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25
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NANO-BIOMIMICRY FOR
SUSTAINABILITY IN ARCHITECTURE
Dr. Wijdan Deyaa Abdul Jalil1, *Hussaen Ali Hasan Kahachi2
1) Lecturer, Department of Architectural Engineering, University of Technology, Baghdad, Iraq
2) Lecturer, Department of Architectural Engineering, University of Technology, Baghdad, Iraq
Abstract: Nanotechnology is one of the key technologies of the 21st century, which has a potentiality to offer
sustainable solutions to contemporary architecture and lower building costs. It helps biomimicry (as a way of
thinking which is going back to nature for inspiration) to be achieved at new levels, through producing (new
materials, devices and robots), that function as the same way as organisms do. Both nanotechnology and
biomimicry take their power from nature and could have extraordinary results if implemented in building design,
systems and construction. This research is looking at the concept of nano-biomimicry (biomimicry on nano
level) and its usage in architecture. The main concern of this research is to arrive to a better understanding of the
levels of implementation of nano-biomimicry for sustainability in architecture. The research uses qualitative
method and case study approach to analyze and evaluate the levels of implementation of nano-biomimicry in
sustainable architecture. It leads to a new understanding of the levels of implementation for nano-biomimicry for
achieving sustainability in architecture and considers an expansion of the old categorization into seven categories
including form, materials, construction, function, system, computer modelling, and robotic strategies.
Keywords: Biomimicry, Nanotechnology, Sustainability, Affordability, Architecture, nano-biomimicry.
* Corresponding Author: kahhhtchi@gmail.com
Vol. 23, No.03, May 2019
ISSN 2520-0917
https://doi.org/10.31272/jeasd.23.3.3
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Journal of Engineering and Sustainable Development Vol. 23, No.03, May 2019
1. Introduction
Nature functions do not produce waste over long time, therefore they are sustainable. Thus,
researchers try to learn and mimic these functions to achieve sustainability. Although, the
concept of learning and mimicking nature is not new, Biomimicry, as an approach of thinking
looking at nature as a source of inspiration, re- emerged recently to imitate natural functions
at more extended levels. The re-emerging attitude of learning from life is inspiring
architecture to find new solutions to achieve sustainability. This in conjunction with the
advances made by nanotechnology, which is the study of the control of matter with atomic
precision, helped in developing materials or devices at Nano-scale which could be widely
used for architectural applications to produce sustainable architecture at Nano level. Although
biomimicry and nanotechnology are not new to building design, construction and system, the
categorization of nano-biomimicry potential in achieving sustainable architecture needs to be
refined and updated if we are to produce sustainable architecture on the grounds of nano-
biomimicry technology.
This research is concerned with understanding the benefits of biomimicry for sustainability
in architecture. Its goal is to re-categories and understand sustainability advantages that could
be achieved through biomimicry on different levels in architecture. In order to answer the
research question, the researchers have laid down a set of objectives and steps to follow:
What is Nanotechnology, Biomimicry, Sustainability, Organic architecture and New
Organic architecture, and what is the relation between them?
What are the levels of applying nanotechnology-biomimicry in architecture to achieve
sustainability from the academic literature?
How and in what levels could nanotechnology-Biomimicry be implemented in
architecture in practice?
2. Research Objectives and Methods
Materials at nano-scale have unique characteristics compared to same materials at micro or
large scale. Most creatures employ these characteristics in their everyday functions and
achieve high sustainability. Although biomimicry is used on macro or large scale to achieve
sustainable architecture, nano-biomimicry is still new and need to be explored especially with
the new technologies of the 21st century that allowed this development. This research is
focusing on the role of nanotechnology for sustainable architectural applications. The main
objective of this research is to analyze the different levels of applying nano-biomimicry in
Architecture. An understanding of the categorization should lead to better understanding of
the potential outcomes of using this technology, thus better building performance overall.
The research uses qualitative methods and case study approach to achieve its goal. It is
arranged into three parts, it starts by giving brief background about bio-based architecture and
defining/discussing important keywords such as Nanotechnology, Biomimicry, Sustainability,
Organic architecture and New Organic architecture, and try to analyze and discuss the
possible relationship between them. Afterwards, the research critically analyze the different
usage of nano-biomimicry in architecture and the levels of usage as categorized in the
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academic literature. Finally, the research will try to examine and analyze the implementation
of nano-biomimicry in practice through a series of case studies.
