Fun Times and Fungi in Construction

Posted by Steadfast Entities on

Mycoremediation (my-co-re-media-tion) may sound like something out of a sci-fi novel, but it’s actually just the name of a process that nature has been doing since the beginning of time: using mushrooms to break down natural materials. 

Nature’s Garbage Disposal

Mycoremediation is a fairly straightforward process. Fungi release enzymes that break down organic matter into simple sugars, and then use those sugars as fuel. So the scientists working with Australian-based contractor Lendlease had a great idea: why not use this process to help reduce construction waste? 

From Construction to Compost

According to the EPA, the building industry in the US alone generates more than 600 million tons of construction debris every year, including 11 to 13 million tons of asphalt shingles. Most of those shingles end up in landfills, with only 5-10% being recycled or reused. 

With this in mind, Lendlease created their first mycoremediation pilot program. They used three different types of fungi to break down the roof shingles from 214 houses in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. While they did not state the exact amount of time they expect before the shingles have completely decomposed, it is expected to be substantially faster than the 300 years it would normally take for asphalt shingles to break down on their own. Once decomposed, the shingles can be reused as compost for growing food.

Great for the Planet and Your Wallet

Mycoremediation is proving to not only benefit the environment but also the economy. Lendlease believes their building-debris-to-compost plan could be a profitable income stream, and plans to expand their mycoremediation to include other building materials like drywall. 

Eventually, they hope to sell the compost and make more money than would be spent to get rid of the waste at a landfill. In the words of Sarah Neff, the head of sustainability at Lendlease: 

“Taking a product that is no longer viable and combining it with a natural renewable source that results in a new product, is a phenomenal outcome that is both beneficial to the environment and bolsters the economy.”

As more and more companies consider their environmental impact, we expect to see mycoremediation and other sustainable practices being used more and more throughout construction. 

Interested in talking more about resource-friendly construction and heavy equipment? Contact Steadfast today!

Prices $$$ in Construction Materials Continue to Rise

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The COVID pandemic continues to have far-reaching ripple effects on the economy and every part of society, including construction. 

Just last month, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics released their July 2021 report, showing another 0.6% increase in the price of construction materials. In Vermont alone, there were “double-digit percentage increases in the selling prices of materials used in every type of construction” compared to this time last year. For example, “the producer price index for steel mill products more than doubled from July 2020 to last month, leaping 108.6 percent.”

In addition to the raw materials, pandemic backups and price hikes are affecting transportation and fuel costs, further adding to high end prices across all of construction.  

Chart by YieldPro.com. 

These commodities come from all across the world, where many countries still face serious pandemic delays. David Fultz, Senior Vice President of TDIndustries, reminds people to consider the multifaceted and far-reaching requirements of every construction project:

“South America is still in the middle of the pandemic, which creates tremendous disruptions in mining that stresses the supply chain. Additionally, it’s a lot harder to get our hands on international products due to import/export disruptions. Weather is another significant factor.”

Unpredictable weather in particular can ruin inventory and put manufacturers way behind. When already faced with pandemic limitations and struggles, suppliers are finding it harder than ever to bounce back, leading to massive shortages and delays across the world.

While only time can help us get past the pandemic, there are some actions we can take now to alleviate the pressure on the industry. The Associated General Contractors of America, for example, have urged President Biden to remove current tariffs and quotas on essential construction materials like steel and lumber. 

“These tariffs and quotas are artificially inflating the cost of many key materials and doing more damage to the economy than help,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the Association’s Chief Executive Officer. 

No matter the answer, there’s no doubt that we’re not through this yet. Until the pandemic has quieted down across the world and manufacturers are able to recover, construction materials pricing will continue rising, making projects more expensive. 

To read the Associated General Contractors of America Inflation Alert, click here. 

For more details on specific materials cost rates and trends, visit YieldPro.com.