The use of biomimetic materials in construction is increasing. These materials emulate the function and attributes of natural materials without harming them.
For example, the Eastgate Centre in Harare, Zimbabwe incorporated cooling strategies inspired by termite mounds to regulate temperature without energy-intensive air conditioning. This reduces energy consumption and enables sustainable operations.
Biomimetic Structural Systems
Biomimetic materials are engineered to mimic the properties and structures found in natural systems. These materials can offer a range of advantages, including enhanced performance, sustainability, and adaptability. Engineers can use these materials in a variety of applications, from self-healing building materials to biomimetic adhesives.
A key benefit of biomimetic design is its ability to improve a building’s energy efficiency and resilience. By emulating nature’s time-tested strategies, designers can create buildings that are optimized for functionality and work harmoniously with the environment. This approach can also reduce maintenance and energy costs, making it a cost-effective way to achieve sustainability goals.
In addition, biomimetic design can also enhance a building’s aesthetics and make it stand out in the landscape. For example, the Gherkin skyscraper utilizes a spiraling pattern inspired by the Venus flower basket sponge to optimize lighting and reduce wind resistance. Additionally, the Eastgate Centre in Zimbabwe was designed to replicate termite mounds’ ventilation system, resulting in a more comfortable indoor environment without the need for energy-intensive air conditioning.
Other projects that have implemented biomimetic principles include the eSkin, a fabric inspired by sharkskin that reduces water resistance and increases athletic performance, and the LOT-EK shipping container project, which uses a solar array that mirrors leaves to optimize sunlight and reduce energy consumption. As more architects incorporate biomimetic principles into their designs, these innovations will continue to evolve and shape the future of sustainable engineering.
Biomimetic Materials
Biomimetic materials (BNMs) mimic natural material characteristics and attributes to achieve specific functional and structural properties. They are often based on biogenic prototypes and have been used since the second half of the 20th century. These materials have a wide range of applications including bone scaffolds for tissue engineering, magnetic BNMs utilizing protein cages for the repeated coagulation of Al2O3 NP with ferrofluid under a magnetic field and subsequent sintering, and self-forming glass-ionomer nanoceramics synthesized from a chitosan-maleic acid matrix containing monetite mineralization and genipin cross-linking.
Incorporating nature-inspired design can greatly enhance construction technology and efficiency. These designs can range from structures that reduce energy consumption by mimicking the natural ventilation of termite mounds to buildings that utilize passive cooling techniques like those found in durian fruits to keep interiors cool.
The key to biomimicry is not to copy what we see in nature; it is to learn from it and apply these principles to improve our design processes. As a result, architects and engineers are now taking inspiration from nature for their designs in order to achieve sustainability in construction. For example, a building that uses shields to adjust throughout the day to match the sun’s path could drastically lower energy consumption and costs. Some of these design solutions may use existing materials with a new intent; however, others require completely novel and innovative material development that is often accomplished through complex computer modeling.
Biomimetic Transportation Systems
In biomimetic systems, engineers are looking to nature for ideas that will help solve complex engineering challenges. These can include everything from structural design to building materials to transportation and beyond. For example, engineers designing a new material for vehicle frames and other parts that need to be lightweight have taken inspiration from the skeletons of birds and insects. They’ve used simulation tools such as Altair’s OptiStruct and RADIOSS to model and optimize their designs.
The resulting material is called a Bio-Composite, and it is made from a blend of natural fibers and high-performance polymers. The resulting biomimetic material offers more strength than conventional concrete, yet is lighter than steel, and is able to absorb and redirect shock waves like an earthquake. This type of biomimetic material has the potential to reduce the construction industry’s ecological footprint while providing a stronger and more sustainable alternative to conventional concrete.
Other examples of biomimetic structures and materials are wind turbines inspired by seashells, solar panels that mimic the shape of sunlight, drag-reducing surface coatings based on shark skin to improve fuel efficiency in vehicles, bone scaffolds for prosthetic limbs, and more. With increasing interest in sustainability and environmental concerns, architects and engineers are turning to nature for ideas on how to create more eco-friendly buildings.
Biomimetic Architecture
Biomimetic Architecture looks to nature to find solutions that address architectural problems and promote sustainability. The practice can be applied at a number of different levels, including the organism level (like the cacti that store water), the function level (like the morphing aircraft wings that improve fuel efficiency) and the behaviour level (like the self-healing materials that reduce maintenance costs).
While the use of natural models may seem like a no-brainer for architects, it’s not without challenges. For one thing, the design process is extremely complex. In addition, the creation of industry-wide certification and standards is essential. Furthermore, the cost of manufacturing biomimetic designs is often prohibitive.
Nevertheless, the advantages of using biomimetic technologies in building construction are undeniable. They can help to solve some of the industry’s most pressing issues, such as resilience, energy efficiency and a biophiliac experience.
By mimicking the efficient designs of natural systems, architects can create structures that optimize energy use, improve water management and increase ventilation. In addition, they can build structures that withstand the impact of natural disasters and create a connection between occupants and their surroundings.