A model based on Biomimicry to enhance ecologically sustainable design

Abstract Sustainable development has become a central part of the agenda in the building design professions; however, in recent years, the concept of ecologically sustainable development has gained ground which aims to balance both economic and environmental facets of sustainability. This has necessitated new approaches to ecological sustainable design that includes ecological facets to design. Such a design approach that draws from ecology as a model in terms of architecture remains elusive. This research explores Biomimicry as a potential approach that help integrate ecological sustainability to design by understanding the natural processes to comprehend its form and the environment within an ecosystem. This study examines Biomimicry theory, and introduces an ecological model, which is most applicable to architecture. This model leads to a theoretical framework that proposes two ways of emulating nature: direct and indirect that identify naturally occurring adaptation and integration processes. The aim and outcome of the framework will ultimately be a design process that enhances ecological sustainability by increasing the applicability of Biomimicry theory into architectural practice. Keywords: adaptationBiomimicryecosystem theoriesESDholismintegration