3. Defining Of Research Keywords
Nanotechnology: Nanotechnology is the science that study the ability to build systems,
devices and materials at atomic precision. The US "National Science and Technology Council"
states “The essence of nanotechnology is the ability to work at the molecular level, atom by
atom, to create large structures with fundamentally new molecular organization" (Mansoori &
Soelaiman, 2005, p. 1). The promise and essence of the nanotechnology is because materials
at the nano scale, nanometer equals 10-9 meter, have properties different from the bulk
materials (Nanotechnology – An Introduction for the Standards Community, 2005, pp. 1-2).
Many innovations made by nanotechnology take inspiration from nature. Even though
science concerning about nano scale is often regarded as a part of the future, it is really the
basis for materials and systems in our living and non-living world. We can notice examples
of nanoscience in many organisms, from geckos that can walk on a wall or a ceiling, defying
against gravity, butterflies with different colors, to some insects that glow at night. In nature,
we encounter some outstanding solutions to complex problems in the form of fine structures
at nano scale with functions associated with forms. In recent years, researchers have had
access to new scientific tools to study structures related to functions of nature in depth. This
has further inspired researches in the nanoscience and nanotechnologies. Therefore, in depth,
natural science is the inspiration for nanotechnologies (NANOTECHNOLOGIES Principles,
Applications, Implications and Hands-on Activities: A compendium for educators, 2013).
Biomimicry: biomimicry as a term composed of (bios: which means living things,
mimesis: which means imitation), is a new way of looking at nature, depending not only on
the ability to extract from the nature, but on learning from it (Pourjafar, Mahmoudinejad, &
Ahadian, 2011, p. 75). However, this concept of finding inspiration from nature is not new.
For example, Leonardo Da Vinci’s own sketchbooks were evidence for his designs that were
found in the natural world ( Alawad , 2014, p. 140)
Biomimicry started to appear as the beginnings of 1982, published as concept (Benyus,
Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, 1997) in the book titled "Biomimicry:
Innovation Inspired by Nature". It is defined in the book as a "new science that studies
nature's models and then imitates or takes inspiration from these designs and processes to
solve human problems". Biomimicry is inspiring architectural design to find new forms and
functions (Benyus, A good place to settle: Biomimicry, biophila, and the return to nature’s
inspiration to architecture, 2008).
Sustainability: Sustainability is "The development that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (Adams,
2006), while we could define sustainable architecture as "The creation of buildings for which
only renewable resources are consumed throughout the process of design" (RAIC, 2016).
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4. The Development of Architectural Bio-mimicry Philosophies
Organic architecture:
The expression organic was first brought up in biology, and then it has been borrowed in
architecture and continued for more than half a century. "Organic" can be used about the
structure and skeleton of nature creatures (Pourjafar, Mahmoudinejad, & Ahadian, 2011, p.
78). Organic architecture adopts a design approach inspiring from principles of nature, going
back to local site and cultural connections to produce architecture related to nature (Pourjafar,
Mahmoudinejad, & Ahadian, 2011, p. 79)."Wright" as one of the effective pioneer of 20th
century architecture, created a kind of Organic Architecture by designing non-symmetrical
plans, creating movement, using the environment‘s materials and emerging the architecture
with the nature. However, architectural form was designed without paying attention to the real
function of the design (Pourjafar, Mahmoudinejad, & Ahadian, 2011, p. 79). An example of
the 20th century is the design of Frank Lloyd Wrights for Johnson Wax building (Pawlyn,
2011, p. 4). Organic architect designs a building that is based on organism stylistically or
aesthetically, but it is built or has functions conventionally (Zari, 2014, p. 8). Arciszewski and
Kicinger named this trend of design as "visual Inspiration", which involves only with a
picture of living organisms to create similarity with( Alawad , 2014, p. 141). In summary,
Organic Architecture is concerned in the similarities in appearance with nature forms without
giving any attention to construction, function or system, which make it the weakest in
relationship with providing sustainability.
New organic architecture or Bio-Architecture:
A completely different a way of thinking that takes the idea of biomimicry further and
imitates living materials to design a living object. This approach extend the idea of copying
and merges biology with the architecture (Ofluoglu, 2014, p. 30). New (organic architecture)
connects built design, structure and materials with sources of forms and functions found in
nature, studies the natural principles of animal and human constructions from several different
perspectives (Pourjafar, Mahmoudinejad, & Ahadian, 2011, p. 79).
