biomimicry - the future of sustainable innovation

Pius  Leuba  dit  Galland  雷朴实  Assoc.  Prof./  Director  

BiDL  Biomime9c  Design  Lab  D&I,  TongJi  University  

Biomimicry – The Future of Sustainable Innovation!Shanghai Green Drinks | Game Changers Series!

Our current impact!

Human exploitation!

“Directly or indirectly, the human species already captures nearly 40% of the total biological productivity on land and 70% of the productivity of the marine environment […]. The rate of increase in human use is about 2% per year.” !

http://www.theglobaleducationproject.org/human-conditions.php

“Oceans' Fish Could Disappear by 2050”  May 17, 2010, by AFP: http://news.discovery.com/earth/oceans/oceans-fish-fishing-industry.htm

The biotic crisis!

“…planet Earth has begun the 6th great biological extinction period in its 4.5 billion year history. Previous extinction events reduced biodiversity by up to 70-90%. After past events, recovery took roughly 5 million years. !However, the current depletion […] of tropical forests, wetlands, estuaries and coral reefs (“engines of biodiversity”), may have profound effects on the evolutionary processes that have previously fostered re-diversification. Even our largest protected areas will be far too small for the further speciation of large vertebrates. !!On the time scale of the human species, this environmental disruption (or at least aspects of it) is permanent.!

http://www.theglobaleducationproject.org/human-conditions.php

(Note: Our modern human species is about 20,0000 years old)!

Nature taps the power of limits!

!!!!!!!!!!!!1.  Earth’s Water!2.  Earth’s Atmosphere!3.  Earth’s Landmass!

© Adam Neiman

These 3 spheres are Earth’s only life resources. It’s where life succeeded to evolve for 3.8 billion years. It’s also where we put all our waste & toxins. !

Pearce, F., 2010, Earth’s Nine Lives, New Scientist, 27 Feb., vol. 205, no 2749, pp 31-35

Nature, September, 2009

Scientific American, April, 2010

Earth’s Life Cycles!

Level of (irreparable?) damage to Earth’s life support systems!!

EPI Environmental Performance Index 2014!

http://epi.yale.edu/

118. China

1. Switzerland

Switzerland’s Ecological Footprint!

Switzerland's footprint is more than four times larger than its biocapacity: 5 global hectares (gha) per capita vs. a biocapacity of only 1.2 gha per capita.!!An average person living in Switzerland needs 2.4 Planet Earths.!!!

Swiss Federal Statistical Office: Sustainable development. 2010

Our Extinction?!

It is estimated that only 0.1% of all species that ever existed are still alive today. 99.9% are extinct. !!Only the most adapted ones survive. !!Due to human impact, current extinction rates are about 1000 times higher than in previous millennia.!!Are we well adapted or mal-adapted to Earth’s circumstances?!

Bishop's O`o

1915

Acknowledge that we need to restore what we’ve destroyed,!before we can even talk about sustaining it!

Regeneration!

Change from Dominator to Benefactor !– for our own sake!!

Every action/project needs to leave our environment a better place than what we found it. Not ‘less bad’ but ‘more good’ à POSITIVE IMPACT!

But where to learn from?!

Nature seems the only true sustainable example!

Single-Celled Organisms!

•  2.5  billion  years  old  •  S9ll  around  today  

•  Features  feedback  loops  (learn,  adapt…)  •  No  human  ar9fact  does  that  

http://voices.nationalgeographic.com, picture by by Aaron J. Bell, Science Source

Human vs. natural processes!

Biomimetics - its practice and theory-Vincent-J. R. Soc. Interface. 2006-471-82

“At size levels of up to 1m, where most technology is sited, the most important variable for the solution of a problem is manipulation of energy usage […], closely followed by use of material.”!!“… in biology the most important variables for the solution of problems at these scales are information and structure”!

Humans:

Nature:

Truly sustainable building/artifact!

•  Earthquake proof!•  Water/Wind/Sun proof!•  Predator proof!•  Optimal size!•  Minimal materials (1x)!•  Soft/comfortable/cool!•  Easily accessible!•  Self-timed, automatic,

benign disassembly!•  No-Tech!•  Zero external energy!•  Zero toxins!•  …!

Weaver  bird  nest  

Green Chemistry!

People have produced over 300 polymers!

!“Nature works with five polymers. Only five polymers.”! ----Janine Benyus

Elements found in nature-made organisms (28):!

Nature works primarily with:!! !!!!Partially with:!!!!Metals that are present in our bodies, but only as trace elements:!!!!Again metals, but in trace amounts only in few living species!

C    H    N    O  Ca      Cl      Mg      P      K      Na      S  

Co                    Cu                        Fe                        Mn                        Zn  

Il          As              B              Br              Cr              F                  Ga                I                Mo                Se            Si            V  

Magnesium. Humans: 0.05%

WE ARE NATURE !!

•  We contain single celled organisms and depend on them!

•  Innumerable benign chemical processes are constantly occurring within us!

•  We are the pinnacle of natural evolution – but we need to act that way!

