Biomimetic Adaptive Buildings

Dear Colleagues,

One path via which to combat climate change is to consider buildings as being living rather than dead objects. This might mean creating a building façade that alters in response to changing climatic conditions. In a building with such a facade, adaptation happens via the automatic regulation of temperature, light, or airflow. This can lead to both a reduction in the operational energy used and to the enhanced comfort of the internal environment. Examples of current advancements in the design of such facades include integrated self-adjusting shading devices, dynamic insulation, and responsive ventilation in order to provide autonomous and real-time control. Other examples of living building elements are nature-inspired materials, such as brick-integrated bacteria, and photobioreactors, like algae.

The self-regulating mechanisms present in living building technologies are either active or passive. Active methods of adaptation employ extrinsic mechanisms such as sensors, processors and actuators to operate. On the other hand, passive methods of adaptation are achieved via intrinsic means of control, such as the constant change of material properties.  

We welcome research papers that reflect investigations into living building and living building elements. We are interested in the vast range of ways in which adaptation is achieved within buildings, whether it be through the morphological configuration of façade components, the implementation of smart materials, or using nature-inspired materials and principles in the building façade.

Articles that report on the performance of living building technologies are preferred, including simulations of performance, although we will consider comprehensive literature review papers that provide a holistic insight into the development of biomimetic adaptive buildings. We are also keen to receive research papers that investigate the integration of adaptive strategies at various scales, from building components to urban contexts.

The relevant topics for this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following areas:

• Regulating and filtering the capability of adaptive facades
• Biomimetic façade materials and systems (e.g., smart, biomaterials, phase change material)
• Adaptive façade sensing, monitoring, and control systems (passive or active)
• Case studies and performance evaluation of adaptive facades
• The role of bio-facades in energy use and occupant comfort
• Nature-inspired materials for adaptive facades
• Plan-based architecture such as green facades
• Energy exchange and transformation processes in adaptive facades.

Dr. Negin Imani
Prof. Dr. Brenda Vale
Prof. Dr. Derek Clements-Croome
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomimetics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• adaptive façade design and optimisation
• adaptive façade modelling and simulation
• passive actuation for adaptive building
• smart skin/intelligent façade/kinetic façade/dynamic façade/responsive facade
• living building/living architecture/bio-façade
• biological system for building enclosure