Biomimicry and sustainability:
Nature has the most optimized organization in terms of form and function, which can
provide designs that are useful and sustainable, enabling architects to appreciate the real value
an application of nature in creating and producing sustainable and efficient buildings (
Alawad , 2014, p. 141). The need to conserve resources makes it necessary for going back to
Nature. Researchers, architects and designers, move this idea to their fields, called as
"Bioneers" and their way of designing called "biomimicry" (Pourjafar, Mahmoudinejad, &
Ahadian, 2011, p. 75), they learns by studying and imitating nature’s forms and functions to
design better sustainable technologies. The question is about the nature mimicking level is
needed to achieve sustainable architecture.
Nanotechnology and Biomimicry:
The implications of nanotechnology in the trend of biomimicry could be called Nano-
biomimicry; it refers to imitation of living creatures nano and macro scale in materials or
structures in addition to processes found in nature (Dumitrescu, 2014). Nano biomimicryThe
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"bio" as from a Greek word means life; while "mimicry" means to copy. Addingnano
narrows the field to the nano scale, from 1 to 100 nanometers." (ANTONESCU, 2014, p. 5).
Many smart materials are made by nanotechnology such as shape-memory materials,
which can remember its shape at a particular temperature after expanding or stretching, piezo-
electric alloys and plastic materials, which can be stretched by changing voltage and also
other materials which can decrease their transparency and colors, or save information, or
translate sound, and light to each other through sensors. (Altun & Örgülü, 2014, p. 6).
Arciszewski & Cornell (2006) argued that Bio-inspiration in design can be used, according to
scale, on several levels including nano, micro, and macro levels. The nano level deals with
individual atoms, the micro-level deals with the system’s components, and the macro-level
deals with the whole engineering system (Arciszewski & Cornell, 2006, p. 34).
5. Examples of using nano-biomimicry materials
Organisms use a variety of materials for different functions. That inspire nanotechnology
engineers to mimic nature, in their use of materials and functions, some are:
Self-Assembly: An organism has the ability to direct its own process of development.
Many self-assembling systems have been developed by nanotechnology which range
from biopolymers to complex DNA structures which could be useful for a wide range of
applications(Zhang, 2002, p. 321).
University of Michigan nano- engineers are working on creating self-assembling robots
that can build themselves into any form required under remote control, it would assemble
modules together with spray able foam (Yeadon Space Eagency New York City, 2015).
Self-Healing: Living organisms can repair their bodies, if damage is incurred.
Researchers at University of Illinois have developed materials at nano scale that can
heal, and regenerate itself (Yeadon Space Eagency New York City, 2015).The
Bombardier beetle's powerful repellent spray, for example, inspired a Swedish company
to design a "micro mist" technology of spraying, which aims to make a neglected carbon
impact (ANTONESCU, 2014, p. 11).
Sensing and Responding: An organism has many levels of feed backing systems of
sensing and responding (Benyus, Biomimicry Pop!Tech Lecture Series, 2004)
Researchers at Seoul National University have made a new type of artificial skin from
silicon nanoribbons that can sense strain, pressure, humidity and temperature. The skin,
which contains stretchable multi-electrode arrays, can be used in application of robots
(Yeadon Space Eagency New York City, 2015).
Self-cleaning: The leaves of the lotus flower (Nelumbo) has very high water repellence
which keep it always clean (Benyus, Biomimicry Pop!Tech Lecture Series, 2004).
This property of lotus surfaces was studied and mimicked by nano engineers (by using
nano TiO2) to design self-cleaning surfaces that can keep themselves dry and clean
themselves as the lotus leaf dose (ANTONESCU, 2014, p. 3).
Water Collecting: The Stenocara beetle can gather water; it lives in a very hot, dry
desert nature and can survive (Benyus, Biomimicry Pop!Tech Lecture Series, 2004).
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Researchers and designers at MIT design surfaces on a concept inspired by the
Stenocara's covering shell using nanomaterials. They have made a surface that can gather
water from the air (ANTONESCU, 2014, p. 11).
Solar Transformations: Many nature creatures act with respond and active behavior to
the sun to maximize their energy needs(Benyus, Biomimicry Pop!Tech Lecture Series,
2004). Solar Botanic is a company "specializes in harvesting the energy from the sun and
wind through nanotechnologies", focuses on energy solar cells, and have designed a
concept called the "Energy Harvesting Trees", that can make use of solar energy from the
sun as well as wind power to produce energy (MB-BigB, 2015).
