Bio-Mimicry Bio-Mimicry

Carly Breault Carly Breault

Five Green InventionsFive Green Inventions

Of the Future Of the Future

Termite den = Office buildingTermite den = Office building Termites design their homes which Termites design their homes which

control the temperature of their control the temperature of their living space even in the hottest of living space even in the hottest of climates climates

Dens are able to maintain Dens are able to maintain comfortable temperatures (87 comfortable temperatures (87 degrees) that require less degrees) that require less additional heating/cooling additional heating/cooling mechanisms mechanisms

The mimicking building has large The mimicking building has large chimneys that naturally draw in chimneys that naturally draw in cool air at night to lower the cool air at night to lower the temperature of the floor slabs, just temperature of the floor slabs, just like termite dens.like termite dens.

During the day, these slabs retain During the day, these slabs retain the coolness, greatly reducing the the coolness, greatly reducing the need for supplemental air need for supplemental air conditioning. conditioning.

Uses 90 percent less energy to Uses 90 percent less energy to heat and cool than traditional heat and cool than traditional buildings. buildings.

Whale = TurbineWhale = Turbine

Whales are able to dive hundreds Whales are able to dive hundreds of feet below the surface and stay of feet below the surface and stay there for hours. Whales power there for hours. Whales power their movement with über-efficient their movement with über-efficient fins and a tail.fins and a tail.

The bumps at the front edge of a The bumps at the front edge of a whale fin greatly increase its whale fin greatly increase its efficiency, reducing drag by 32 efficiency, reducing drag by 32 percent and increasing lift by 8 percent and increasing lift by 8 percent. percent.

Companies like Whale Power are Companies like Whale Power are borrowing this concept and borrowing this concept and creating wind turbine blades that creating wind turbine blades that greatly boost the amount of energy greatly boost the amount of energy created per turbine. created per turbine.

Other companies are applying the Other companies are applying the idea to cooling fans, airplane wings idea to cooling fans, airplane wings and propellers. and propellers.

Birds = JetsBirds = Jets Birds boost flying distance by Birds boost flying distance by

+70% by flying in a V-shape. +70% by flying in a V-shape. one bird flaps its wings one bird flaps its wings

creating a small updraft that creating a small updraft that lifts the bird behind. lifts the bird behind.

As each bird passes, they add As each bird passes, they add their own energy to the stroke their own energy to the stroke helping all the birds maintain helping all the birds maintain flight. flight.

By rotating their order through By rotating their order through the stack, they spread out the the stack, they spread out the exertion. exertion.

By traveling in a V-shape with By traveling in a V-shape with planes taking turns in front as planes taking turns in front as birds do, aircraft could use 15 birds do, aircraft could use 15 percent less fuel compared to percent less fuel compared to flying solo.flying solo.

Boxfish= Mercedes-BenzBoxfish= Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz looked towards Mercedes-Benz looked towards the boxfish for their bionic car the boxfish for their bionic car concept.concept.

Noting the aerodynamics and Noting the aerodynamics and efficiency of the boxfish's efficiency of the boxfish's shape, the engineers decided shape, the engineers decided to apply the characteristics of to apply the characteristics of the fish to a car. the fish to a car.

The result is a very streamlined The result is a very streamlined vehicle with a 65% lower drag vehicle with a 65% lower drag coefficient than other compact coefficient than other compact cars out at the time. cars out at the time.

It also has 80% lower nitrogen It also has 80% lower nitrogen oxide emissions oxide emissions

Mussels=Hardwood Mussels=Hardwood PlywoodPlywood

Columbia Forest Columbia Forest Products looked at the Products looked at the natural adhesive natural adhesive abilities of the blue abilities of the blue mussel and came up mussel and came up with a way to use soy-with a way to use soy-based formaldehyde (a based formaldehyde (a colorless poisonous colorless poisonous gas) -free technology gas) -free technology in the construction of in the construction of hardwood plywood hardwood plywood products. products.

Greatest Potential: Greatest Potential: Termite Den Buildings Termite Den Buildings It takes a lot of energy to heat rooms in winter and cool them in It takes a lot of energy to heat rooms in winter and cool them in

summer. summer. Forty-three percent of the energy used in the average home is for Forty-three percent of the energy used in the average home is for

heating and cooling rooms. heating and cooling rooms. Air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions are by-products of Air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions are by-products of

energy production and consumption and can have an detrimental energy production and consumption and can have an detrimental impact on the environment.impact on the environment.

The Eastgate Centre's design is a deliberate move away from the The Eastgate Centre's design is a deliberate move away from the "big glass block". Glass office blocks are typically expensive to "big glass block". Glass office blocks are typically expensive to maintain at a comfortable temperature, needing substantial heating maintain at a comfortable temperature, needing substantial heating in the winter and cooling in the summer. They tend to recycle air, in in the winter and cooling in the summer. They tend to recycle air, in an attempt to keep the expensively conditioned atmosphere inside, an attempt to keep the expensively conditioned atmosphere inside, leading to high levels of air pollution in the building. Artificial air-leading to high levels of air pollution in the building. Artificial air-conditioning systems are high-maintenance, and Zimbabwe has the conditioning systems are high-maintenance, and Zimbabwe has the additional problem that the original system and most spare parts additional problem that the original system and most spare parts have to be imported, squandering foreign exchange reserves. have to be imported, squandering foreign exchange reserves.

