methodologies to design a more sustainable system for distilling water using
solar energy. MA thesis. Minneapolis College of Art and Design,. Minneapolis ...
SolDrop Solar Still THE PRACTICE AND APPLICATION OF BIOMIMICRY METHODOLGIES TO DESIGN A MORE SUSTAINABLE SYSTEM FOR DISTILLING WATER USING SOLAR ENERGY
Stefanie Koehler Master of Arts Candidate MA in Sustainable Design Program Minneapolis College of Art and Design Minneapolis, MN, USA Thesis Advisor: Denise DeLuca Committee Members: Dawn Danby and Curt McNamara Committee Chair: Cindy Gilbert May 14 2013
Recommended Citation: -‐
Koehler, Stefanie. SolDrop Solar Still: the practice and application of Biomimicry methodologies to design a more sustainable system for distilling water using solar energy. MA thesis. Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, 2013.
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Abstract
Contaminated water the world’s biggest health risk (NRDC, 2012). The use of solar stills for purifying contaminated water holds great opportunity; however, this simple and clean technology is under-‐utilized because productivity is limited with current designs. Biomimicry has been forwarded as a method for creating more innovative and sustainable design solutions (Biomimicry 3.8, 2012) by emulating models and strategies found in Nature. The goals of this thesis project are to use Biomimicry methodologies to design a more innovative, more sustainable, and more productive solar still, and then to assess the usefulness of Biomimicry as a sustainable design tool. The resulting biomimetic design was the “SolDrop” solar still product concept that purifies water in a self-‐contained, seed-‐like structure that can be used as a singular device or collectively with multiple units adapting to various situations. This design was a successful finalist in Round 1 (of two) of the 2012-‐2013 Biomimicry Student Design Challenge (Biomimicry 3.8, 2012), which suggests that the Biomimicry methodology resulted in a more resilient, robust, and innovative design idea for a modular solar still. The experience of applying the Biomimicry methodology resulted in an evolution in my sustainable design thinking; however, other tools and methodologies will be required to move the design from idea to reality as well as to make it contextually relevant and appropriate.
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Contents
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Introduction ........................................................................................................ 5 Thesis Statement ............................................................................................ 6 Project Objectives ........................................................................................... 7
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Opportunities ...................................................................................................... 8 Providing Clean Water with Less Impact ........................................................ 8 Biomimicry as a Sustainable Design Tool ........................................................ 9
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The Biomimicry Approach ................................................................................. 10
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Design Process :: Using Biomimicry for SolDrop .............................................. 12
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Life’s Principles ............................................................................................. 10 Biomimicry Design Spirals ............................................................................. 11
Visiting Each Step in the Spiral ...................................................................... 13 Taking laps around the Spiral ........................................................................ 17 Design Idea :: Explaining the SolDrop Concept ................................................ 20 The Pod :: Single SolDrop Solar Still .............................................................. 21 The Collection :: Multiple Solar Still Pods Assembled Together ................... 25 The System :: SolDrop in Context .................................................................. 28 Conclusions ........................................................................................................ 31 Design Outcomes .......................................................................................... 31 Evaluating the Sustainability of SolDrop .................................................. 31 Results :: BSDC, Round 1 .......................................................................... 35 Broad Lessons ............................................................................................... 35 Following the Biomimicry Approach ........................................................ 35 Using Biomimicry Methodology ............................................................... 37 Evolution of my Biomimicry Thinking ...................................................... 40 Biomimicry within the context of Sustainable Design ............................. 42 Next Steps ..................................................................................................... 44 BSDC, Round 2 and beyond ...................................................................... 44 References ......................................................................................................... 47 Appendix ........................................................................................................... 49 BSDC Round 1 Entry ...................................................................................... 49
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Introduction Water Around the World
Water is a basic necessity for life on Earth; however, there is very little water available that is safe to drink without being purified (Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), 2012). Only 1% of Earth's water is in a fresh, liquid state usable by humans (United States Geological Survey, 2012). Of this 1% of usable water, nearly all of it is polluted by diseases, toxic chemicals, and debris, making contaminated water the world’s biggest health risk (NRDC, 2012). In addition, water is finite -‐-‐ The water we use now is the same water that the human race started with, thus our need to manage and purify water will always exist. Many methods of water purification exist; however, most are costly and involve infrastructure that is not economically feasible in many parts of the world (World Health Organization (WHO), 2009). In addition, many of these water purification infrastructures are powered by fossil fuels, which in turn damage the health of the environment. Other more cost-‐effect methods of purifying water are limited by their inability to remove all contaminants or by their dependence on chemicals which can cause further contamination by overdosing (Zieke, 2011). For these reasons, creating more innovative and sustainable methods for purifying water is increasingly important. One of nature’s many water-‐management strategies is repeatedly purifying water through the hydrological cycle (Al-‐Hayeka, 2004). Earth’s process of water distillation is a cycle of evaporation, condensation, precipitation, run-‐off, infiltration, and transpiration, all driven using the clean and freely available energy of the sun (See Figure 1).