•  Will we be able to bring nature/life/evolution to a completely new level?!

water efficiency  

resilient structure  marketing and

advertising  

self-shading shape  

Self-assembly through solar power  zero waste  

protection / security  

Self-organization and optimization  

No-tech recycling  

how can this eco-system inspire your next task?!

Biomimicry!

BIOMIMICRY!

仿生学!ancient practice & emerging discipline!古代练习与进化训练!!!!!!!“I think the biggest innovations of the 21st century will be at the intersection of biology and technology.”!

----Steve Jobs

Biomimicry Definition!

Conscious emulation of natures’ genius 自然基因的自觉仿真!!•  Intended!•  ≠ copy!•  Expertise of 3.8 billion years x 30

million species!!!"Biomimicry is learning from and then emulating natural forms, processes, and ecosystems to create more sustainable designs."!!

----A Biomimicry Primer, Janine M. Benyus, The Biomimicry Institute and the

Biomimicry Guild, 2011

Natural Strategies!

case  studies  :  product  design  

could this be glue without chemicals?

gecko  tape  

Zebra:  air  convec9on  through  temperature  gradient  

Process:  non-­‐mechanical  cooling  system  

how  could  a  zebra  inspire  your  non-­‐mechanical,  individual  cooling  strategy?  

how  could  bees  inspire    your  management  style?    

Swarm-­‐inspired  innova9ve  leadership:  bioteams  

Process:  instant  &  permanent  chemical  communica9on  

Could  this  be  a  subway  map?  

slime  mold  generated  Tokyo  rail  map  

Systemic:  Instant  Demand  &  Supply  

Could  this  be  a  model  for  your  firm’s  manufacturing  system?  

Localiza9on  &  connec9ons  

Systemic:  Proximity  of  resource  &  users    

could  this  be  a  model  for  a    mixed-­‐use,  sustainable  neighborhood?  

symbiosis  and  shared  use  

Systemic:  Mutual  benefits  through  resource  cycles  

Case studies!

DYESOL – Man-made photosynthesis!

Get energy without fossil fuel!不用矿物燃料得到能源!!•  Uses only solar energy!•  Uses photosynthesis

(not creating electricity, splits water!)!

•  Creates chemical energy, not physical!

•  Dyesol: sandwiched glass with dye between, acts like photosynthesis to create small current, in any location, position and lighting levels!

Lotusan I Mincor – repel water and dirt!

Self-clean without chemicals!不用化学剂实现自我清洁!!Many large-winged insects and plant surfaces remain dirt-free without chemical detergents or expending energy, simply by how their complex surface topography affects physics of water molecules…”!•  Water rolls over bumps!•  Carries away impurities!•  Lotus effect!!

BASF I Sharklet – prevent bacteria & parasites!

Self-clean without chemicals!不用化学剂实现自我清洁!!•  Galapagos shark!•  Algae and bacteria

deposits!•  Skin structure does not

allow to get a grip!•  Useful for hospitals,

labs, doorknobs, handrails!

Mirasol | Qualcomm – Structural colors

Color without pigment!不用涂料上色!!Morpho butterflies display a life-long, vibrant blue, without paint or color. Their wing scales contain many protein layers that refract light in selected ways. Color we see is due to the play of light and structure instead of pigments.”!Wavelengths of unwanted colors cancel each other out (light interference).!

http://www.asknature.org/#

XYLEM STRUCTURE - Raise water without pump!

Synthetic Tree, by Cornell & Kate McCulloh, Univ. of Utah!!•  High-rise water pumping

needs lots of energy!•  Redwoods are 100m tall!•  Every leaf has stomata

(pores)!•  Evaporation of water

creates low pressure (vacuum)!

•  Vision is to create ‘wallpaper’ for bringing water up buildings!

Daimler-Benz Bionic car – Material optimization!

Maximize strength while minimizing material!物尽其用

Trees only add material where strength is needed. Bones remove material where it's not used, optimizing structure for dynamic workloads.!Boxfish form for aerodynamics (no drag & turbulences).!SKO soft-kill option & CAO computer-aided optimizing. Increased stability & safety.!Reduced material & weight by 40-60%.!

CAO & SKO, Karlsruhe Research Centre

Namibian Desert Beetle – Liquefy humidity !

Fog-basking beetle inspired evaporators and condensers!!•  Exoskeleton contains

hydrophilic bumps and hydrophobic valleys!

•  Morning fog from Ocean!•  Stand vertical into the

wind on top of hills!•  Water drop forms until

gravity brings it to its mouth!

!

Grimshaw I MIT I QinetiQ – Liquefy humidity !

The Water Theatre, !Las Palmas, Design 2005!!Airborne moisture from the evaporators is then collected from the condensers, which are cooled by deep seawater.!!

Carolyn Dry - Self Healing Concrete!

Self-heal, self-maintenance!!•  Rhino horn!•  Non-living tissue!•  Protein-release which

fills the crack!•  Microscopic resin

capsules in concrete!

Carolyn Dry, Natural Process Design Inc. (Univ. of Indiana)!

Doing Biomimicry!

Levels of Biomimicry!

ECOSYSTEM!生态系统

!

