Biomimicry

Getting inspired by nature… to reach sustainability

BIOMIMICRY EUROPA

« The architect of the future will build imitating Nature, for it is the most rational, long-lasting

and economical of all methods.  » Antonio Gaudi

Play with water like an algae

Inspired by shape

Inspired by shape

Play with water like an algae

- From the spiral shape of algae…

- … to propellers, fans, wind turbines and other fluid mixers

- Saving energy up to 50%

- Designed by Jay Harman - Pax Scientific

Ventilate like termite mounds

Inspired by shape

Inspired by shape

Ventilate like termite mounds

- From thermoregulation and ventilation of termite mounds …

- … to the one of the Eastgate building in Harare, Zimbabwe

- Efficiency savings up to 90%, building costs 10% cheaper

- Designed by the architecte Mick Pearce

Inspired by process

Avoid « Heat, beat & treat » like a sponge

Inspired by process

Avoid « Heat, beat & treat » like a sponge

- Apply silica skeleton recipe of Antarctic sponges …

- … to produce optical fibers at ambient temperature and pressure

- As strong and using less energy to produce

- Under development at Bells laboratory (Lucent Technologies)

Inspired by process

Harness energy like a leaf

Inspired by process

Harness energy like a leaf

- Emulate porphyrins to collect light like a leaf…

- … in order to manufacture new types of Photovoltaic cells

- Harness the light twice better, and synthesize at ambient temperature and pressure

- Under co-development in Sydney & Osaka Universities

Inspired by process

Use CO2 as a building material like a seashell

Inspired by process

Use CO2 as a building material like a seashell

- Fix CO2 using water-based chemistry to form calcium bicarbonate…

-… from heat power plants and other industries smokestacks

- From bicarbonate to carbonate as a next step to produce building materials

- Market launch in progress by « CO2 solution Inc » in Canada, under development with Laval University

Ignore waste like a primary forest

Inspired by ecosystems

Inspired by ecosystems

Ignore waste like a primary forest

- Transfer material cycling within a mature ecosystem…

- … to material cycling in industries

- $15 million and 20 000 Tons of fossil fuel saved per annum in Kalundborg (Danemark)

- 25% increase in the GDP per ton of resources for the Chinese “circular economy” (last 5-Year Plan)

Soft chemistry, efficient and without waste

Inspired by shapes, processes and ecosystems

Re: Noyori

Re: Morel

Re: Morel

Re: Noyori

Inspired by shapes, processes and ecosystems

Soft chemistry, efficient and without waste

- Shape: inserting the reaction within macro-molecule cavities based on enzyme models (more than 130 new processes, more than 25 products commercialised by DSM)

- Process: enzyme structures inspire new ligand and catalyst science (Noyori, Nobel price in Chemistry in 2001, revolutionizes menthol production)

- Ecosystems: catalyst cascades in the same reactor, directly inspired by enzymatic ecosystems, are priority research areas for Delft University (Netherlands)