NEWood
Bio-based composite material development using mycelium and waste streams for circular construction
This project investigates the development of NEWood, a fully bio-based composite material made from wood and agricultural waste bound with fungal mycelium. It addresses the environmental impact of conventional construction materials by replacing synthetic binders and reducing reliance on virgin resources. The research focuses on optimizing material formulations, exploring scalable manufacturing processes such as fiber injection molding and compression molding, and developing first prototypes for construction and interior applications. The project establishes the scientific and technological foundation for circular, low-carbon material systems and future industrial scaling.
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„BauNetz CAMPUS“ reports about NEWood
By combining wood and agricultural waste with mycelium as a natural binder, a sustainable material is created without the need for fresh wood or synthetic adhesives. This material offers density and stability comparable to OSB, MDF, and particle boards. It is suitable for furniture construction, drywall systems, and as a substitute for synthetic insulation materials.…
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NEWood closes the loop – a 100% bio-based, climate-friendly and circular material alternative for the construction industry
Research Project NEWood – Sustainable material innovation for the construction and furniture industry Project representatives of all projects funded under the ‘Circular Construction – Climate Protection through Recycling Management’ programme © Baden-Württemberg Stiftung gGmbH The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), under the direction of Prof. Rebekka Volk (IIP), is working in close collaboration with the…
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Interview: Mycelium power for the construction industry
Nazanin Saeidi in an interview with Maike Rubel and Patricia Leuchtenberger about the innovative manufacturing process and the advantages of NEWood as a recyclable alternative to wooden composite materials.
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„NEWood“ awarded Umweltpreis 2023 from Sparkasse Pforzheim Calw
The Environmental Foundation of Sparkasse Pforzheim Calw honors four projects with the Umweltpreis 2023. The presentation of the prizes, worth a total of 15,000 euros, took place on March 15, 2023 at the Sparkasse in Calw. The main prize of 7,500 euros was awarded to the team from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) for…
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NEWood awarded with competitionline CAMPUS Award 2023
165 projects from 54 universities took part in this year’s competitionline CAMPUS Award. The spectrum of topics ranged from utopias for urban development and material studies to adaptive architecture and after-use strategies. The proportion of projects dealing with sustainable design tasks such as the conversion of existing buildings, climate adaptation in cities or research into…
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Professorship of Sustainable Construction wins the DGNB Sustainability Challenge with the project „NEWood“
The German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) announced the winners of this year’s Sustainability Challenge at the DGNB Sustainability Day in Fellbach on 8 July. In the category „Research“, the project „NEWood“ lead by Nazanin Saeidi and Alireza Javadian from the Professorship of Sustainable Construction Dirk E. Hebel at KIT in Karlsruhe, came out on top.…
