A definition of Biomimicry:
Biomimicry is an approach to the design and production of structures, materials and systems based on nature’s processes and strategies. It is inspired by the understanding that animals, plants and microbes have already solved many of the complex problems faced by humans.
A devastating human sustainability problem:
Global warming is a gradual increase of the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere, caused by the greenhouse effect. In natural circumstances the heat that is radiated by the sun should be re-radiated by the earth’s surface, whereby most of the heat escapes into space. However, increased carbon dioxide emissions and other air pollutants by humans cause more heat to be trapped in the
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However, it should be mentioned that some research suggests that the temperature may actually be regulated by other means.
How could the termite’s ingenious passive cooling system be utilised to help fight global warming?
Hypothesis:
The termite’s passive cooling system can be used in architecture to greatly reduce electricity usage needed for air-conditioning.
Aim:
To determine how the termite’s passive cooling system can be mimicked in architecture to reduce electricity needed for air-conditioning.
• Main body of research
Introduction to the Eastgate Centre concept:
Architect Mick Pearce realised that the passive cooling system used by termites to keep their mounds at a constant temperature could be used effectively in human architecture. In 1996 his design, the Eastgate Centre, was opened in Harare, Zimbabwe. This shopping centre and office block is ventilated by natural means, saving large amounts of energy. It provides 5 600 m² of retail space, 26 000 m² of office space and parking for more than 400 cars, making it Zimbabwe’s largest office and shopping complex (Source 4).
Detailed analysis of termite cooling system:
The Eastgate Centre was modelled on an understanding of the termite mound that has since been questioned. More recent research suggests that that the constant temperature in termite mounds is in fact brought about by the active transport of water- soaked earth into the mound and fungi that regulate humidity (Source 5).
Every year air conditioning uses 6% of all the electricity produced in the United States and costs about $29 billion annually. A price anyone would pay to stay cool during those hot summer months. The cool air that circulates your house almost everyday not only keeps you from bearing the heat of the summer sun, but has been proven to improve the efficiency of human beings, as well as improving overall health, giving a fresh supply of air, and controlling the noises of the great outdoors. Throughout the process of creating the modern day air conditioning unit, scientist and innovators have developed the most accessible, reliable, and efficient model that not only keeps people cool through the day but also has been shown to increase work ethic in people and treat certain illnesses.(“Advantages of the Air Conditioners. Advantages of AC.”)
Being environmentally friendly isn’t merely a trend. After thousands of years of using the earth’s resources, we have finally come to realize that we are destroying this beautiful gift we were honored with. Architects play an influential role in trying to preserve this gift by encouraging a multitude of strategies that can be more cost efficient in the long run, be more comfortable for its users, and most importantly, have a lower carbon footprint. Strategies can include drastic changes to heat and air systems, construction material selections, or even specific design details to the architecture of a building that would reduce the amount of energy it consumes.
There are many patterns that can be observed throughout our environment. In this experiment, the temperatures of organisms in a biophysical environment were analyzed to see if a pattern could be recognized that was related to the behavior of an ectotherm. An ectotherm is an organism that relies on the environment to regulate its body temperature. Organisms such as Pseudemys (turtles) and Lacertilia (lizards) are examples or ectotherms. After arriving at Maxcy Gregg Park and analyzing the temperatures of four microhabitats within two habitats with infrared thermometers, the temperatures were compared between the microhabitats. Then, one habitat was chosen to analyze the temperatures between
The architects that built the Eastgate Center in Harare, Zimbabwe was inspired by termite mounds. The termite mounds stay 87 degrees all day and night to grow fungus to eat. Mick Pearce designed Eastgate Center after a termite mound so it stays a good temperature all day and it saves energy by n0t having to heat it. it works because it has all these chimney in the roof. Hot air rises up and out cold air comes in and cools the title. Third, that idea was also used to build the Council House 2 that uses the same pencil of Eastgate center. It cost 11 million to build save about 2 million every year, so in 5-6 year it will pay itself off. Small doesn't mean it could be useful to the
Ectotherms utilize behavioral adaptations to their environment in order to allow heat exchange to take place in a manner better suited for thermoregulation. Serving as model ectotherms, the sugar-covered marshmallows in the shape of the bird, peeps, were subject to two different microhabitats including a sandy and plastic microhabitat to see the rate of temperature over time and the temperature at which a stable internal temperature was reached. It was hypothesized that the peeps would experience more thermal stress and greater/faster thermal rise on the plastic than in the opposing microhabitat: the wet sand, when thermoregulating over time. An experiment at Maxcy Greg park was set up where five peeps were placed into each microhabitat while
Tamashiro, M., Fujii, J., & Lai, P. (1973). A Simple Method to Observe, Trap, and Prepare Large Numbers of Subterranean Termites for Laboratory and Field Experiments. Environmental Entomology, 2(4), 721-722. Retrieved December 10, 2014, from
The oxford dictionary defines biomimicry as the design and production of materials, structures, and systems that are modelled on biological entities and processes. Through biomimicry humans have been able to create production which are mimicking forms of nature.