Materials as Systems: Nature builds their bodies from small to large with a fitness of
function (Benyus, Biomimicry Pop!Tech Lecture Series, 2004). (Addington & Schodek,
2005) Nano technology make it possible to produce smart materials which can do the
function as a system as:
1-"Immediacy", which is a real-time acting and responding.
2- "Transiency", which is a responsive to multi environmental state.
3- "Self-actuation", which is material intelligence.
4- "Selectivity", which is a response that can be predictable.
5- "Directness", which is a response locally to the activating state.
Material Recycling: Organisms create their skeletons using materials that can be fully
recycled after their death (Benyus, Biomimicry Pop!Tech Lecture Series, 2004).
Energy Saving: Nature systems use a minimal energy for their functions (Benyus,
Biomimicry Pop!Tech Lecture Series, 2004).
Above are only few examples of what nature can offer as models to imitate for the
creation of new materials, which are then can be developed by producing nanomaterials and
devices and used into applications for energy photovoltaics, various sensors, water filtration,
thermal or sound insulations and many other products (Dumitrescu, 2014). Architects can use
these applications to improve the sustainability of architecture.
6. Levels of Biomimicry in Architecture:
Benyus (1997) explains the foundation of biomimicry with three aspects of nature:
1- Nature could be a model: where researchers and designers examines the nature’s
models and copy or imitate designs of nature for problem solving.
2- Nature could be a measure: where researchers and designers uses the natural
ecological sustainable balance to measure if the design has benefits.
3- Nature could be a mentor: where researchers and designers follow an approach to
learn from (Benyus, Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, 1997, p. 9).
She said that "biomimicry inspires architecture in different levels as biology does in
nature and these levels can be summarized under three categories: (1) form, (2) process, (3)
ecosystem". She argued that good relationship is important between biomimicry research and
production technologies (or architecture technologies) to improve sustainability (Benyus,
Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, 1997, p. 19). However, another classification of
biomimicry levels mentioned by Arciszewski as "Bio-inspiration" in Conceptual Design. He
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classified it to three levels: visual, conceptual and computational inspiration, considering its
character. He argued that Visual inspiration in design could be described as the use of pictures
of living creatures or their organs to design similar-looking industrial systems or components.
Conceptual inspiration provides knowledge that improve our understanding of nature,
that could be applied to the design using abstraction. Computational inspiration depends on
the level of computational process, which are inspired by natural mechanisms of evolution
(Arciszewski & Cornell, 2006, p. 37). Biomimicry approach leads to an important question
about "Form or Function" associated with "what are the levels could adopt in design?",
which improve thinking about the patterns, shapes, systems or structures that found in the
natural world and the way these can be translated to industrial design ( Kenny, Desha,
Kumar, & Hargroves, 2012, p. 6). This question make it important to explore levels in more
details to examine the biomimicry level which is make an architecture behaves as near as
possible as nature does.
As shown above, there is a need in the literature to examine more levels of biomimicry
than "form, process, ecosystem", "form and function " or "Conceptual Design". This research
try to suggest an expansion of nano-biomimicry in architecture into seven levels. The new
categorization are based on the main usage of nano-biomimicry in architecture.
7. Nanotechnology and Levels of Biomimicry in Architecture
7.1. Level 1: Form (what dose an architecture look like?).
Advances achieved in the field of microscope technology (enables researcher to discover
new forms at nano scale. This helps to mimic biological forms in order to produce building
solutions with similar properties. Architects got benefits to find new source of inspiration to
imitate at nano scale, for example carbon nano tubes was inspired by Allard Architects to
design the Nano Towers in Dubai. The form created as repetitive grid of hexagonal structure,
while a nano scale carbon tube (Fig. 1) inspires the entire facade of the tower (Vanguarq ,
2015). If the designer, only copy forms discovering at nano scale, this will make the
biomimicry level is the least unless using the other levels of materials, function, etc. as will be
described in the following levels.
Figure 1: The Nano Towers in Dubai By Allard Architecture
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7.2. Level 2: Material (what is an architecture made out of?).
Nature builds structures in a way searching for the least energy's consumption. Natural
creatures chose materials based on function and conformity in harmony with their forms.