Figure 1. Hydrological cycle
Figure 2. Standard solar still designs
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Humans have mimicked the hydrological cycle process with the use of solar stills for centuries (Al-‐Hayeka, 2004). The first recorded large-‐scale solar still dates back to 1551 when one was used to supply fresh water to a whole mining community in Chile (Al-‐Hayeka, 2004). In-‐ground solar stills have made their way into survival guides as means of obtaining water in the wilderness, while other designs on the consumer market primarily fall into two categories; slanted solar stills and greenhouse or cone solar stills (See Figure 2). Both types hold water in a basin at the bottom and collect condensed water into troughs for use (Coffrin, et.al, 2008). These designs have not changed much over time leaving room for innovative solutions to emerge. The use of solar stills hold great opportunity, as they represent a clean, small-‐scale, decentralized technology that can be easily adapted to particularities of various regions. This simple and clean technology is currently under-‐utilized because productivity is limited with current designs (Coffrin, et.al, 2008). If a better design were created would solar stills be used more globally? Biomimicry is the practice of emulating strategies, principles, and metaphorical lessons from nature in order to create more innovative and sustainable design solutions (Biomimicry 3.8, 2012). Amongst the various methods and tools we can use as sustainability-‐minded industrial designers, Biomimicry has much deeper links to whole systems sustainability by looking to nature as a ‘mentor, model, and measure’ (Benyus, 2011). Along with other pioneers of design and sustainability, Janine Benyus brings to light the wisdom nature and “the intricate interliving that characterizes whole systems” that are able to maintain dynamic stability while continuously manage resources without waste (Little Green Seed, 2011).
Thesis Statement The intention of my thesis project is to design a more innovative, more sustainable, and (ideally) more productive solar still for purifying contaminated water by using Biomimicry methodologies. I am calling this evolving design solution ‘SolDrop’ solar still; ‘sol’ meaning sun, and ‘drop’ to reflect the process of distillation. This thesis paper will serve as a narrative of my design process and experience, and then present my reflections on the usefulness of Biomimicry as a sustainable design tool.
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Project Objectives Scope This thesis paper presents background information and context for water issues and solar distillation, discusses Biomimicry methods for sustainable design, presents the results of my thesis design project, and reflects upon the process of using Biomimicry as a design tool to design a biomimetic solar still. I will outline my design solution (thesis project) and discuss the successes and limitations of the proposed design idea and Biomimicry as a sustainable design tool. The scope of the thesis project involves using Biomimicry for research and initial development of the SolDrop solar still product concept. This beginning phase of the product design was completed in the context of Round 1 of the 2012-‐2013 Biomimicry Student Design Challenge (BSDC), addressing water issues (Biomimicry 3.8, 2012). Biomimicry will serve as the primary framework and sustainable design process tool for this initial idea exploration (thesis project), while other tools/frameworks will be incorporated as the design is refined for a chosen market (beyond thesis project). The initial design idea resulting from this thesis work was submitted to the BSDC, Round 1 (See Appendix), and was selected as a finalist for Round 2. Additional development of the design idea (beyond this thesis) will be completed in the context of the BSDC, Round 2, which addresses real-‐world perspectives for the chosen target market (refer to Next Steps section). Summary This thesis project serves as the initial design explorations for the SolDrop product by practicing the use of Biomimicry methods as my primary design framework, while the thesis paper serves as a narrative of the project as well as a reflection on Biomimicry as a sustainable design tool. The thesis paper is structured into three parts: Introduction and opportunities: -‐ discuss a brief introduction of solar distillation and solar still designs, and -‐ an overview of Biomimicry methodologies as a design process for sustainable product design Biomimicry design process and SolDrop product design: -‐ initial development of the SolDrop solar still concept designed using Biomimicry (and submitted to the Biomimicry 3.8 Institute’s 2012-‐2013 BSDC),
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Conclusions of Biomimicry process and SolDrop product design: -‐ summaries of using Biomimicry methodology for the SolDrop solar still, -‐ personal reflections on employing Biomimicry methods for sustainable design, and -‐ a brief conclusion on the next steps of product design and system development
Opportunities
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Providing Clean Water with Less Impact Solar distillation is an economical way to provide potable water, especially for locations where solar intensity is high and there is scarcity of fresh water (Coffrin, et.al, 2008). A solar still works by enclosing a water source that, when heated by the sun, evaporates into the air as a gas, leaving behind any contaminates. The water vapor condenses back into a liquid once it hits the cooler enclosure surface, yielding Figure 3. How a solar still works clean water that can be collected and stored for human consumption (National Geographic, 1996; See Figure 3). Various contaminates, including salt, bacteria, high levels of minerals, etc., are separated from the water molecules as they vaporize – yielding safe drinking through the simple process of distillation (Zieke, 2011). If you live in a place where clean drinking water is taken for granted, like here in the United States, it can be difficult to grasp the scarcity of clean water and water/waste management issues. According to Water.org, there are 1 in 5 people on Earth that have no access to safe drinking water, resulting in 5,000 child deaths every day (Water.org, 2012). Children are particularly vulnerable to waterborne disease causing a cascade of additional challenges for impoverished families. When children are sick mothers or siblings are forced to stay home and take care of them keeping them from going to school or attending work (Water.org, 2012). With perpetual illness, families are stuck in a cycle of poverty and limited opportunities. There are many communities around the world with ample access to water and sunlight, yet have no water purification system (WHO, 2009). Due to the often energy intensive and costly infrastructure typically required by conventional community-‐wide purification systems, this is an unattainable solution for much of the developing world. This is why there is such a high concentration of deaths in developing regions annually (WHO, 2009).
