Biomimicry Architecture - Essay Example

Biomimicry Architecture Biomimicry architecture has transformed the building industry and as a result efficient ways of energy conservation in buildings are being realized. According to Rao, Biomimicry is a science that studies the models of nature and copies them to solve human problems (101). Such models include natures forms, processes, systems and unique strategies that use ecological criteria to judge the humans innovations. One of the most common forms of biomimicry is the imitation of a bird in the development of the flight technology. Biomimicry architecture is the combination of the architectural designs with the nature structures to create new structures that are eco-friendly (Pawlyn 34). The essay explores the importance of imitating nature through biomimicry architecture to develop energy efficient buildings by enabling architects to develop efficient building materials to reduce energy consumption.  The increased demand for energy efficient buildings materials has necessitated need to turn to nature for solutions. It is undeniable architects, designers, and engineers are developing biomimicry architecture walls or skins through the same mechanism as the skins of various natural creatures and features to maintain and reduce energy wastage (Pawlyn 34).  Nature provides the best source of ideas in architecture by enabling architects to develop skins that are ecologically friendly due to their unlimited advantages (Pawlyn 34). Nature has many forms that can be referred to by architects to develop structures that are unique and efficient. Moreover, nature provides a solution to the energy problem that has been a major challenge in the construction industry for a long time. It has provided ideas on how the buildings can reduce energy usage and some of the importance of mimicking nature in reducing energy use in the following ways. The imitation of natural structures provides an opportunity for the use of low energy sources, thus facilitating use of renewable sources. Most of the nature mimicking buildings are powered by solar energy, which is a renewable and eco-friendly source of energy to reduce the consumption of the electricity. A good example of such a building is the All Season Tent Tower that has been constructed to imitate a volcano as shown fig 1 below (Rao 105). The tower is cylindrical and is powered by solar panels. In order to conserve energy, the tower is covered by a mesh like skin all round that is used to regulate temperatures within it. Moreover, volcano shape like taps light that minimizes the energy demands within the building, hence, enabling it to maintain and concentrate energy in building thus reducing energy loss from the tower. Fig. 1 All Season Tent Tower. 2010, 05 March. OFIS Architects.  Designboom, Toronto. JPEG File. The demand for energy conservative buildings is on the rise. For this reason, the mimicking of nature by engineers and architects to develop new and better structures that reduce energy usage has enabled them build energy efficient buildings (Rankouhi 1). By imitating the mechanisms of the living things such as the plant leaf, the human body and animals, architects have been able to design structures that regulate and reduce energy usage. For instance, the polar bear pavilion at the ITV Denkendorf was developed by imitating an animal, thus creating an energy generation mechanism that helps reduce energy usage in buildings by absorbing and storing heat (Rankouhi 85). Moreover, the layer has ability to distribute heat evenly and effectively while at the same time acting as thermal insulator. The skin also has a pitch black color that is a better heat absorber. Therefore, through this properties the skin is able to absorb scarce solar energy and convert it into more heat thus enabling it to store energy and making it an efficient energy conserver. Fig. 2 ITV Denkendorf. n.d. PDF File. The mimicking of natural structures is important in integrating the architectural design concepts with energy efficiency mechanisms. For many years, engineers could not combine architectural designs and energy efficient designs because of lack of ideas on how to come up with energy efficient designs. However, with the discovery of biomimicry architecture, this has become possible to help in reducing energy usage through the construction of better and efficient energy skins for building construction. For instance, the Eastgate building in Zimbabwe was constructed to reduce energy usage by integrating the architectural design and energy efficiency concepts through the building imitation of a termites nests mechanism of regulating temperatures. Specifically, the designed has hooded windows, thick walls and light colored paints are well designed to regulate temperatures in the building, even though it has no conventional air condition and heating systems (Arnarson 9). Thus, this helps conserve energy in the building by minimizing wastage.   Fig. 3 Doan, Abigail. Eastgate Building. 2012. Green Building in Zimbabwe Modeled After Termite Mounds: Biomimetic Architecture. Inhabitat. JPEG File. It is eveident, the natural world is important since it has inspired development of new ways of enhancing the existing energy sources. For instance, the Tubercle Technology inspired by the fish flippers when scientists used a scaled-down flipper that led to the development of the scalped-edged windmills, which has enhanced energy usage in building and constructions by architects (Arnarson).  A biomimicry architecture skins is composed of light-sensitive cells of some micro-lenses that have some unique pockets of the photosensitive gel that makes them maintain energy in the same manner as the eye of a compound of an insect. According to engineers, the skin helps to keep energy in the following mechanism. Firstly, the photosensitive gel contracts when exposed to the light leading to the opening of the tubes in the skin that allow more and more air to flow into the building especially during intense light and thus, the increased air circulation maintains the warmth within the building. Moreover, the skin has a moving water mechanism installed in it that helps to regulate humidity by imitating the mechanism of human membranes by allowing humidity escape in alternating rows of cells after activation by light. The second layer of cells contain polymers that expand with increased moistures and trigger the opening of the tubes in the skin to allow the circulation of air in a hydraulic-like system, hence, helping the skin to keep the energy within the building. Thus, this type of transitions operate as a human skin to regulate heat loss and this helps to conserve and maintain energy within the building (Rankouhi).  