They always look for making possible material at lowest amount of resources. Many
examples occurs In the traditional Iranian architecture (Pourjafar, Mahmoudinejad, &
Ahadian, 2011, p. 80). In recent years, Nanotechnology provides necessary materials for
"technology transfer" from nature to engineering.
Many nanomaterials have already been available , and nanoparticles could be added to
traditional materials to produce better nano-composites and have new multifunctional
properties. In addition, it is expected that these materials will greatly improve the function,
durability, and strength of these materials (Altun & Örgülü, 2014). As an example, they have
studied the adhesion abilities of the gecko’s feet to produce nano adhesion that could be used
in many applications (Fig. No.2). They discovered that the surface of a lotus leaf was made up
of a form of nano structure that has the ability to be clean (Fig. No.3), which could be used in
many architectural self-cleaning surfaces.The Manuel Gea Gonzalez (Hospital) project in
Mexico (Fig. No. 4) was built using modules system (Salla, 2014). The building was covered
with TiO2, a nanomaterial that has anti-pollution and smog-eating properties as it help
breaking down pollution particles into less dangerous particles, it can also prevent the growth
of bacteria. Nanotechnology has the potentiality to produce materials mimicking nature with
superior properties that improve mechanical performance, durability and sustainability. An
architecture, if it is designed at this level, will be more sustainable.
Figure 2:
Figure 3: Lotus leaf
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Figure 4: The Torre de Especialidades facade at the Hospital of Manuel Gea Gonzalez
7.3. Level 3: Construction (how is an architecture built?).
This level is about (how is an architecture built?), it needs a knowledge about the way of
assembling or chemical processing that nature applies to built ( Kenny, Desha, Kumar, &
Hargroves, 2012, p. 7). Some studies concerns about the possibility of an architecture that is
following the concept of self-generating by its own DNA like nature creature's growing,
surviving and even demolishing though using nanotechnology. This lead to develop
sustainable and livable architecture derived from the nature, it is not only concerning of
looking for different, attractive forms; it is about minimizing the needs of environmental
resources. (Altun & Örgülü, 2014).
At this level, the building is built by imitating nature; it passes various life cycles. An
example is the project the Fab Tree Hab design (Fig., No.5), a living structure single-family
home, presents a complicated methodology to grow homes from living local trees. The
method is to allow plants to grow over a computer-designed (CNC) removable plywood
scaffold. Once the plants are grown and stable, the plywood is removed and if needed to be
reused. The inside walls would be conventional materials as clay and plaster (Joachim,
Arbona, & Greden, 2015).
There are few studies on a building that is self-generated like an organism, growing,
surviving and even dying though using the potentiality of biomimicry and nanotechnology.
That may be used by contemporary and future architects to develop sustainable architecture
harmonized with nature to reduce using natural resources (Altun & Örgülü, 2014). This type
of design approach could be named as "New Organic Architecture" based on more interaction
with nature comparing with "Organic Architecture" of the 20th century that is defined before
in the beginning of the research. Construction level of biomimicry not only use nanomaterials,
but gets benefits from the advances made by other technologies available to mimic the growth
process in nature.
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Figure 5: Fab Tree Hab
7.4. Level 4: Function (what is an architecture able to do?).
Advances made by nanotechnology helped Engineers to study and mimic organisms (
BARTHELAT, 2007, p. 2907). Nano engineers and designers tries to produce new
nanomaterials and structures that active with the environment to minimize, re-act, self-heal,
energy-save to produce smart building materials, nanostructured materials for solar energy
conversion and storage, to obtain sustainability just like natural creatures ( Kim, 2014).
Biomimicry at "the level of function" is following the use of nature’s effective functions
such as temperature controlling system, controlling light and providing ventilation, etc. One
approach is to merge responsive materials with other materials that harvest energy from the
sun or other resources to produce mechanical energy to change and reshape the structures into
a wide range of variations of facade patterns. These merging systems generate a new types of
smart materials that can be active with environmental conditions such as reversibly switching.
That could design components with new functions important for various applications ( Kim,
2014).