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The technology behind solar stills is not only capable of removing water from a variety of contaminants in just one step, but is simple, cost-‐effective, and uses environmentally-‐friendly solar energy. Solar stills technology lends itself to various applications in both the developed and developing world. As populations grow so does scarcity of water, making the need for a more efficient solar still evident (WHO, 2009). Decentralized methods of purifying water will be a critical component for addressing the global water issues. Using Biomimicry as a sustainable design tool, I aim to create a design idea that is innovation, resilient, and sustainable (like nature) with viability in multiple markets. This design concept may be applied in the United States to reduce dependence on centralized water systems or in markets where the greatest benefit would be realized: where people have limited access to clean water and limited financial resources.
Biomimicry as a Sustainable Design Tool
Humans have been using ideas from nature since our existence on the planet, but the systematic use of core concepts assembled from nature have been hit-‐or-‐miss, until Buckminster Fuller presented these ideas in understandable and inspiring ways leading to modern Biomimicry (Fuller, 1999). Biomimicry, as it is known today, is about being “inspired by and transforming the principles of nature into successful design strategies” (Faludi, 2011). Janine Benyus, co-‐founder of the Biomimicry 3.8 Institute, says Biomimicry is unique in that it is about learning from nature’s materials, forms, processes, models, and systems and emulating nature’s strategies and principles in our human-‐designed environments, products, and systems (Benyus, 2002). Biomimicry provides both a framework and tools that allow designers to reflect actual mechanical strategies, functional solutions, principles, and metaphorical lessons found within nature. Benyus describes how Biomimicry is being achieved by viewing nature in the following three ways (Benyus, 2002): • Nature as a Model :: imitating or taking inspiration from nature’s models to solve human problems • Nature as a Measure :: using an ecological standard to judge the ‘rightness’ (sustainability) of innovations, as nature knows what works, what is appropriate and what lasts • Nature as a Mentor :: valuing nature for what we can learn from it, rather than what we can extract from it.
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This makes Biomimicry a potentially great tool for finding natural inspirations to use as models for design ideas, whose level of sustainability can be measured by nature’s ethics, all while learning from a 3.8 billion year mentor that produces no waste (Benyus, 2002).
The Biomimicry Approach
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The Biomimicry 3.8 Institute, in collaboration with a group of biologists, engineers, designers, and others, developed a framework and set of tools for applying teachings from nature to the design process (Biomimicry Group, 2011). The primary framework of Biomimicry is called “Life’s Principles” and the tools to guide the process are called the “Biomimicry Design Spirals”. This section of my thesis covers basics of the Life’s Principles framework and introduces the design spirals.
Life’s Principles Life’s Principles act as the evaluative framework for Biomimicry. These principles explain how life has managed to continuously survive on Earth since life first appeared over 3 billion years ago. Life’s Principles are extracted lessons from nature’s ability to continually maintain life within the ‘operating conditions’ found on Earth (Biomimicry Group, 2011; See Figure 4). They are divided into six main areas (Biomimicry Group, 2011): Evolve to Survive Be Resource (Materials and Energy) Efficient Use Life-‐friendly Chemistry Adapt to Changing Conditions Integrate Development with Growth Be Locally Attuned and Responsive Life’s Principles (Figure 4) are embedded as the Evaluate step in both of the design spirals (Figure 5). In the Biomimicry approach, Life’s Principles are used to evaluate the sustainability of a design, which I will discuss in more detail during the evaluation of my concept in the Design Idea section below.