Eastgate Building, Eastgate Building, Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Designed to be ventilated and cooled by Designed to be ventilated and cooled by

entirely natural means entirely natural means Passive cooling works by storing heat in the Passive cooling works by storing heat in the

day and venting it at night as temperatures day and venting it at night as temperatures drop.drop.

– Start of day: the building is cool. Start of day: the building is cool. – During day: machines and people generate heat, During day: machines and people generate heat,

and the sun shines. Heat is absorbed by the and the sun shines. Heat is absorbed by the fabric of the building, which has a high heat fabric of the building, which has a high heat capacity, so that the temperature inside capacity, so that the temperature inside increases but not greatly. increases but not greatly.

– Evening: temperatures outside drop. The warm Evening: temperatures outside drop. The warm internal air is vented through chimneys, assisted internal air is vented through chimneys, assisted by fans but also rising naturally because it is less by fans but also rising naturally because it is less dense, and drawing in denser cool air at the dense, and drawing in denser cool air at the bottom of the building. bottom of the building.

– Night: this process continues, cold air flowing Night: this process continues, cold air flowing through cavities in the floor slabs until the through cavities in the floor slabs until the building's fabric has reached the ideal building's fabric has reached the ideal temperature to start the next day. temperature to start the next day.

Passively cooled, Eastgate Passively cooled, Eastgate uses only 10% of the uses only 10% of the energy needed by a similar energy needed by a similar conventionally cooled conventionally cooled building. building.

Least Potential: Bird Jets Least Potential: Bird Jets

High risk of plane crash High risk of plane crash Requires highly trained/skilled pilotsRequires highly trained/skilled pilots May intimate and upset plane May intimate and upset plane

passengers passengers HOWEVER…We do need to think of HOWEVER…We do need to think of

viable solutions to reducing the carbon viable solutions to reducing the carbon footprint of airplanes…footprint of airplanes…

What Could Be Done to What Could Be Done to Improve it?Improve it?

Lockheed Stratoliner Hydrogen Jet Lockheed Stratoliner Hydrogen Jet – inspired by the form of a Bar Tailed Godwit, a bird that boasts the record for inspired by the form of a Bar Tailed Godwit, a bird that boasts the record for

longest non-stop flight at an amazing 7,258 miles!longest non-stop flight at an amazing 7,258 miles!– With over-sized wings generating extra lift and four Cryogenic Hydrogen Turbofan With over-sized wings generating extra lift and four Cryogenic Hydrogen Turbofan

engines powering the jet, the Lockheed could fly anywhere without stopping. engines powering the jet, the Lockheed could fly anywhere without stopping. – The Cryogenic Hydrogen Turbofan engines also power the jet without causing The Cryogenic Hydrogen Turbofan engines also power the jet without causing

harmful emissions and can operate on low power, much like that of fighter jets. harmful emissions and can operate on low power, much like that of fighter jets. These features all add up to a cleaner and more environmentally friendly flight. These features all add up to a cleaner and more environmentally friendly flight.

My Own Green My Own Green Invention Invention

Plant-Inspired Solar CellsPlant-Inspired Solar Cells

Target Environmental Target Environmental IssueIssue Capturing Energy through Renewable Capturing Energy through Renewable

ResourcesResources

How it Works: Biofuel How it Works: Biofuel Solar CellSolar Cell Photosynthesis Photosynthesis

– Plants capture photons from sun, use the energy to create flow of electrons

– Plants use the electrical energy to make chemical energy. Products are created: glucose and oxygen

– Mimic this process of capturing photons and use Mimic this process of capturing photons and use this energy to create electron flow.this energy to create electron flow. Purpose of technology= flow of electrons (electricity)Purpose of technology= flow of electrons (electricity)

Benefits Benefits

Increases solar energy conversion efficiency Increases solar energy conversion efficiency Cheaper than standard solar panels Cheaper than standard solar panels In manufacturing of silicon-based solar cells In manufacturing of silicon-based solar cells

there are environmental concernsthere are environmental concerns– Toxic by-products such as silicon tetrachloride

dumped into environmentdumped into environment– Processing silica (SiO2) to produce silicon is an

energy-intensive process, energy that typically comes from polluting fossil fuels

Difficulties Difficulties

Incorporating the plant into the solar Incorporating the plant into the solar cells (actual design) cells (actual design)

Efficiency: Both plant and photovoltaic Efficiency: Both plant and photovoltaic systems harvest energy from the sun, systems harvest energy from the sun, but use the energy in different ways.but use the energy in different ways.

Different Solution Different Solution

Consume Less Consume Less – Spend more time outdoorsSpend more time outdoors– ““Live simply so others may simply live”Live simply so others may simply live”

Bibliography Bibliography

http://biomimicry.net/http://biomimicry.net/ http://brainz.org/15-coolest-cases-biomimicry/http://brainz.org/15-coolest-cases-biomimicry/ http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/photos/7-amazing-examples-of-biomimicry/copying-mother-naturehttp://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/photos/7-amazing-examples-of-biomimicry/copying-mother-nature http://www.asknature.org/http://www.asknature.org/