USING SMART MATERIALS TO MIMIC

NATURE IN ARCHITECTURE
JONATHAN GILDER
DEREK CLEMENTS-CROOME

CIBSE INTELLIGENT BUILDING GROUP

DATE: 19/11/2014

INTRODUCTION
The application of smart materials to building facades primarily ETFE
(Ethylene Tetrafluoro Ethylene) is a new field. This presentation shall
demonstrate the creative application and advantages of using these

materials.
Very few areas of research where there is an amalgamation of two or
more smart material systems being used to produce an assembly /
module / product.
Most of these technologies are working on an isolated agenda to produce
a desired efficiency or result.

ANALOGY BETWEEN BUILDING NEEDS AND BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS

ANALOGY BETWEEN BUILDING NEEDS AND BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS

INSPIRATION FROM THE MOTHS EYE

MOTHS EYE: An inspiration derived from the eye of a moth.

Nature at work has devised a surface which is capable of
absorbing 100% of the incident light rays towards it. Incoming
rays once entered into the cells are reflected within the cell

BIO-INSPIRED SYSTEMS
INTEGRATING STRUCTURE AND HVAC (HEATING, VENTILATION,

AIR CONDITIONING):

The branching of the columns into the floor beams and

eventually the floor plate is an inspiration from the branching
systems in nature (cross section of a human brain, the
intestines of a dog, branching of tress, etc).

The analogy applies to the building whereby the chill water

system for cooling or the hot water supply is carried through
the fluid-form structure, just like the branches of a tree from

the service areas to all parts of the building.

This is another analogy, confirming on the metamorphosis of

a built form to that of a living organism.

INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS

BAS (Building Automation System): The use of Web-enabled

devices, for the building automation system, which allows

remote building control and monitoring by interaction of the
central BAS workstation with the remote dial-up system

Embedded Sensors and Actuators: Within the structure of

the membrane skin, embedded sensors and actuators work
giving out wireless informations to the BAS system about

user occupancy, heating and ventilation, security, etc.

Attached figure shows one such cross section of a membrane
structure with an embedded sensor.

INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS
INTEGRATING STRUCTURE AND HVAC (HEATING, VENTILATION AIR CONDITIONING)

The base material chosen for this project is

a high strength membrane concrete. Fluid in
its form; within which is an entire network of

heating and ventilation system, channelized

to every part of the building.

DESIGN RESEARCH
Using a combination of ETFE (Ethyle Tetrafluoro Ethylene),
photovoltaics, moths-eye film, electro-chromics and air, a
designed case study was simulated through a Building Energy

Analysis software called IES (Integrated Environmental

Solution).
Dome shapes well suited for all year absorption of sunlight
Variable shading option through electrochromics via tracking
of the sun through the sky

DESIGN RESEARCH

THE BREATHING SKIN

Sensors and actuator control small openings of individual modules. This allows for a
breathing skin and reduces point draft from fixed windows

HOTTEST DAY GRAPH

COLDEST DAY GRAPH

OUTCOME AND RESULTS

The results of the simulation showed that:
Energy consumption was reduced by 75.65% and met the Architecture
2030 Challenge
Carbon emission were reduced by 90.77%
Overall LCC (Life Cycle Cost) had a savings of 196,391 through the life of
the building.

IMPLICATIONS IN PRACTISE
The results of the simulation showed that:
The low cost and low embodied material could be effectively used to design
monoque structures with large spans and column free envelopes
The creative amalgamation of smart materials on ETFE are not only dynamic in
their operation by also cost effective in the long run.
Integrated Photovoltaics is regarded by many as the next phase of
technological development in building faade systems.

REFERENCES

Askeland, Donald R.; Pradeep P. Phul (2005). The Science & Engineering of
Materials, 5th edition, Thomson-Engineering.

Braddock, S. and Mahoney, M. (1998) Technotextiles. London: Thames and

Hudson.

Addington, M. and Schodek, D. (2006), Smart Materials and Technologies.

Architectural Press.

"Intelligent Design". Intelligent Design network (2007). Retrieved on 2007-0513.

M.Schwartz, The Encyclopedia of Smart Materials, vol.II. New York: John Wiley
and Sons, pp.1138-1139

THANKYOU