Global warming is the name given to the increase in the earth’s surface temperature. It is caused by the collection of greenhouse gases, carbon
The inefficient homes in the UK have catastrophic effects on global warming. The UK needs to become more energy efficient as at the moment it emits a large amount of greenhouse gases which risk dangerous climate change. The retrofitting of the brick three storey terraced town house is necessary in order to comply with the legislations set out by parliament in the UK Climate Change Act (2008) or if the house falls under the private rented sector it must comply with the Energy Act 2011.
Thermoregulation is an important bodily function that helps animals maintain homeostasis by preserving their core body temperature between a specific boundary fit for their survival. Since butterflies are ectotherms, their body temperatures mirror those of their external environment. External temperatures affect the enzymatic reactions in the body of insects. Increased external temperatures may increase this reaction, whereas lower external temperature will slow these reactions down making it harder for butterflies to function properly. These reactions affect metabolism and thermoregulation, causing fluctuations in flight patterns.
Chatterjee (1972) and Eggleton (2007), stated that among the beneficial aspect of termite is decomposition, they cause to dead wood in the forest, which would have pile up and suffocate young plants, and through the decomposition they increase mineral component of the soil, by introducing into the soil mineral nutrients of the dead woods, also the burrowing they made in the soil increase water absorbent of the
Termites build some of the most impressive structures in the animal world, consisting of materials such as soil, dung and termite saliva and can be 8m high. The extremely porous walls allow ventilation and cooling systems, due to outside air being able to permeate the entire structure.
This method of cooling techniques is theoretically able to reduce temperatures from 50 to 27 degrees Celsius. The bidding committee also proposes to use such cooling technologies in fan-zones, training pitches and walkways between metro stations and stadiums.
Global warming has become a world wide issue and an issue that is causing great controversy. It is an increase in the earth's atmospheric and oceanic temperatures widely predicted to occur due to an increase in the greenhouse effect resulting especially from pollution (Dictionary). Global warming is a natural process, but because of increase in certain activities this process is taking a faster and more dangerous route creating global problems. Global warming was first theorized in 1894 by Jean Baptiste Joseph Fourier a French mathematician, who noticed the earth was gradually increasing in temperature. He came to the conclusion that the earth’s atmosphere was trapping solar radiation caused by the sun and reflecting this radiation back to
The earth tube system is one of the passive design strategies which has been adapted worldwide from vernacular architectures to modern buildings. Moreover the earth tube system not only can be used in passive design, but also can be coupled with HVAC system. (Suresh K.S, 2015) The main aim of the earth tube is to utilize the relatively constant soil temperature source (Mihalakakou G, 2003) as a heat sink or heat source to temper the ambient air for summer cooling and winter heating. As showed in figure 1, the air flow into the earth tube, which buried underground, from the air inlet to the outlet. (Maerefat M, 2010) In this process, the ambient air can either absorb or release the heat to the ground though the pipe. As a consequence, the tempered ambient air could cool down the room in summer and warm up the room in winter with on or less energy usage. (Wu H, 2007)