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Architecture has a long history of drawing on Nature for inspiration and direction. It is reasonable to assume that any transition to an environmentally sustainable future will invariably parallel the rate and extent to which we model all human enterprise—including buildings, infrastructure and settlement patterns—on natural systems and processes. The emerging science of "biomimicry," for example, has already highlighted the potential for nature's wisdom to guide industrial production and for its operational principles to offer a source of both inspiration and direction for building design. Similarly, the notion of regenerative design seeks to embody intelligence in buildings by infusing them with the ability to respond, adapt and change positively over long life spans. More research is needed to understand which lessons and experience can legitimately be learned from nature to guide building design and construction. William McDonough's distinction that components of within a natural system are extremely "effective" and the overall system is subsequently is "efficient" is of considerable importance in framing environmental research. In contrast to the majority of earlier research that has primarily focused on individual buildings, building design, and therefore building research, must acknowledge and understand a more holistic systems approach. Clearly, research is required to provide guidance on the technical requirements of buildings and behavioral changes by occupants to adapt to realties of climate change. In contrast, the rapid advances in information and communications technologies, simulation tools, visualization techniques etc. are creating new "virtual" capabilities. Similar to the need for a greater understanding of the synergies between systems, the relationship between "real" and "virtual" environments will become increasing important in framing environmental research. |
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