for heat mitigation. Textured elephant skin‐inspired mycelium tiles grown by fungi onto waste lignocellulosic substrates are previously established as an approach to reduce the use of both unsustainable insulation materials and active cooling systems. The mycelium tiles showed promising results to improve thermal comfort due to their thermal insulation properties. In this study, the surface properties of the mycelium of Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum) and Pleurotus ostreatus is investigated to identify the suitability of these two fungal species as a thermal insulation material for buildings. The performance and durability of the resulting tiles when exposed to external weather conditions are explored. Results show a stark difference between the two fungal species, affecting the functional properties of the tiles. Regardless of species, the tiles are able to demonstrate a thermoregulatory effect, halving the temperature range observed at the wall from 12.3 to 5.2 °C. Uncoated G. lucidum tiles can withstand tropical weathering for up to 2 months and remain biodegradable in soil, showing that these tiles could be used as a sustainable thermal insulation material when protected from direct rain.