Abstract
In line with the current world circumstances and global strategies for year 2030, which focus on the improvement of energy efficiency and the enhancement of human health and well-being, and based on the proven contribution of buildings to global warming and climate change due to their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, built environments need, not only to overcome the negative impact on the environment in the future, but also to achieve an overall positive environmental impact. This can be achieved by mimicking the strategies of natural systems that are critically distinct from many man-made systems in their reliance on homeostasis, rather than energy or non-renewable sources. In spite of the research and efforts that have been carried out over the past decade to develop reliable biomimetic methodologies and envelopes, only a few have dealt with the multi-regulation of environmental aspects. While living systems in nature do not address every environmental aspect individually, but rather are unique in their ability to regulate number of them simultaneously. Proceeding from that, this paper comes to test the hypothesis that in the existence of a coherent biomimetic methodology, generating a design concept of a multi-regulation biomimetic envelope is possible. For that purpose, following the BioGen methodology, this research studied specific natural systems, such as human lungs, termite mounds, prairie dogs’ burrows, veins in human legs, zebra, elephant, and Mescal Cactus plant, to analyze their control strategies of air, heat, and water and then implemented these strategies in the design of an outdoor pavilion’s envelope. This resulted in a multi-regulating bio-envelope design that can improve air exchange rates between indoors and outdoors, increase indoor cooling efficiency by dissipating excess heat, and benefit from the humidity in the surrounding environment. Through this result, the research concludes that, while translating natural models and strategies into architectural models remains a challenge and a multidisciplinary process, it is still possible to generate a design concept of multi-regulation envelopes in the presence of a well-structured methodology and the appropriate biological background it provides. Additionally, the research paves the way for more studies that address the generation of multi-regulation bio-envelopes, even leading them in further steps; digital simulation and the fabrication of physical prototype which were out of limit of this research.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adhesively-backed film. (n.d.). Retrieved December 18, 2021, from https://www.sharklet.com/our-products/adhesively-backed-film/
Amer, N. (2019). Biomimetic approach in architectural education: Case study of ‘biomimicry in architecture’ course. Ain Shams Engineering Journal, 10(3), 499–506. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asej.2018.11.005
Aziz, M. S., & El sheriff, A. Y. (2015). Biomimicry as an approach for bio-inspired structure with the aid of computation. Alexandria Engineering Journal, 55(1), 707–714.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aej.2015.10.015
Badarnah, L. (2012). Towards the LIVING envelope: Biomimetics for building envelope adaptation (Doctoral dissertation, Delft University of Technology, Netherlands). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262066290_Towards_the_LIVING_envelope_biomimetics_for_building_envelope_adaptation
Badarnah, L. (2015). A biophysical framework of heat regulation strategies for the design of biomimetic building envelopes. International Conference on Sustainable Design, Engineering and Construction, Procedia Engineering, 118, 1225–1235.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2015.08.474
Badarnah, L. (2017). Form follows environment: Biomimetic approaches to building envelope design for environmental adaptation. Buildings, 7(40). https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings7020040
Badarnah, L., & Kadri, U. (2015). A methodology for the generation of biomimetic design concepts. Architectural Science Review, 58(2), 120–133. https://doi.org/10.1080/00038628.2014.922458
Bernett, A. (2015, January 17). Biomimicry, bioutilization, biomorphism, the opportunities of bioinspired innovations. Retrieved January 4, 2020, from https://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/blog/2015/01/biomimicry-bioutilization-biomorphism/
Biowood & It’s Brilliant Benefits. (2020, April 29). Retrieved January 1, 2021, from https://www.pinetimberproducts.com.au/articles/biowood-its-brilliant-benefits/
Cactus adaptations—How are cacti adapted to the desert? (2019, July 15). Retrieved August 20, 2020, from https://smartgardenguide.com/cactus-adaptations/
Cactus hides from the Sun: MESCAL Buttons. (2016, August 18). Retrieved July 11, 2020, from https://asknature.org/strategy/cactus-hides-from-the-sun/
Chayaamor-Heil, N., & Vitalis, L. (2020). Biology and architecture: An ongoing hybridization of scientific knowledge and design practice by six architectural offices in France. Frontiers of Architectural Research, 10(2), 240–262. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foar.2020.10.002
Chen, D. A., Klotz, L. E., & Ross, B. E. (2016). Mathematically characterizing natural systems for adaptable, biomimetic design. International Conference on Sustainable Design, Engineering and Construction Procedia Engineering, 145(2016), 497–503. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2016.04.031
Cruz, E., Hubert, T., Chancoco, G., Naim, O., Chayaamor-Heil, N., Cornette, R., Badarnah, L., Raskin, K., & Aujard, F. (2021). Design processes and multi-regulation of biomimetic building skins: A comparative analysis. Energy and Buildings, 246(9). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2021.111034
Cruz, E., Raskin, K., & Aujard, F. (2017). Biomimetic solutions to design multi-functional envelopes. Retrieved June 15, 2020, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340982980_Biomimetic_solutions_to_design_multi-functional_envelopes
Grae, E., Maranzana, N., & Aoussat. A. (2020). Biological practices and fields, missing pieces of the biomimetics’ methodological puzzle. Biomimetics, 5, 62. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics5040062
Horváth, G., Pereszlényi, A., Száz, D., Barta, A., Jánosi, I. M., Gerics, B., & Åkesson, S. (2018). Experimental evidence that stripes do not cool zebras. Scientific Reports, 8, 9351. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-27637-1
How dynamic glass works. (n.d.). Retrieved March 2, 2020, from https://www.sageglass.com/en/faqs/how-dynamic-glass-works
Ilipinar, D., Yazıcıoğlu, G., & Atasoy, G. (2020). An assessment of building energy performances by building envelope. In 6th international project and construction management conference (e-IPCMC2020) (pp.524–533). Istanbul Technical University, 12–14 November 2020, Istanbul, Turkey.