Therefore, this makes them more energy efficient as it helps minimize energy loss. The biomimicry architecture skin also helps keep energy within the building by the following mechanism. The biomimicry architecture skin is designed in a similar manner to a polar bear style to conserve energy (Rankouhi 85). The polar bear skin has the ability to distribute light more effectively and act as a thermal insulator. Therefore, the black skin and whitish fur of the skin combine to turn the absorbed sunlight to heat. Using this mechanism, a biomimicry architecture was developed that is made up of a heat-insulating membrane that composes a transparent and UV-resistant heat-insulating plastic and a black layer installed below the heat-insulating plastic that absorbs the light (Bhushan). Moreover, the black layer provides the air heating surface that contributes to the air circulation mechanism and thus the process of light absorption and air circulation helps keep the energy within the building. A good example of this skin, mentioned earlier, is the polar bear pavilion at the ITV Denkendorf building shown in fig 2 below that uses the polar bear mechanism of energy conservation.    Rankouhi argues that apart from developing architectural designs, biomimicry has been extensively used in the creation of building materials (63). The most common material developed by biomimicry inspiration includes roofing materials, interior materials such as cooling systems, external systems such as biomimicry architectural skins and foundation materials. Since the discovery of biomimicry, scientists have been imitating nature to create efficient building materials. For instance, the bumpy surface of the lotus leaf that has a natural mechanism of cleaning itself inspired the development of various building materials such as paints, glass, and textiles (Rankouhi 63). The following includes the building materials that have been created through biomimicry.  To begin with, we look at concrete that is a major building material that was improved by Constantz, an expert from the University of Stanford, by using biomimicry mechanism (Rankouhi 63). The experts imitated the construction of the coral reefs and applied this technology to the production of concrete by producing concrete using waste gas from a local power plant and mixing it with water, hence, forming one of the critical components of the building industry produced through the biomimicry process. Conversely, the use of bacteria by architects has inspired the creation of bricks by a company known as bioMASON. The company grows bricks by imitation of the seashells and coral reefs by preparing liquid cement that contains a bacteria, calcium, nitrogen and water and mixed in sand mound to form a solid brick is formed .  There are other building materials that have been developed by using the concept of biomimicry These include materials such as hardwood and plywood are created through the biomimicry of the blue mussel mollusk found attached to rocks in the ocean and sea waters (Rankouhi 63). The blue mussel mollusk forms an amino acid that creates glue that attaches to the rocks. The glue that is soy-based has inspired the technology of the construction of the hardwood and the plywood. The mussel recipe was mimicked by technologies to provide guidance in the construction. Moreover, biomimicry has contributed to the creation of a liquid repellant that was an imitation of the slick coating found in the pitcher plant. The liquid repellant uses the same mechanism to create a self-cleaning window surface. They are also used in the creation of the inside coat of pipes used in construction.  Furthermore, biomimicry has been used to create other building materials such as spider webs that are reflective glasses created to deter birds from walls (Rankouhi). Scientists noted that a massive number of birds was dying of hitting the glass walls. The spider web material was created through an imitation of the spider web. Reflective components of UV range are then fitted in the webs that send the birds away through the reflective light. The aforementioned building materials created through biomimicry to imitate various forms, processes and systems in nature form a sample of building materials that have been developed to mimic to help conserve energy usage in buildings.  It is apparent biomimicry has helped in the reduction of energy consumption through the creation of designs and materials that use no energy or little energy. Moreover, biomimicry has led to the development of structures for energy production and this has helped reduce energy demands in buildings. Energy has been one of the huge costs that has been affecting the construction industry but is has been solved by biomimicry mechanisms. Various building materials that are energy efficient have been developed as discussed above and this has immensely contributed to the reduction of the energy consumption. Ultimately, it is evident biomimicry architecture is impacting the building and construction sector through innovation of efficient and effective materials and designs of buildings that have helped minimize energy loss by increasing the energy conservation ability of buildings. Thesis 5/5 More efficient now. Content 4/5 All Seasons better explained now. Polar bear ex. needs more detail. Organization 3/5 Begin/end paragraphs with your own ideas (not paraphrases) Grammar 5/5 Word choice 5/5 Citations 3/5 Introduce paraphrases and explain them after in your own words. Format 5/5 Add peer review sheets. Works Cited All Season Tent Tower. 2010, 05 March. OFIS Architects.  Designboom, Toronto. JPEG File. Arnarson, Pétur Örn. "Biomimicry." Reykjavik University (2011): 9. Bhushan, Bharat. "Biomimetics: lessons from nature–an overview."Philosophical              Transactions of the Royal Society of London A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences 367.1893 (2009): 1445-1486. Doan, Abigail. Eastgate Building. 2012. Green Building in Zimbabwe Modeled After Termite Mounds: Biomimetic Architecture. Inhabitat. JPEG File. ITV Denkendorf. n.d. PDF File. Pawlyn, Michael. Biomimicry in architecture. Vol. 15. Riba Publishing, 2011. Rankouhi, Azadeh Rabbani. Naturally Inspired Design Investigation into the Application  of Biomimicry in Architectural Design. Diss. The Pennsylvania State University, 2012. Rao, Rajshekhar. "Biomimicry in Architecture." (2014): 101-105. Read More