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Figure 4. Life’s Principles: Design Lessons from Nature. Biomimicry Group, 2011
Biomimicry Design Spirals The Biomimicry Design Spirals (BDS) give designers a process for looking to nature for design inspiration and then emulating nature’s strategies in their design solution (Biomimicry 3.8 Institute, 2012). For the SolDrop design, I used the ‘Challenge to Biology’ (C2B) BDS. I will limit my discussion of the spirals to this specific BDS. The C2B BDS describes a process that includes the steps: Identify, Define, Biologize, Discover, Abstract, Emulate, Evaluate, and then back to the Identify, and so on (Biomimicry 3.8, 2012; See Figure 5).
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Figure 5. Biomimicry Design Spirals (BDS): Biology to Design and Challenge to Biology (C2B). Biomimicry Guild, 2011
The first two steps of the C2B BDS (Identify and Define) serve to clarify the functions that the design must perform in order to set up the situation and design brief to then look to nature for design ideas. The next two steps (Biologize and Discover) help to reframe the design functions into questions that can be asked of nature by researching potential biological strategies. The next two steps (Abstract and Emulate) guide the user to abstract lessons from biological strategies (be they organisms and/or ecosystems) and to consciously emulate the specific functional design concept(s) observed in the biological inspiration(s) into design ideas. To test the sustainability of the concepts, designs are evaluated against Life’s Principles in the final step (Evaluate). Life’s Principles should also be incorporated at the beginning of the BDS process when developing the design brief and throughout the process. Keeping an eye on “lessons from nature” will help avoid ideas that are biomimetic but potentially harmful (Biomimicry 3.8, 2011).
Design Process :: Using Biomimicry for SolDrop Working through the Challenge to Biology Biomimicry Design Spiral
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The SolDrop solar still concept was developed within the context of entering the 2012-‐2013 Biomimicry Student Design Challenge (BSDC). This opportunity gave me access to additional tutorials and more detailed materials and information than is provided by the Biomimicry 3.8 website. For this project, I worked through numerous “laps” of the C2B BDS, creating many iterations of the design (See Figure 6). In this section I will describe each step in more detail as I discuss the process used for designing this solar still concept.
Challenge to Biology (C2B) Biomimicry Design Spiral (BDS) Step 1 :: IDENTIFY Function Step 2 :: DEFINE Context Step 3 :: BIOLOGIZE Challenge Step 4 :: DISCOVER Natural Models Step 5 :: ABSTRACT Design Principles Step 6 :: EMULATE Nature’s Strategies Step 7 :: EVALUATE Against Life’s Principles Step 8 + :: RE-‐IDENTIFY,RE-‐DEFINE, etc. Note: Descriptions of all the C2B BDS steps (denoted in blue text below) are excerpts from the ‘Challenge to Biology Methodology’ worksheet provided during the BSDC, and are materials produced by Biomimicry 3.8 published in 2011.
Visiting Each Step in the Spiral Step 1 :: IDENTIFY the function and the real challenge. Find the core of the situation and the design problem by asking, “what do you want your design to do?”, rather than, “what do you want to design?” The Identify step involves clarifying the specific design challenge by creating a list of functions that the design is intended to perform. Refining the list until core functions are outlined, allows the designer to understand what the design truly needs to achieve, rather than immediately jumping to a design solution based on a pre-‐conceived form and system. “This is attempting to avoid the traditional ‘top down’ approach which enforces a preconceived concept of a solution (a design) onto the problem” (LittleGreenSeed, 2012). The Identify step was one of the most crucial steps for me in changing the way I was approaching the challenge as a designer. Although I was looking at the designs of existing and historical solar stills (“what” I wanted to design), this step guided me to explore and identify the many individual functions that contribute to the overall process of removing contaminants from water using energy from the sun (by way of distillation; a model found in many natural systems) on both an object and a system level. I found many other methods beyond solar distillation to purify water during my research, some of which may be more viable than solar stills. I decided to use solar distillation for my SolDrop design concept because this process is widely used in nature and provides an effective yet simple way to purify 99.5% of contaminants from water, including arsenic, fluorides, bacteria, and viruses (Zieke, 2011). I found the fact that solar-‐powered water distillation is an underutilized process in human water purification systems as an opportunity and interesting design challenge. Are humans’
