The document discusses various examples of biomimicry, where nature inspires sustainable solutions. It describes how algae inspire efficient fluid mixers that can save up to 50% energy. Termite mounds ventilate buildings with up to 90% efficiency savings. Antarctic sponges inspire stronger optical fibers produced at ambient temperatures. Leaves harness light twice as efficiently for photovoltaics. Seashells use CO2 from smokestacks as building material. Primary forests demonstrate waste-free material cycling that saves fossil fuels. Enzymes inspire soft chemistry without waste through shapes, processes, and ecosystems.

1. Biomimicry Getting inspired by nature… to reach sustainability BIOMIMICRY EUROPA

2. « The architect of the future will build imitating Nature, for it is the most rational, long-lasting and economical of all methods. » Antonio Gaudi

3. Play with water like an algae Inspired by shape

4. 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

5. Ventilate like termite mounds Inspired by shape

6. 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

7. Inspired by process Avoid « Heat, beat & treat » like a sponge

8. 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)

9. Inspired by process Harness energy like a leaf

10. 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

11. Inspired by process Use CO 2 as a building material like a seashell

12. Inspired by process Use CO 2 as a building material like a seashell - Fix CO 2 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

13. Ignore waste like a primary forest Inspired by ecosystems

14. 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)

15. Soft chemistry, efficient and without waste Inspired by shapes, processes and ecosystems Re: Noyori Re: Morel

16. 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)