Biological Concepts as a Source of Inspiration for Efficiency, Consistency, and Sufficiency
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Biological Concepts of the Growth Form of Lianas
3. Analogies in the Technosphere
3.1. Parasitic Architecture
3.2. Polymer Systems with Switchable Autonomous Properties
4. Concretization of Sustainability Strategies by Means of Biological Concepts
4.1. Preliminary Remarks
4.2. Efficiency
4.3. Consistency
4.4. Sufficiency
4.5. Perception Shift of the Sustainability Strategies
5. Conclusions and Outlook
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Biological Model | Knowledge Transfer | Technical Development |
---|---|---|
Form–function–structure relationship | Functional principle | Biomimetic product |
Example: Self-cleaning surfaces [21] | Micro-rough and hydrophobic surfaces plus surface tension of water droplets | Self-cleaning products with the trademark Lotus-Effect® |
Mechanisms of evolution | Algorithm for biomimetic optimization | Biomimetically optimized components |
Example: Growth laws of trees and bones [22] | Computer Aided Optimization (CAO) and Soft Skill Option (SKO) | Mercedes-Benz bionic car [23] |
Processes of evolution | Biological concepts | Bioinspired strategies |
Example: Survival of the cheapest [24] | Modularity concept | Modular design ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion 2011 built from wood modules [25,26] |
Characteristics of Lianas | Biological Concepts | Strategy Features | Sustainability Strategy |
---|---|---|---|
growth form has evolved several times independently in different taxa | best fit | optimal embedding in ecosystems | consistency |
rapid and complete decomposition | zero waste | improvement of circular economy through recycling | consistency |
from a self-supporting searcher stem to a climbing plant stem | change of growth form | change of lifestyle with reduction in material use | sufficiency |
ratio of flexural and torsional rigidity | trade-off | creation of different (partly conflicting) functions while minimizing resources | efficiency |
parenchyma cells instead of sclerenchyma/wood cells fill the fissures | good enough | creation of a sufficient function | sufficiency |
intertwining stems | modularity | improvement of a function while minimizing resources | efficiency |
wood provides water transport and mechanical stability | multifunctionality | creation of multiple functions with a minimum quantity of resources | efficiency |
little investment in own stem material | external support | creation of a function with a minimum quantity of resources | efficiency |
attachment structures newly evolved from an organ with a formerly different function | change of function | new function for embedding a product in its environment | consistency |
various tissue types | function-related tissue formation | creation of a function while minimizing resources | efficiency |
formation of less dense wood | lightweight construction | creation of a function with a minimum quantity of resources | efficiency |
disintegration of a continuous strengthening ring into individual parts | less is more | renunciation of superfluous functions | sufficiency |
self-sealing and self-healing | damage repair | improvement of circular economy through repair | consistency |
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Speck, O.; Möller, M.; Grießhammer, R.; Speck, T. Biological Concepts as a Source of Inspiration for Efficiency, Consistency, and Sufficiency. Sustainability 2022, 14, 8892. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148892
Speck O, Möller M, Grießhammer R, Speck T. Biological Concepts as a Source of Inspiration for Efficiency, Consistency, and Sufficiency. Sustainability. 2022; 14(14):8892. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148892
Chicago/Turabian StyleSpeck, Olga, Martin Möller, Rainer Grießhammer, and Thomas Speck. 2022. "Biological Concepts as a Source of Inspiration for Efficiency, Consistency, and Sufficiency" Sustainability 14, no. 14: 8892. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148892