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current methods of solar distillation (the use of conventional solar stills) unable to produce clean water in large quantities because they are not designed in a way that nature would accomplish this process? This scoping phase of the BDS process continues in the next two steps with defining the context (Define step) and reframing the design challenge (Biologize step). Step 2 :: DEFINE the context and situation. Define the habitat/location more specifically. The Define step involved outlining the context of the specific challenge. In other words, where the problem exists, and in turn, what situation the design solution will need to operate within. Defining the context aids in the development of a design brief by listing the conditions in which the future design will operate. The operating conditions include, but are not limited to: climate (solar radiance, temperature), social (competitive/cooperative, local/global), and temporal (growing, seasonal, static) conditions. ‘Nutrient’ availability (i.e., materials, money, labor, etc.) is also considered when forming the design brief (Biomimicry 3.8, 2011). I found that the Identify step alone was insufficient for adequately defining the context, but was a good starting point for defining a broad situation or scenario for the design to operate within. I also incorporated Life’s Principles into my design brief at this stage. “By deciding up front that each of Life’s Principles is important, subsequent efforts are more likely to result in sustainable solutions” (Biomimicry 3.8, 2011). Step 3 :: BIOLOGIZE the challenge/problem by asking, “How does nature accomplish the function?” as well as, “How does nature NOT do this function?” ‘Biologize’ is a term coined by the Biomimicry 3.8 Institute that refers to taking the human need and rephrasing it into a question whose answer can be found in biology (Biomimicry 3.8, 2012). Reframing the problem makes it possible for designers to search for natural strategies that perform the functions identified during the Identify step of the C2B design spiral. For example, “How does nature purify water?” is a “biologized” question. By reframing the problem from a human perspective, it makes it easier for designers to look to nature for the various ways organisms and/or ecosystems perform specific functions in highly complex and sustainable systems. “This biologizing of the question instills a greater chance for the outcome to be ecologically sustainable” (LittleGreenSeed, 2012). How to Biologize a Challenge (Biomimicry 3.8, 2011): 1. Identify functions (role, purpose, use of design) by revisiting the list already created during the Identify and Define steps of the C2B BDS. 2. Ask yourself, “How does nature meet this function or solve this problem?” as well as, “How does Nature NOT do this function?” 3. Look at the operating parameters and ask yourself, “How does nature meet that function in
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these specific conditions?” 4. Reframe the questions with additional keywords to be more specific? For the solar still, I asked myself obvious questions such as, “How does nature purify water?” and, “How does nature move, direct, harvest, and store water?” I also asked myself less obvious questions including, “How does nature conserve space and self-‐regulate temperature?” These questions helped to lead to more specific questions such as, “How does nature cool off?”, and, “How does nature heat up?” Step 4 :: DISCOVER natural models. Find the most appropriate natural models to answer/solve design challenge(s). Find “champion adapters” by asking, “Whose survival depends on this?” Consider literal and metaphorical models. The Discover step is the point at which the designer explores nature for strategies and models that exemplify solutions to the biologized challenge. In my process, I explored several avenues to find biological inspirations for each function that I identified. The first way I approached the Discover step (and one of the most fun ways to conduct design research), was to go outside and actually explore the natural world around me. This is one of the benefits of biomimicry for designers—not just for fun but also to be in nature and gain a better sense of designing with and for nature. I found that walking through the woods and looking amongst the trees was not enough. Instead, it required that I got (respectfully) ‘up close and personal’ with nature; this was key for me to really discover the vast amounts of interconnected strategies that we can learn from, often from right under our noses. I found it was important to observe closely and attend to details such as, how a particular leaf has water beaded and running off its surface or how a few organisms are collaborating or competing in an ecosystem. Often looking at local organisms and models can clue designers into how they might be able to solve local problems because the human need or challenge and the natural solution (evolution) is working under some of the same operation parameters (i.e., climate, geography, etc.). The second way I approached the Discover step was by researching the literature. By reading through books, online resources, and research publications, it brought to light the enormous number of solutions nature has been forming for 3.8 Billion years to manage life on Earth. To help designers avoid getting lost in the vast amount of biological information available, Biomimicry 3.8 has created the website AskNature (www.asknature.org). This site is a database that helps designers find natural models and learn from functions being performed. I used AskNature heavily, especially when researching many different organisms and systems, to learn from them along the way and seeing patterns with similar functions across many models.
