Inspection of Biomimicry Approaches as an Alternative to Address Climate-Related Energy Building Challenges: A Framework for Application in Panama

Abstract

In the Panama context, energy consumption in the building sector is mostly related to the conditioning of indoor spaces for cooling and lighting. Different nature strategies can be mimic to strongly impact these two aspects in the building sector, such as the ones presented here. A comprehensive analysis regarding literature related to biomimicry-based approaches destined to improve buildings designs is presented here. This analysis is driven by the increasing energy regulations demands to meet future local goals and to propose a framework for applications in Panama. Such biomimicry-based approaches have been further analyzed and evaluated to propose the incorporation of organism-based design for three of the most climate types found in Panama. Consequently, a SWOT analysis helped realized the potential that biomimicry-based approaches might have in improving the odds of in meeting the local and global regulations demands. The need for multidisciplinary collaboration to accomplish biomimicry-based-designed buildings, brings an increment in the competitivity regarding more trained human-assets, widening the standard-construction-sector thinking. Finally, the analysis presented here can serve as the foundation for further technical assessment, via numerical and experimental means.

Review of Zero Energy Building Concept-Definition and Developments in Latin America: A Framework Definition for Application in Panama

“…This presents a limitation in estimating a confident reduction percentage in energy consumption if such passive and active strategies may be implemented. Moreover, specifically in Panama, a proposed bio-inspired framework considering a multidisciplinary approach was addressed in [76] for alternative strategies.…”

Inspección Al Ciclo De Vida De Proyectos De Construcción Sostenible: Hacia Una Hoja De Ruta Basada en Biomimetismo Y Economía Circular

“…La Biomímesis es el estudio y la inspiración en componentes biológicos y procesos naturales, para resolver problemáticas entendiendo funciona de forma autosostenible [6], [7]. Como referencia, se utiliza el "Enfoque basado en el problema", donde a través de un comportamiento, función o característica de un organismo o ecosistema, se soluciona el problema y la metodología de diseño biomimética "BioGen" la cual se divide en dos fases: diseño preliminar y emulación [8].…”

Mejoras al desempeño energético en edificaciones abordando los desafíos actuales del demand-side: Una revisión de contribuciones de Latinoamérica

“…In building applications, the implementation of biomimicry strategies, such as the problem-based and solution-based approaches, was found not to be widely addressed by LA countries in the processed literature list. However, an inspection of various biomimicry strategies to address building climaterelated challenges has been performed by (Miguel Chen Austin, Garzola, Delgado, Jiménez, & Mora, 2020). This study analyzed existing organism-based strategies applied in buildings at the envelope-, structure-, shape-, and systems-level; identified possible organism-based strategies that can help coastal, arid, and humid zones in Panama.…”