First Bio-fuels, Now Bio-buildings?

What automatically comes to mind when you think of mushrooms? I for one, think of those tasty little black morsels that I enjoy as a pizza topping along with plenty of mozzarella cheese. But did you know that mushrooms are now being used in building insulation instead of foam?
In the same vein, when I see a bottle of golden vegetable oil sitting on the kitchen counter, I don't think about the stuff that's going to power up my Jeep 4x4 much less some heavy construction equipment. Instead I think about that delicious dressing that's about to go on my salad, which I'll eat along with my mushroom-topped pizza.
But that's precisely what's happening to the building and design market: bio-based alternatives making their significant mark on traditional petroleum-based, and increasingly expensive, non-sustainable products.
Consider the insulation made from mushrooms. Anticipated to hit the market later this year, Greensulate is comprised of both mushrooms and rice hulls. It's meant to provide a green and LEED-approved alternative to the usual Styrofoam rigid insulation. Not only are mushrooms said to contain excellent insulating properties, but once the product has outlived its usefulness, the bio-degradable product can be tossed into the garden as a fertilizer — instead of taking up precious space in landfills.
As a designer or builder, how do you foresee bio-tech affecting the building materials you traditionally rely on?

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