Biomimicry in Smart City Building Skins: A Nature-Inspired Approach to Urban Energy Efficiency

Smart cities aim to revolutionize urban environments through technology and sustainability. However, achieving true sustainability requires venturing beyond technological advancements. This paper explores the potential of biomimicry, the practice of learning from nature, as a tool to design energy-efficient building skins in smart cities. By examining various biomimicry applications, the paper highlights how these principles can be utilized to optimize building envelopes across various aspects: thermal regulation, light interaction, ventilation, material efficiency, and adaptive facades. Furthermore, a set of "Biomimicry Design Guidelines for Energy-Efficient Building Skins in Smart Cities" is proposed. These guidelines outline a five-step process encompassing aspects like adapting to local climate, leveraging smart materials and systems, embracing multifunctionality, integrating with smart city infrastructure, and prioritizing sustainability throughout the building skin’s life cycle. By implementing these guidelines, architects and designers can create energy-efficient building envelopes that contribute to the development of sustainable and resilient smart cities, fostering harmony between technology and nature for a greener future.