The advances made by technology, helps designers to develop a way to keep an
architecture that can be naturally cooler by studying the nature principles, solutions is made
by imitating an organism’s physical solutions. An example at this level, based on biomimicry
of form and function is "Waterloo International Terminal", designed by Nicolas Grimshaw &
Partners where glass panels used by imitating a pangolins outer (Fig. No.6) (Ofluoglu, 2014,
p. 33). Nature could introduce models for engineers, for example, copying solar cells from
leaves (Benyus, Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, 1997, p. 3) or imitating the
unique texture of lotus leaves (Pourjafar, Mahmoudinejad, & Ahadian, 2011, p. 75). That
leads to many design innovations like paint that enables facades of buildings to be self-
cleaning (Pawlyn, 2011, p. 3), where surfaces can stay dry and clean themselves as this lotus
leaf does ( Alawad , 2014, p. 141). An example of using nano (TiO2), as self-cleaning facade
on the Torre de Especialidades at the Hospital Manuel Gea Gonzalez in Mexico City (Fig.
No.4 and 3), where the modules used in facade contain nano (TiO2), an anti-pollution
technology that is activated by daylight. When stands near pollution sources, "the modules
break down and neutralize NOx (nitrogen oxides), VOCs (volatile organic compounds), SO2"
(eVob, 2015). The building, if designed at this level, will be made from copying material
from nature organisms; a material that imitates skin for example (Zari, 2014, p. 4). The
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building also could be built of new materials that make a good emulation of life, built on
learning from nature or "doing it as nature way" (Benyus, Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by
Nature, 1997, p. 2). Architects got benefits for these advances made to look at the living
world for solutions, to imitate organisms that have solved similar solutions (Zari, 2014, p. 2).
Figure 6: Waterloo International Terminal and the idea
7.5. Level 5: System (how does an architecture work?)
Several examples of organic species in nature, alters their own habitats and environments,
due to increase in sustainable cycling and creating good benefits to relationships between
natural creatures. The building imitating of organic species is often termed "animal
architecture", which provide successful examples of sustainable systems to architects (Zari,
2014, p. 6). Mimicking the systems is the most complex level of biomimicry. It is important
to consider that, in nature, nothing exists without relation to the whole. This concept could
move to architecture by creating a sustainable system that works by a group of wide different
companies having the benefits from each other’s. It could work in large or town scale, that
may include the cooperation of energy harvesting, water filtration and wastewater; and merge
services to get benefits from each other's ( Kenny, Desha, Kumar, & Hargroves, 2012, p. 7).
Benyus (2008) mentioned, Biomimicry is not a style of building, nor is a design product. It
is, rather, a design process, a way of finding solutions, which make the designer able to solve
a problem of functions of design, like flexibility, adaptability, the ability to have strength
under tension, wind resistance, sound isolation, cooling, heating, etc., by seeking out a local
nature creatures or ecosystem.
In the light of these words, a whole system should get the advantages of the other levels
to achieve a sustainable environment. It may begin from a micro scale and moves to be
applied to a mega scale like green skyscrapers (Ofluoglu, 2014, p. 34). An example for using
series of systems (with the aid of using nanomaterials and devices), is the design for the
Garden by the Bay in Singapore, which design to be powered by Solar-Powered mega "Super
trees", having two cooled conservatories, the Flower Dome (cool dry biomimicry) and Cloud
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Forest (cool moist biomimicry) (Fig. No.7) (Atelierten, 2015). Biomimicry at this level could
be a result of imitating organism with the aid of advanced building technology or materials to
increase sustainability (Zari, 2014, p. 5). It can be achieved to explore and understand how an
organism connected and behaves in its own local environment. It is possible to understand
this level with observing how natural creature tend to behave in its environmental community
and within minimum use of energy and material. The building works in the same way as a
natural creatures would; form, shape, materials selection, natural ventilation and energy
saving.
An advantage of designing at this level is the cooperation with other levels of
biomimicry. In architecture, it is expected that a series of systems could be used and interact
like biological system as complex relationship (Zari, 2014, p. 4). If building could be
designed to function as nature systems, this would make the potentiality to improve building
sustainable environment (Zari, 2014, p. 8). There is a potential application to achieve multiple
scale to adopt benefit solutions. Indeed, using a "systems thinking" approach with biomimicry
at the system level has the potential for urban solutions ( Kenny, Desha, Kumar, & Hargroves,
2012, p. 9). This level is the best and most complicated level, because biomimicry here is
based on designing architecture that behaves as a nature system, with a balanced biological
system.
Figure 7: Gardens by the bay
7.6. Level 6: Computer modeling (how does an architecture form generating from nature
with the aid of computer modelling?).
