Application of biomimetics in Greenhouse design Natural ventillation and solar optimization Anurag Bhattacharya
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Delft Univeristy of Technology, Netherlands 1
a.bhattacharya@student.tudelft.nl
Abstract This paper describes a method for the design of complex branching and streamlining morphology which can be applied to optimize ventilation and sunlight in a greenhouse. The research proposes that through the integration of digital form finding techniques and climatic factors that govern a greenhouse complex. The global climate change cautions and has a major impact on agricultural production across the globe, thus demanding a new approach for food production that is largely environment adaptive and therefore resilient to climate change. Accordingly, the research focus will be on the dynamic environment, ventilation, temperature and solar gain. Here biomimetic has an important role to play to reduce the dependency on conventional non-renewable energy sources. Biomimetic is a scientific approach to help achieving the goal by mimicking natural systems, processes, and models. (Pawlyn, 2011) Here termite mounds have been examined, in which an intersection of Branching and Streamlining Morphology has been adopted to design a greenhouse prototype. Custom written dynamic branching algorithm written in processing language was used to define the overall form and structure. A basic research in application of branching organization and its geometrical constitute in termite mounds defined the framework of the design process. In light of this some of the main factors which characterize and influence the greenhouse environment like lighting, location factors and ventilation are also taken into account. The custom written application became the primary form generating tool in the design process of the green house. In order to ensure structural stability in the emergent structure, spring physics dynamics and gravitational forces were considered during the form generation stage itself. Keywords. Biomimetic; greenhouse; dynamic branching; performative design; form finding; termite mound.
Figure 1: Outcome from one of the branching simulation.