Biomimicry for the Built Environment

Biomimicry

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I’m pleased to announce that MASD instructor, Denise DeLuca, and myself, director of MCAD’s MA in Sustainable Design program have developed a 2-hour, on-demand, fully online course on the topic of biomimicry for architecture and the built environment entitled, EcoBalance and Biomimicry: Inspired by Nature  for the Green Building Research Institute. This course provides Continuing Education credits for LEED accredited professionals.

Course description

Can our planet meet the needs of a global population, currently at 7 billion people and growing, without being permanently damaged? Can we look to nature for clues as to the best ways to adapt buildings so they have minimal environmental impact? Can buildings mimic the natural world to achieve enhanced performance and at the same time be in perfect sync with nature? This course explores the innovative ways building designers and architects are mimicking nature, in a strategy called biomimicry, to find solutions to some of the environment’s biggest problems, like depletion of non-renewable natural resources, over-population, and climate change. It looks at the use of ecoBalance Design as it applies to residential and commercial buildings and landscaping, and major private and governmental projects. You may be quite surprised at what a termite mound can teach us about ventilation! By the end of this course each participant will:

  •  Understand and learn the concept of bio-mimicry and ecoBalance
  •  Analyze biomimicry strategies
  •  Learn how biomimicry can be applied to the built environment
  •  Analyze projects for the effectiveness of these strategies

Get a sneak peek

Here’s a 6 minute video teaser for the course.