BIOMIMICRY

Nature as Model, Measure, and Mentor

BI-O-MIM-IC-RY
(From the Greek bios, life, and mimesis, imitation)

Nature

as model.

Nature

as measure.

Nature

as mentor.

Biomimicry is a new science

that studies Natures models and then imitates or takes
inspiration from these designs and processes to solve
human problems.
Biomimicry uses an
ecological standard to judge rightness of our
innovations.
Biomimicry is a new way of

viewing and valuing Nature.

Energy Efficiency: Learning from

Nature how to create flow without
friction.

PAX Fans and Impellers

Design: How does Nature

attach and detach?
Gecko tape

Toxics: Learning from plants how to

clean without cleaners:
The Lotus Effect

Architecture: Learning from termites how to create sustainable buildings:

Passive Climate Control in the Eastport Building, Harare Zimbabwe

Transportation: How does

Nature travel quickly and
smoothly?
The Shinkansen Bullet
Train in Japan

Medicine: Learning from Chimpanzees how to heal

ourselves

Human Safety:
Learning from Dolphins how to warn people about Tsunamis

Climate Change:
Learning from human lungs how to sequester carbon

Agriculture: Learning from prairies how to grow food

sustainably

The Biomimicry Guilds

Functional Taxonomy
Function is the pivot between lifes wisdom and what we
are trying to achieve intentionally.

What function do you want your design to perform?

How does life perform that function?

The Biomimicry Guild has produced an organized

collection of functions that covers everything that life
does and that we might want a design to do.
The functions are grouped by similarity so its called a
taxonomy (an organized system of naming) of functions.

Identify the Real Challenge

Dont ask what do you want to design? (an air conditioner)

Ask what do you want your design to do? (make people feel cooler)

Ask why? multiple times: (Challenge: Air conditioners use lots of energy
because they use heat to dry desiccants that dehumidify air and then they
must cool the heated air.)

Why use desiccants? (To dry the air)

Why do the units dry air? (Because high humidity makes air feel warmer)

Why are they using heat? (To drive the moisture out of the desiccant so it
can be reused)

So, you want a design to pull moisture

out of air and cool the air!

Develop a Design Brief for the Needed Function

Biologize

the Question:

Identify functions (i.e. purpose, role, or use)

How does Nature do that function?
How does Nature not do that function?

Reframe

questions with additional

keywords.

Develop a Design Brief for the Needed Function

Define Operating Parameters;

Climate conditions: (wet, dry, cold, hot, low/high

pressure, highly variable, high/low UV,etc.)
Nutrient conditions: (nutrient poor =no $,
nutrient rich = lots of available materials)
Social conditions: (competitive, cooperative)
Temporal conditions: (dynamic, static, growing,
ageing)

After defining operating parameters, ask:

How does Nature do that function HERE?
In these conditions?

Integrate Life's Principles

into the Design Brief

Optimize rather than maximize

Locally attuned and responsive
Build in resilience
Leverage interdependence
Integrate cyclic processes
Use benign manufacturing

Find The Best Natural Models

Go

for a walk outside

Consider both literal and metaphorical
models
Comb the literature
Brainstorm with Biologists

Identify Deep Patterns and

Principles
Look

across discovered strategies

Look at the strategies collectively

Specific to your desired function, what

does each strategy have in common?
How are they different?

Deepen the Conversation

Are

you mimicking form?

Can you mimic process?
Can you mimic the ecosystem?
Does the design
create conditions conducive to life?

Evaluate your findings

Can

it adapt and evolve?

Thank your teacher (Nature)

for the inspiration

Nature as Mentor
* Incredibly competent universe
* Natures living examples
* Can live abundantly
and enhance where you live
* Much older mentors have
figured it out
* We can do the same thing
JANINE BENYUS

?? Questions ??
How can EPA use Biomimicry to meet our
mission?

Where are the leverage points EPA can

use to promote Biomimicry as part of a
sustainable ecosystem approach?