Bio-Mimicry: An Inspiration to design and environmental Problems

Abstract

Human activities have gradually and continuously been a source of the degradation of the environment especially through construction activities. Building construction and its related activities has been the major consumer of between 30 to 40% of the global energy demand according to the studies carried out by United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). Although Building construction can be seen as a necessary human need in order to provide shelter, however this essential need can be attained with minimal impact to the environment through the science of bio-mimicry, (the conscious copying from nature to resolve human problems either directly or indirectly). Bio-mimicry looks into nature as a teacher as it looks at human being not to be the only creative inventor but rather it tries to look at other species that have survived with the environment through s symbiotic relationship, where they have sustained themselves not by destroying the surrounding but by adapting to them and enriching it through cleaning of the air as can be seen in plants and also through the production of organic matter which enriches the soils. However man has unconsciously been distancing itself from it. This paper takes a look at the science of bio-mimicry and how it has been applied in the various fields of science and technology. It also draws attention to the various concepts of bio-mimicry and how professionals in the building industry can draw some inspiration into creating environmentally friendly developments