Introduction to Biomimetics in micro architectural aspects

Introduction
What is biomimicry?
• Most of the problems humans face today are
also faced by other organisms. Over the course
of evolution, many organisms gained more
efficient ways to use their environment.
• The organisms that are alive today are the
successful models or products of evolution. We
could learn a lot from nature when it comes to
solving our challenges in a sustainable way..
 Bio-mimicry
• The interdisciplinary field where
technology, science, design and
art,
architecture influence each other and use
biology for innovative solutions and
products is called biomimicry.
 Biomimicry
• Biomimicry can be applied on three levels.
• Firstly, the natural form of organisms are used for
inspiration. For instance, mimicking the structure of a
seashell could lead to stronger buildings.
• Secondly, natural processes, for example chemical
processes such as photosynthesis, can be mimicked
to create more sustainable materials.
• The third level is the ecosystem level. In this level,
entire ecosystems and their functional principles are
mimicked. When a product is made with the help of
biomimicry, it is called a 'biomimetic' product. It can be
biomimetic in terms of form, material, construction,
process or function.
Biomimicry can be applied on three levels.
 Creating a Sustainable Design
• Thus, Biomimicry is an approach to
innovation that seeks sustainable solutions
to human challenges by emulating nature’s
time-tested patterns and strategies. The goal
is to create products, processes, and policies—
new ways of living—that are well-adapted to
life on earth over the long haul.
 Examples of Biomimicry
Cement having
Composition of
Corals
• Bio-mineralization expert Brent
Constantz of Stanford
a new type
University of cement
was inspired to make
buildings for way corals
build reefs.by the process of
making this The cement
actually removes carbon
Brent Constantz,
greenhousedioxide –
gas, thought a
to Stanford University
cause global warming – from the
air.
 Cement like Corals
• The installation takes waste CO2 gas from a local
power plant and dissolves it into seawater to form
carbonate, which mixes with calcium in the seawater
and creates a solid. It’s how corals form their
skeletons, and how Constantz creates cement.
 Cement like Corals
• There’s a natural interaction between CO2, which
is a gas, and water. They come into equilibrium
together and the CO2 is dissolved in water. This
forms another molecule, CO3, which is called
carbonate. The higher the concentration of CO2,
the more carbonate is form.
 Cement like Corals
• Sea water has calcium. When the calcium sees
the carbonate, it forms calcium carbonate, the
solid. That is called limestone, That’s how corals
form their shells.. The solids that form fall to the
bottom and are separated. They’re dried out
using the waste heat from the hot flue gas. That
produces a powder in a spray dryer, which is akin
to a machine making powdered milk. And that
is the cement. The cement can be used to make
aggregate, synthetic rock like synthetic
limestone, or it can be kept dry as a cement
and used in a concrete formulation.
Cement like Corals
 Passive cooling in buildings
• The East-gate Complex, located in Harare,
Zimbabwe, is a commercial office and
shopping complex which includes two nine-
storey office buildings and a glazed atrium. In
Zimbabwe’s hot climate, the
extremely building’s cooling method is
primaryventilation.
natural
The East-gate Complex, Harare,
Zimbabwe
 Passive cooling in buildings
• Engineers from firm Arup, led by Mick Pearce,
sought inspiration for the ventilation design
from termite mounds since termites require
their home to remain at an exact temperature
of 87°F (30.5°C) throughout a 24-hour daily
temperature range of between 35°F at night
and 104°F during the day (1.6°C to 40°C). The
solution was a passive-cooling structure with
specially designed hooded windows, variable
thickness walls and light coloured paints to reduce
heat absorption.
Passive Cooling in Buildings

Ar. Mick Pearce

 Passive cooling in buildings
• Biomimicry’s Cool Alternative
• Eastgate Centre in Zimbabwe The
Eastgate Centre in Harare, Zimbabwe,
typifies the best of green architecture and
ecologically sensitive adaptation. The
country’s largest office and shopping complex
is an architectural marvel in its use of
biomimicry principles.
Termite Mounds
Passive cooling in buildings
 Self-cleaning paints
• Germany company, StoColor Lotusan®
developed havea biomimicry inspired exterior
coating with a water-repellant surface based on
that of the lotus leaf.
• Professor Wilhem Barthlott, from the
University of Bonn in Germany, developed the
surface after looking for environmentally benign
alternatives to toxic cleaning detergents in
order to reduce environmental impacts.
Prof. Wilhem Barthlott
Self-Cleaning
Paints
 Lotus
Effect
• When the rain droplets touch the lotus leaves they
remain spherical which allows the droplets to
bounce around until they fall off the leaf which stays
dried.
• This phenomenon carries out other advantages as
when droplets run through the surface they pick up
the dust that accumulates on top, leaving the leaves
completely cleaned as well as dried. This self-
cleaning effect is called lotus effect alluding to this
wonderful plant but it can be also found in other plant
species, birds and even insects.
Lotus Effect
Lotus Effect
 Eco-Friendly House Paint Inspired By The
Self-Cleaning Lotus Flower
• This phenomena has been named the ‘Lotus
Effect’ and, not surprisingly, it has inspired an
entire industry of self-cleaning textiles,
windows, sprays and other products. One of the
more interesting is an eco-friendly house paint
called Lotusan. Developed by a German
company called ISPO, this exterior paint
employs a microstructure modeled after the
hydrophobic leaves of the lotus plant to
minimize the contact area for water and dirt.
Lotusan Biomimicry
Paint
Lotusan Biomimicry
Paint
Henk Jonkers, Microbiologist
Self-Healing Buildings
Self-Healing Buildings
Self-Healing Buildings
 Harvesting Fresh
Water
• In dry areas such as deserts, fresh water is
scarce and needs to be transported from
other areas. What if we could design
buildings in deserts that can generate their
own fresh water supply?
• The Namib Desert beetle is a source of
inspiration for achieving this goal.
 Harvesting Fresh
Water
• Namibia is a country located in South-West Africa.
Along its coastline lies the Namib Desert, which is
mostly uninhabited by humans because it is so arid.
Still, there are organisms that can live there, and
amongst them are a few species of the family
Tenebrionidae, also known as Darkling beetles.
• These beetles can survive because they collect water
from the fog that comes from the ocean and spreads
into the desert. This behaviour is called fog basking
Fog events only take place about 30 days per year, but
the yield of water is sufficient for most desert
organisms to survive.
Namib Desert Beetle
Namib Desert Beetle
Seawater Greenhouse in Oman
Seawater Greenhouse in
Oman
 Harvesting Fresh Water
• This in turn reduces the transpiration rate in the
plants, resulting in a lowered need for irrigation.
When water evaporates, the salt is left behind in
the evaporators, leaving the water desalinated. In
the roof of the building, seawater running through
black pipes is heated by the sun, which causes the
surrounding air to be hot and saturated. When the hot
air passes through pipes with cool seawater, water
starts to condensate on the pipes.
Harvesting Fresh Water
Las Palmas Water Theatre