"Biomimicry: Nature as Model, Measure and Mentor"

"Following in the footsteps of famous biomimics like Leonardo DaVinci, Buckminster Fuller, the Wright Brothers, and George Mistral, today’s biomimics are exploring nature-inspired innovation as a path to more sustainable design."

To view a short list of Biomimicry projects around the world, see www.biomimicry.net. My personal favourite is the termite-inspired air conditioning system.

"[Termite] mounds are oriented to capture as much wind energy as possible, to ventilate the nest and achieve 'homeostasis' - an internal balance with little variation in temperature, humidity and air quality." (esf.edu)



"Architect Mick Pearce collaborated with engineers at Arup Associates to build a mid-rise building in Harare, Zimbabwe that has no air-conditioning, yet stays cool thanks to a termite-inspired ventilation system." (biomimicry.net)












"As a result, ventilation running costs for Eastgate are a tenth of those for a comparable air-conditioned building. It uses 35 percent less energy than the average consumption of six other conventional buildings in Harare, and the client has saved $3.5 million on a $36 million building due to the fact that no air-conditioning plant had to be imported. This is what makes Pearce say that his architecture is a “regionalized style that responds to the biosphere, to the ancient traditional stone architecture of Great Zimbabwe, and to local human resources." (aia.org)