Imani, M., Donn, M., & Balador, Z. (2018). Bio-Inspired materials: Contribution of biology to energy efficiency of buildings. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48281-1_136-1
Jagan Kumar, G., & Jayalalitha, G. (2019). Fractal approach to identify airways of lungs using Weibel’s model. Journal of interdisciplinary cycle research, XI (IX). ISSN NO: 0022-1945.
Jamei, E., & Vrcelj, Z. (2021). Biomimicry and the built environment, learning from nature’s solutions. Applied Science, 2021(11), 7514. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11167514
Ju, J., Bai, H., Zheng, Y., Zhao, T., Fang, R., & Jiang, L. (2012). A multi-structural and multi-functional integrated fog collection system in cactus. Nature Communication, 3, 1247. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms2253
Khatri, K. B., Van Der Steer, P., & Vairavamoorthy, K. (2007). UNESCO-IHE, The Netherlands.
Kuru, A., Oldfield, P., Bonser, S. & Fiorito, F. (2020). A framework to achieve multifunctionality in biomimetic adaptive building skins. Buildings, 10, 114. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings10070114
Li, X., Yang, Y., Liu, L., Chen, Y., Chu, M., Sun, H., Shan, W., & Chen, Y. (2020). 3D‐printed cactus‐inspired spine structures for highly efficient water collection. Advanced Materials Interfaces, 7(3). https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.201901752
Paar, M. J., & Petutschnigg, A. (2016). Biomimetic inspired, natural ventilated Façade—A conceptual study. Journal of Facade Design and Engineering, 4(2016), 131–142. https://doi.org/10.3233/FDE-171645
Peters, T., & D’Penna, K. (2020). Biophilic design for restorative university learning environments: A critical review of literature and design recommendations. Sustainability, 12(7064). https://doi.org/10.3390/su12177064. www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability
Turner, J. S., & Soar, R. C. (2008). Beyond biomimicry: What termites can tell us about realizing the living building. Proceedings of the 1st international conference on Industrialized, Integrated, Intelligent Construction (I3CON). UK, 14–16 May 2008. Leicestershire: Loughborough University, Department of Civil and Building Engineering
Webb, M. (2021). Biomimetic building facades demonstrate potential to reduce energy consumption for different building typologies in different climate zones. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-021-02183-z
Acknowledgements
This work is part of a Ph.D. research carried out at Faculty of Fine Arts, Alexandria University.
Authors gratefully acknowledge Prof. Yosra S. R. Elnaggar, Head of International Publication and Nanotechnology Center INCC, Faculty of Pharmacy and Drug Manufacturing, Pharos University in Alexandria, Egypt, for her guidance during publication of the current manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Ethics declarations
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this paper
Cite this paper
Kamel, N.H., Shehata, N., AlAkaby, E. (2024). Generating a Design Concept of a Multi-regulation Biomimetic Envelope as an Approach to Improving Comfort Conditions of the Built Environment. In: Pisello, A.L., Pigliautile, I., Lau, S.S.Y., Clark, N.M. (eds) Building Resilient and Healthy Cities: A Guide to Environmental Sustainability and Well-being. HERL 2022. Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-33863-2_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-33863-2_5
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-33862-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-33863-2
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)