Mapping Biomimicry Design Strategies to Achieving Thermal Regulation Efficiency in Egyptian Hot Environments

Abstract

This paper focuses on the study of biomimicry. Biomimicry has been widely applied in architecture and environmental engineering as an approach that can integrate ecosystem strategies and technologies in architecture to generate a responsive and adaptive built environment. 

       Today, with the development of building technology, the design of the buildings no longer gives importance to the surrounding environmental conditions. So, the built environment contributes nearly 40% of total energy consumption to provide thermal comfort in the world and the third of Co2 emissions. As a result of the urgent need to find solutions to these problems, architects have tended to take inspiration from ecological systems that can introduce sustainable and innovative solutions to solve human challenges. The main objective of this paper is to map biomimicry design strategies as a guideline matrix to achieving efficiency in thermal regulation in the Egyptian climatic regions. For achieving this objective, a research methodology has depended primarily on a deep understanding of ecological systems to make a framework for biomimicry design strategies and the thermal properties of Egyptian climatic regions. Then, it will be an analysis and comparison between several experimental techniques and architectural examples that depend on biomimicry for achieving thermal regulation efficiency in the levels of building design, building envelope, building components, building structure, and material technology.

       The paper seeks through this study to extract a set of biomimetic strategies that constitute a guideline towards an approach to generate adaptive built environments and to achieve thermal regulation efficiency in Egyptian environments.