PROCESS!过程

FORM!形态

Emulation Level 1: Form!

Form can be seen with your eye, something you can measure (kingfisher beak shape for a train tip.)!!

Kingfisher beak shape inspired shinkansen train tip.!

Emulation Level 2: Process!

The train tip material may still be toxic. How to create the same beak at ambient conditions, no-tech, with the resources that immediately surround you?!

Calera binds half a ton of CO2 when producing a ton of concrete, vs. emitting one ton of CO2.!

•  About 200% stronger than our toughest high-tech ceramics!

Abalone shell!•  made out of chalk

(calcium carbonate) and protein!

Emulation Level 3: (Eco-)Systems!

Kalundborg industrial symbiosis, Denmark!Upcycle ‘Waste’ as nutrients!!

How is the beak in relationship to the bird, to the tree, to the forest, to the biosphere, to the planet?!

Fundamentals!

\ ethos!ethics, moral, philosophy; respect for all life forms.!'FIT IN' on earth; survive and be a beneficial species; 'create conditions conducive to life’!\ emulate!nature as model, mentor and measure (≠ copy, but learning & applying)!\ (re)connect!discover life's genius, quieting human intelligence & listening to nature, rediscover relationship with nature !

Essential Elements - ‘Seeds’ of Biomimicry!

B3.8 & Biomimicry Institute

Life’s Principles 生命的原则!

Overarching patterns found amongst all species surviving and thriving on Earth!!\ 6 master principles !\ 26 overall principles!!Operating conditions:!1.  Limits and boundaries

(the 3 balls)!2.  Gravity, sunlight and

water, size restraints…!3.  Cyclic processes!4.  Dynamic non-

equilibrium!B3.8 & Biomimicry Institute

Life’s Principles 生命的原则!

Evolve to survive 为生存而进化

Be resource efficient 有效的再生资源

Adapt to changing conditions 适应变化的环境

Integrate development with growth整合增长与发展

Be locally attuned and responsive 与当地协调并适应

Use life friendly chemistry 利用有利生命的化学品!

B3.8 & Biomimicry Institute

Life’s Principles!

Life creates conditions conducive to Life…!创造有益于生活的环境!!!

!The principles can act as !•  Model:

innovative strategies!•  Mentor:

aspirational ideals!•  Measure:

sustainable benchmarks!!!

B3.8 & Biomimicry Institute

Life’s Principles!

Life creates conditions conducive to Life…!创造有益于生活的环境!!!

!The principles can act as !•  Model:

innovative strategies!•  Mentor:

aspirational ideals!•  Measure:

sustainable benchmarks!!!

B3.8 & Biomimicry Institute

The method!

Design Lens – Biomimicry Thinking!

While akin to a methodology, Biomimicry Thinking is a framework that is intended to help people practice biomimicry while designing anything. There are four areas in which a biomimicry lens provides the greatest value to the design process:!!\ Scoping!\ Discovering!\ Creating!\ Evaluating!

B3.8 & Biomimicry Institute

Design Lens – Biomimicry Thinking!

SCOPING!•  DEFINE Context !•  IDENTIFY Function !•  INTEGRATE Life’s

Principles !DISCOVERING!•  DISCOVER Bio-Models !•  ABSTRACT Design

Strategies!CREATING!•  BRAINSTORMING Bio-

Inspired Concepts!•  EMULATE Nature’s

Strategies !EVALUATING!•  MEASURE!! B3.8 & Biomimicry Institute

Design Lens – Biomimicry Thinking!

Challenge to Biology!!1.  IDENTIFY Function !2.  DEFINE Context !3.  BIOLOGIZE Challenge !4.  DISCOVER Natural

Models !5.  ABSTRACT into Design

Principles !6.  EMULATE Nature’s

Strategies !7.  EVALUATE against

Life’s Principles !!

B3.8 & Biomimicry Institute

Design Lens – Biomimicry Thinking!

Biology to Design!!1.  DISCOVER Natural

Models !2.  ABSTRACT Design

Principles !3.  BRAINSTORM Potential

Applications !4.  EMULATE Nature’s

Strategies !5.  EVALUATE against

Life’s Principles!

B3.8 & Biomimicry Institute

Tools!

Biomimicry Taxonomy (actions, functions)!

Biomimicry Taxonomy!

Biomimicry Taxonomy!

Thank You!!

Links:!•  www.Biomimicry.net!•  www.Biomimicry.org !•  www.Asknature.org !•  www.EOL.org !

Biomimicry in China:!•  http://bidl.tongji.edu.cn !•  http://bidl.tongji.edu.cn/

wiki!

•  bidltj@tongji.edu.cn !

!

Books:!•  Biomimicry – Innovation Inspired by

Nature, by Janine Benyus!•  Biomimicry in Architecture, by

Michael Pawlyn!•  The Gecko's Foot: Bio-inspiration -

Engineering New Materials from Nature, by Peter Forbes!

•  Biomimetics: Biologically Inspired Technologies, by Yoseph Bar-Cohen!

•  TED talks, formal education (Bpro, Bspec), workshops, …!