Ecomimicry: Ecological Design by Imitating Ecosystems

Ecomimicry, like biomimicry, uses nature as its template, but its scope is focused on the ecosystems in nature. Ecomimesis is designing our built environment, architecture and engineering systems as artificial ecosystems to emulate the properties, structure, functions and processes of ecosystems in nature. This book describes and illustrates the use of ecological models and processes as potential design solutions and analogies for the built environment. Its secondary purpose is to outline the need for the seamless and benign integration of our human manufactured and built structures into the biosphere with minimal pollution, despoilation, and exploitation of non renewable resources. Providing scientific explanations of the complex functions of ecosystems, this book sets out how anthropogenic structures can emulate the various components of mature ecosystems. With this knowledge and understanding of the components of an ecosystem, an ecomimetic designer can use those principles to create a more ecologically sensitive built environment.