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The final way I approached the Discover step was to work with a biologist or Biomimicry professional. This is recommended at this stage to provide in-‐depth biological knowledge to the designer, although it is not a requirement (Biomimicry 3.8, 2011). Finding the best natural models for my SolDrop concept did not happen right away and it took several rounds of research and meaningful bouts of “listening and discovering” rather than “hunting and searching” to get to an iteration of the design that satisfied each of the six main Life’s Principles. This will be discussed further in Step 7, during the Evaluate step of the C2B BDS. Step 5 :: ABSTRACT design concepts. Find the repeating patterns and processes within nature that successfully achieve the desired function. The Abstract step involves a process of abstraction that is used to clarify the essence of the biological strategy without “forfeiting its complexity” (Biomimicry 3.8, 2012). “It allows concepts and solutions to be communicated without specific details which may convolute them and therefore be transferred multi-‐disciplinarily” (LittleGreenSeed, 2012). This was the point where I was able to identify the core strategies used by each of the natural models I discovered for accomplishing an identified function. To abstract the design concept, I tried to describe the concept without using biological terms that I could then apply when sketching new ideas (See ‘Abstract’ section of Appendix). Step 6 :: EMULATE abstractions by playfully brainstorming solutions that apply these lessons from nature as deeply as possible into your design, mimicking form, mimicking function, mimicking ecosystem, and most importantly, how each are working in tandem. The Emulate step “is where the scale of the solution must be carefully considered and it’s interconnectedness with the surrounding environment analyzed to ensure ecological sustainable outcomes” (LittleGreenSeed, 2012). While sketching ideas, Biomimicry 3.8 suggests that designers ‘deepen the conversation’ by asking questions on structure, process, and system levels. Each time the solutions are created they should get closer to satisfying more of Life’s Principles at the next step of the process. The Emulate step was the most fun for me because it involved envisioning practical solutions to the design challenge based on the natural models and strategies identified in the previous step. The iterations of the solar still design process evolved as I refined the core functions and found more biological strategies from which to abstract concepts from. Step 7 :: EVALUATE against Life’s Principles to see how solution ideas are able to produce (or not result in) ‘conditions conducive to life’.
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The Evaluate step involves thorough evaluation of the product (or process) and system against Life’s Principles. Asking questions such as, “Can the design adapt and evolve? Is the design resilient and responsive? Is it closed loop?” and so on, makes it easier to critically review solutions ensuring a more sustainable outcome (LittleGreenSeed, 2012). I will discuss my evaluation against Life’s Principles in more detail under the description of the refined SolDrop concept (Design Idea section). Step 8+ :: RE-‐IDENTIFY, DEFINE…EVALUATE. Develop and refine design brief based on lessons learned from the evaluation section, and repeat the process. This additional step is the point at which the cyclical process begins again with the Identify step. By repeating the BDS process, the designer gains a deeper understanding of the problem and considers the issues identified in the previous Evaluate step. This aspect of the tool is what makes it an iterative process, cycling continuously through the stages, and spiraling towards an ever more specific, innovative, and sustainable design solution. This process is itself mimicking nature and the process of learning, adaption, and evolution, which occurs through continual feedback loops. This final step will be discussed in the next section.
Taking laps around the Spiral The SolDrop design process required working through each step of the C2B BDS multiple times. Each “lap” around the spiral led to a better understanding of how I was approaching the challenge and how I might learn from natural models. However, the real breakthrough for me was the very act of going through the spiral multiple times. Each lap resulted in various iterations of the design that evolved the design closer to fulfilling each of Life’s Principles (See Figure 6).
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Figure 6. Iterations of the SolDrop concept evolution embedded
Using the Biomimicry approach, I first discovered that there was not just one natural mentor that was using a unique strategy to meet a given function, but rather a large number of organisms that were using the essentially same strategy to perform a given function. The strategy employed was just packaged differently for each organism within a collection of functions specific to local survival, in other words, as multifunctional designs. I realized that there was a common pattern underlying these common strategies. It was discovering this pattern that facilitated abstraction and emulation. For example, when seeking out strategies for moving water, I discovered that the lotus leaf, the Namibian beetle, and the pine needle all share the common strategy -‐-‐ the pattern -‐-‐ of using surface structure to direct water (Ask Nature, 2013).
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Once I was able to see the patterns behind common strategies, I was able to create a list of guiding design principles abstracted from the lessons I learned from nature. I then developed my own taxonomy, a classification system used to organize how (strategies) organisms meet different challenges (functions) for this project (AskNature, 2013). From here I used my taxonomy to envision potential solar still design solutions by consciously emulating the design strategies I had learned about throughout this cyclical process. Below is a reflection of my experience working through the C2B BDS multiple times: First lap through all of the steps During my design process, I discovered that the first laps around the design spiral was about developing the context, sketching out an initial design approach, and becoming familiar with the process. The first few steps of the initial lap guided me to ask broad questions to gain a better understanding of the scope of the project, figure out what the situation was, and more clearly define what I was actually trying to accomplish. The first lap served as a platform to test my assumptions. As I dove deeper in to the design spiral and became more acquainted with this biological problem-‐solving tool, I started to reframe the challenge as I became more acquainted with this biological problem-‐solving tool. Activities such as taking a first stab at listing functions and evaluating a similar product against Life’s Principles helped me to get acquainted with how other designs faired during the Evaluate step. These initial practice runs made it easier for me to see where the SolDrop concept may be able to use similar strategies or principles, or have more sustainable improvements than others. Second lap through all of the steps The second lap around the spiral generally caused me to break down my assumptions by reworking my taxonomy (list of strategies and functions) and better incorporating Life’s Principles into the design brief. I worked extensively on research during the second lap. By reworking my taxonomy and context from the first lap, it was easier for me to find better biological models to solve the design challenge. As I observed patterns forming and identified those with potential, it was easier for me to abstract lessons from the biological strategies that could be applied to the next iteration of the design. Third lap The third lap around the BDS pushed me to check my new assumptions from the second lap and further develop the SolDrop design concept by incorporating more of Life’s Principles. The closer the design concept was to satisfying all of Life’s Principles, the better chance it had of being a viable and sustainable solution to my water purification and distillation challenge. In addition, it became clear that my design would be a far more innovative solution.
