Sustainable buildings? Let's learn from termites!
Sustainable buildings? Let's learn from termites!
Termite mounds, with their intricate cooling and ventilation systems, inspire architects to design sustainable, efficient buildings. These natural structures guide human engineering in several ways: promoting natural ventilation to reduce energy use, creating self-cooling buildings like Harare's (Zimbabwe) Eastgate Centre, utilising local materials for sustainable construction, and developing resilient structures.
Other examples include Kenya's Startup Lions Campus, which uses termite-inspired ventilation.
Furthermore termites' decentralised construction methods can inform distributed control systems in robotics and AI.
As urban populations grow, learning from termite mounds can help cities develop nature-positive strategies that enhance economic and social outcomes.