Architects use a wide range of design attitudes following nature using biomimicry as
source of inspiration, but with the aid of computer modelling. The methods and using
algorithms of generative modelling using special programmers can be improved by the study
of computational models following natural processes and using their application to
architectural design ( HANAFIN, DATTA , & ROLFE , 2011, p. 176).
With the help of benefits of developed relationships between architecture and
nanotechnology and computer modelling, the new organic forms inspired by nature could be
derived using computational programmers and some of them are produced. Examples of
tree-like façades in architecture, Omotesando building in Tokyo by architect Toyo Ito (Fig.
No.8).
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Figure 8: Omotesando building in Tokyo
7.7. Level 7: The role of robotic strategies in architecture biomimicry.
In the past few years, the use of robots in architecture has taken great steps, due to the
advances achieved in the fields of digitalization, virtualization, and automating. Digital
information is used not only for informing plans, but to create materials that will construct a
building using architectural robots like (3D printers, robotic fabrication) by mimicking nature.
3D printers may help architects in future, to redesign their manufacturing patterns, while
mimicking nature organisms like spiders. That make a potentiality to print large structures,
using advanced concrete or other advanced materials, to provide extra strength where it is
needed and conserve material where it is not, just as nature do (Woolley-Barker, 2013). For
example, the team of "Architectural Association grads" designed on a concept called "Proto
Home", which improve a new way of construction using the strengths of 3-D printing. The
spindly structure designed to imitate, the grow of bones in human (Fig. No.9) (Fastcodesign,
2015). Robotic production applications designed to be applied from micro scale to mega
scale. A new group of researchers, artists , designer and fabricators have begun to use
robotic fabrication technology in architecture. An example is the project, the ICD/ITKE
research pavilions (Fig. No.10), where it has been designed to use glass and carbon fibers
that are woven depending on light steel structure to make each unique panel (Designboom,
2015).
Biomimicry at this level is improved when influenced by biomimetic processes, through
copying material organization strategies which can be found in most natural constructions and
play an important role in their material efficiency.
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Journal of Engineering and Sustainable Development Vol. 23, No.03, May 2019
Figure 9: A 3-D Printed House That Grows Like Human Bone
Figure 10: The ICD/ITKE research pavilions
8. Conclusions
Nanomaterials and nano-devices may have unique properties. It could be used for self-
cleaning, self-healing, sensing/responding, water collecting, solar transforming and other
uses. It also provides the means to produce materials that function as system, be able to be
recycled, or save energy and more. These new nano products move the old concept of
imitating nature in "Organic Architecture" of the 20th century, which was connected with
visual imitation to further extended levels of relationship with nature. Biomimicry is a new
way of thinking in compliance with nature and considers it as a source of inspiration. The
world have seen rapid breakthroughs in biomimicry research that happened simultaneously
with the advances in nanotechnology. The interaction between these two technologies resulted
in the formation of new methods for achieving sustainability in architecture called nano-
biomimicry. Nano-biomimicry technology, used by organic creatures for centuries, can finally
be implemented to help addressing some key issues facing current and future generations.
The use of nano-biomimicry in architecture to achieve sustainability is one of the main
benefits of this technology in architecture. This research re-characterized the usage of nano-
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Journal of Engineering and Sustainable Development Vol. 23, No.03, May 2019
biomimicry for sustainable architecture into seven levels: form, materials, construction,
function, system, computer modelling and robotic strategies. The case studies discussed and
analyzed in this research shows these levels in practice. The following table illustrates and
summarizes the different case studies in this research and the levels of nano-biomimicry
implemented in the each of them that could help achieving sustainability.
Table 1: The different case studies discussed and the level of nano-biomimicry implemented
Although, the case studies discussed differ in the levels of implementation for nano-
biomimicry to achieve sustainable architecture, system level is by far the nearest to satisfy
sustainability, because it is dealing with architecture as a whole system as nature do. With the
help of interdisciplinary relationships between architecture, nanotechnology and biomimicry,
a new architectural approach that relates to nature is formed and could be called "new organic
architecture".
The concept of Nano-biomimicry, although huge with many variations, it could lead to
rapid advances in achieving sustainability in architecture and building. Thus, further research
and study is required to highlight the different potentials of this technology in building design,
construction and subsystems. Additionally, this could be a much easier approach to achieve
sustainability in buildings. By using Biomimicry, we are trying to mimic creatures that have
been living in harmony with the nature for millions of years now that we have the technology
to do that on nanoscale through nanotechnology.
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