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Additional laps or steps After the initial SolDrop design concept was complete, I found it very useful to take several additional laps to address more specific object-‐ or system-‐level issues. For example, after several laps, I felt like my design was not incorporating the Life’s Principle, ‘Adapt to Changing Conditions’ well enough as it applied to the collection of solar stills. This led me to think about how the frame could come in many forms depending on local context. At times, only specific steps were needed rather than revisiting all the steps each time; however I often experienced that I would still end up revisiting other steps once I was influenced by revising another. As I continue to develop the SolDrop design beyond my MA thesis, I will revisit the C2B frequently to stay ‘biologically attuned’ as I intend to introduce other sustainability tools and frameworks to my design process. Although it took several revolutions, the design spirals helped me to strip down the solar still into basic functions that I could research and understand how natural models are meeting (or not meeting) the same functions. One of the big takeaways that I learned from discovering natural models based on function is that common patterns begin to emerge. I was able to see how many plants or animals meet the same function using different strategies; however, many of these different strategies were based on a common underlying pattern. When seeking out a solution for effectively communicating information, I was not inspired by a single organism, but rather how numerous organisms throughout nature exhibit the same underlying pattern using color to communicate (Ask Nature, 2013). Throughout the design process, I cycled through functions, natural models, and the lessons learned from them to select inspirations that could be emulated to yield a more productive and sustainable solar still design. The final solar still design used a collection of strategies from process to form and overall system models. After several iterations, I moved closer to a design idea that had resiliency and potential for further development.
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Design Idea :: Explaining the SolDrop Concept
SolDrop Solar Still: The Pod, the Collection, and the System:
The SolDrop solar still is a water purification device that mimics the hydrological cycle on a miniature scale inside numerous small pods that can be nested into a frame to function as a collective solar still unit. Each pod works individually by creating a microclimate ideal for the distillation process to occur: internal heat for maximum output of water evaporation with a cool surface for condensation. This section will discuss the design idea in relation to the
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individual pod (the product), multiple pods used together as a solar still unit (the collection), and overall global environment (the system) (See Figure 7).
Figure 7. SolDrop as a single pod (left), collection of pods (center), and larger scale unit used with other products in the environment for the overall system (right)
The Pod :: Single SolDrop Solar Still Nature performs several small tasks many times to accomplish larger tasks. Following this nested, nature-‐inspired design principle, I designed a solar still unit that is comprised of a collection of individual pods that simultaneously distill a small amount of water to create conditions that yield as much clean water as possible in the smallest space (dense, spiral packing of pods) over the shortest time period. Each pod works individually to distill water. This is possible because each pod has the ideal microclimate for the distillation process to occur: internal heat for maximum output of water evaporation with a cool surface for condensation. As the design idea is adapted to specific materials, prototypes can be built and tested to determine the best ways of achieve these ideal conditions. Each individual pod was designed by emulating more than one nature-‐inspired strategy. To best describe each feature of the refined SolDrop design idea, I have broken my design concept into parts that serve separate functions (see Figure 8). Like Nature, when each design attribute (form, scale, surface texture, etc.) serves a function that, in combination, help to perform the process, I arrive at a solution that optimizes conditions and therefore performance. These assumptions will be tested during future developments (beyond the scope of the thesis) on the SolDrop solar still system.
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Figure 8. Sketch of a singular SolDrop solar still pod with corresponding biological inspirations for the different components of the concept
SolDrop solar still works by containing the distillation process within each small pod that performs five water management functions: draw, heat, cool, direct, and collect (See Figure 8). First, using capillary action, the pod draws the dirty water up into the inner water basin using a small tube with a one-‐way valve. Solar radiation passes through the top cover of the pod and heats the water in the black basin. As the dirty water heats up it evaporate to leave behind any contaminants. The evaporated water rises then hits the top cover of the pod where it cools and condenses back into water droplets. The vapor condenses into liquid because of the temperature difference between the hot water vapor and pod’s cooler interior cover surface (Coffrin, et.al, 2008). The clean water droplets run off the top and are directed by the channels in the body of the pod. The form of the body further directs the water down into the drain tube and where it collects in a clean water container. The water will run through this process in a self-‐regulated way over and over, like a small hydrological cycle, within each pod. The way each of these functions and strategies were emulated is described below.
