Environmental Engineering Reference
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Fig. 4.1 Daimlercrysler's bionic car inspired by the boxfish and tree growth patterns (car photo
by R. Somma. Boxfish insert photo by R. Ling)
A related issue with this kind of biomimicry is that designers are able to research
potential biomimetic solutions without an in-depth scientific understanding or col-
laboration with a biologist or ecologist. With a limited scientific understanding,
translation of such biological knowledge to a human design setting has the potential
to remain at a shallow level. It is in some cases easy to mimic forms and certain
mechanical aspects of organisms but difficult to mimic other aspects, such as
chemical processes, without scientific collaboration (Bensaude-Vincent et al.
2002
).
An architectural example of this is Mick Pearce's Eastgate building. This is
perhaps the most often cited example of architectural biomimicry (see for exam-
ple: Koelman
2004
; Zhao and Xu
2010
; Pronk et al.
2008
). Eastgate was designed
to have a relatively thermally stable interior environment with minimal mechanical
cooling. This resulted in reductions in energy use of between 17 and 52 % com-
pared to similar buildings in Harare (Baird
2001
; Smith
1997
), and therefore also
reduced GHG emissions. Pearce based the design in part on principles of induced
flow and the use of thermal capacity to regulate temperature observed in termite
(Macrotermes michaelseni) mounds of southern Africa, although the correctness of
the science has been disputed (Turner and Soar
2008
). The temperature regulation
in the mounds is achieved through careful orientation, spatial organisation and
techniques of passive ventilation. It is not therefore the termite that is mimicked,
but the results of its mound building behaviour. Biomimicry at the behaviour level
is much less common than biomimicry at the organism level.
In-depth scientific analysis since Eastgate was designed has revealed that ter-
mite mounds interact with the environment in a much more sophisticated way to
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