1. Green Building Festival
Biomimicry in Building
Christopher Sweetnam-Holmes,
Principal, EcoCité Developments
www.ecocite.ca

2. Outline
 Introduction
 What is biomimicry?
 Why biomimicry?
 Biomimic design process
 Historical examples
 Biomimicry today as it relates to building
 Final words

3. EcoCité Developments
We believe,
people should have access to homes that are
energy efficient, have a lower impact on our
environment, have improved indoor air
quality, and are walking distance to parks,
stores and entertainment.

4. EcoCité Developments
We believe,
people enjoy living in interesting spaces,
that are filled natural light, have superior
ventilation, comfortable heating and
cooling, and are easy and inexpensive to
maintain.

5. EcoCité Developments
We believe,
people should be able to feel a connection
with nature, to have a place for a small
garden, spaces inside for plants, trees on the
street and vegetation integrated with the
building.

7. That is to say...
I’m not really an expert in
biomimicry.
But I do find it amazing, inspiring, and filled with
potential.

8. What is Biomimicry?
(bios = life. Mimesis = to imitate)
a new science that studies nature’s best ideas and
then imitates these designs and processes to solve
human problems.
“innovation inspired by nature.”
http://www.biomimicryinstitute.org

9. What is Biomimicry?

10. What is Biomimicry?

11. What is Biomimicry?

12. Why Biomimicry?
A: Because the solutions are not evident

13. Why Biomimicry?
A: Because we have a long way to go to achieve real sustainability.

14. Biomimic Design Process

15. Biomimicry in Building - Historically

16. Why Nature as Inspiration?
1. Nature runs on sunlight
2. Nature uses only the energy it needs
3. Nature fits form to function
4. Nature recycles everything
5. Nature rewards cooperation
6. Nature banks on diversity
7. Nature uses local expertise
8. Nature curbs excesses from within
9. Nature taps the power of limits

17. Nature runs on sunlight

18. Nature runs on sunlight

19. Nature runs on sunlight

20. Nature runs on sunlight

22. Nature uses only the energy it needs

23. Nature fits form to function

24. Nature fits form to function

25. Nature fits form to function

26. Nature recycles everything

27. Nature recycles everything

28. Nature rewards cooperation

29. Nature rewards cooperation

30. Nature banks on diversity

31. Nature banks on diversity

32. Nature uses local expertise

33. Nature curbs excesses from within

34. Nature curbs excesses from within

35. Nature taps the power of limits

36. Nature taps the power of limits

38. Nature…
1. … runs on sunlight
2. … uses only the energy it needs
3. … fits form to function
4. … recycles everything
5. … rewards cooperation
6. … banks on diversity
7. … uses local expertise
8. … curbs excesses from within
9. … taps the power of limits

39. Biomimic Design Process

41. Credits
Janine Benyus and her book Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature
The Biomimicry Guild
The Biomimicry Institute www.biomimicryinstitute.org
Big and Green : Toward Sustainable Architecture in the 21st Century Ed: David Gissen
www.n100best.org
www.humanshelter.org Michael Jantzen
The Natural Step Institute
Huston Eubank
PeakEnergy.blogspot.com Biomimicry: Are humans Smarter than Sea Sponges?
Strategy and Business Magazine – Janine Benyus: The Though Leader
MOMA Archives
Building’s imitation of a human body’s thermal behavior: B. Todorovic