A few months ago, Traci Spencer from Sustainable LA visited us to give an Introduction to Biomimicry. Biomimicry [Bios ~ Mimesis, Life ~ Imitate] is in a nutshell innovation inspired by Nature, and therefore suggests to use Nature as model, mentor and measure.

Traci gave us a few interesting examples:

- Velcro invented by George de Mestral and inspirated by Cockleburs.

- Bionic car by DaimlerChrysler inspired by spotted boxfish. "To be honest, we were surprised when this clumsy-looking fish, of all things, became our preferred model for designing an aerodynamic and fuel-efficient car." DaimlerChrysler engineer Dieter Gürtler.

- Riblets by NASA - 'Stars and Stripes' inspired by shark skin. Shark skin is very rough and is covered by little V-shaped bumps, made from the same material as sharks' teeth. The rough surface reduces friction when the shark glides through water. NASA pioneered the use of longitudinal riblets, ridges perpendicular to surface, to reduce drag on flat surfaces of ships and aircraft. Riblets were used successfully to reduce drag on the 'Stars and Stripes' America's Cup yacht and were thought to offer such an advantage that riblets were banned from competition for subsequent events.

- The Eastgate Complex Harare , Zimbabwe inspired termite mounds and natural passive cooling. 324,000 square-foot commercial/office and shopping complex, the largest in the country. The brief was for a relatively inexpensive building with acceptable levels of comfort in the offices, without air conditioning, and without compromising the aesthetics and overall quality of rentable space. The building is designed with two nine-story office buildings and a glazed atrium. Amazingly, in Zimbabwe's hot climate the buildings primary cooling system is naturally ventilated. Engineers from environmental engineering firm Arup, sought inspiration for the naturally ventilated marvel from termite mounds - these creatures require their home to remain at an exact temperature of 87 degrees Fahrenheit throughout a 24 hour daily temperature range of 35-104 degrees Fahrenheit (night and day respectively).

Biomimicry thinking and processes offers a unique and refreshing angle to design and engineering problems. If you cannot attend a lecture or workshop, you can always start with a book.