NAIROBI, Kenya - A unique mushroom farm located near the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, has embarked on an innovative venture: cultivating fungi not for culinary purposes but as sustainable building materials. The farm generates mycelium, the root structure of mushrooms, which is then utilized by a local company named MycoTile to produce construction materials considered more environmentally friendly than traditional brick and mortar.
MycoTile combines mycelium with natural fibers and binding agents to manufacture panels. These panels serve multiple purposes, including insulation for roofs and walls as well as interior decor, all at a significantly lower cost compared to conventional clay bricks. The farm currently produces approximately 3,000 square meters (around 3,600 square yards) of these materials each month.
Street vendor Jedidah Murugi, who utilized fungi-based construction materials for her home, stated that she perceives “no huge difference in the quality” between houses built from traditional bricks and those made from these innovative panels. She emphasized that the primary distinction lies in cost, clarifying that her home remains comfortable, not too cold at night or overly hot during the day.
MycoTile's initiatives address a pressing issue in Nairobi, where local authorities highlight a significant housing crisis. Estimates indicate a deficit of at least 2 million housing units in the metropolis of over 5 million residents, leaving many citizens either homeless or residing in informal settlements plagued by fire risks and poor sanitary conditions.
The majority of Kenyans are renters, with homeowners often constructing their properties incrementally over many years without hiring contractors. It is common for individuals to occupy inadequately finished or incomplete homes to avoid additional rental expenses. Mtamu Kililo, the founder of MycoTile, noted that introducing affordable construction materials taps into a substantial market while contributing to affordable housing solutions.
Kililo revealed that his company’s insulation products cost around two-thirds less than conventional building materials. Constructing a simple one-bedroom unit in Nairobi using traditional materials like brick, timber, and tin sheets typically costs up to 150,000 Kenyan shillings (approximately $1,000), a figure that can escalate significantly based on quality. Alternatively, using mycelium-based panels could reduce construction costs by roughly one-third. For instance, Murugi spent approximately 26,880 Kenyan shillings ($208) for panels for her 15 square meter (161 square feet) home.
The mycelium-based materials produced by MycoTile are also more sustainable. Kililo explained that they are biodegradable and environmentally non-harmful. The Kenyan government has recently begun developing a national plan for decarbonizing construction, integrating local innovation into its strategy. As part of this initiative, MycoTile has been granted access to facilities at the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute in Nairobi, allowing them to utilize machinery for their production process.
While Kililo's concept is not unprecedented—examples exist globally of mycelium applications, including the first mycelium house built in Namibia in May 2024 and mushroom coffins produced in the Netherlands—his approach emphasizes local context. Construction is identified as a significant contributor to carbon emissions, and Nickson Otieno, a Nairobi-based architect and sustainability expert, underscored the importance of sustainable materials in minimizing the construction sector's carbon footprint.
Furthermore, Kililo mentioned that MycoTile incorporates agricultural waste into its manufacturing process, thus mitigating potential pollutants and alleviating pressure on waste disposal systems. “We collect waste from sugar manufacturing factories in western Kenya,” he said, highlighting their commitment to utilizing approximately 250 tons of agricultural waste annually.
The inspiration for Kililo's venture emerged during a research fellowship in Kigali, Rwanda, which hosts one of the largest mushroom farms in East Africa. Observing how used substrates resembled brick prompted him to explore their applicability in construction. Initially conducting experiments in his kitchen, Kililo never anticipated that his research into the fungal basis for sustainable building could evolve into a commercial enterprise.