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Each pod unit emulates several biological strategies. In this section, I will describe the functionality and emulated strategies of each system component that together, perform the whole process. Capillary Tubes The small tubes, found at the base of every pod, contribute to the self-‐regulation aspect of drawing the dirty water into the inner water basin. Using capillary action, like that of a tree, the tubes draw the dirty water up into the basin by holding the water in tension (AskNature, 2013). The capillary tubes in the SolDrop design are used to maintain a consistent small amount of input (dirty) water in the basin without much user maintenance which is an improvement to currently available solar stills that typically require the user refill the basin manually. Ideally, the tubes would be color-‐coded to signal to the user which one goes into the dirty water container and which one goes into the clean water collection barrel. Insulation around each capillary tube may be beneficial to keeping the water warm as it moves into the basin. One-‐Way Valves The one-‐way valve concept is based on how human veins work. Veins are our bodies’ transporters for the circulatory system, and are structurally designed to allow blood to flow in one direction (Fritz, Schorn, 2013). This makes a similar form a great strategy for managing the flow of the input and output liquids processed inside the solar still. This would be especially useful if the solar still pod malfunctions because it would automatically shut down the flow of dirty water and avoid recontamination of the clean water collected. This idea could also be used the tubing itself to work even more like veins by having the one-‐way mechanism molded throughout the length of the tube. Inner Water Basin The function of the inner water basin design is to aid in water evaporation. Biological strategies were emulated that increase the temperature of the water while self-‐managing liquid inputs. Nature manages water by having self-‐regulating functions that only process a certain amount of liquid at a time. This serves the function of accomplishing a larger task by doing one or more smaller tasks many times; a pattern that is prevalent in nature. For example, a deciduous tree grows hundreds of leaves that each work in a decentralized manner to create energy and manage water loss for the tree. The idea behind having the small cup in the water basin is that only a small and shallow amount of water needs to be heated at any given time. Light will only penetrate the surface of the water held in the inner water basin to the first few centimeters, making any more water than that a hindrance to the process (Coffrin, et.al, 2008). Additional water below the first two centimeters becomes a source of cooling. To keep the water in the basin as hot as possible to aid evaporation, each SolDrop pod self-‐regulates a
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constant few-‐centimeters depth of water in the inner water basin. As the water evaporates, the basin refills automatically, unlike current solar stills that require water in the basin be replenished by the user. As I move into building a prototype, I will test a few methods (capillary action, gravity fed) to figure out the best way to regulate the amount of water. To further increase evaporation, the inner water basin will be back. Like the rock squirrel’s black fur, the black water basin serves to increase the absorption of the sun’s heat to speed up the water heating process. Bumps on the inside surface of the inner water basin increase the surface area available to be heated by the sun. More surface area decreases the time it takes to heat the water in the basin and leads to higher evaporation rates. Self-‐regulating temperatures by using form – increased or decreased surface area – is a pattern repeatedly found in nature (AskNature, 2013). Top Cover The functions of the top cover are to aid in condensation by maintaining a cooler surface temperature than that of the air inside. The cover must be also clear for maximum solar absorption. The rounded form of the cover encourages water runoff down to the main body, like the curved form of many leaves that direct water either to or away from a plant’s roots. Ideally the cover would be processed with a surface texture that mimics a hydrophobic leaf surface (like the lotus leaf). If the top cover was structured with microscopic bumps that repel water, the flow of water would be improved and it would cause increased efficiency in the distillation process (AskNature, 2013). The faster the condensate can move off the lid, the more clarity for solar radiation and increased evaporation. Main Body The functions of the main body are to house the nested components/assembled parts, and facilitate water drainage. The idea behind the main body form is to have corrugated sides in a spiral pattern that create channels for the condensed water to gather. The weight of gathered droplets will help move the liquid down these channels into the collection tube. These assumptions can be verified with further testing, beyond the scope of this thesis project. Also, the corrugation adds strength with thin materials like that of shells in Nature (AskNature, 2013). The form of the body is shaped to taper down toward the bottom of the pod for drainage. Drainage Tube The drainage tube directs the freshly distilled water down into a clean water collection bin. As Buckminster Fuller says, “Don’t fight forces, use them” (Fuller, 1999). This design uses gravity as free energy when collecting the clean water distillate. The device can also operate without this tube and drain directly into a container.
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Water Bins/Barrels The water tubes and bins would be colored coded, emulating the way flowers use color to signal and direct their desired pollinators. The dirty water bin and tube would be marked with red or black (dark) color to indicate that it’s the contaminated water and to help absorb heat from the sun to ‘pre-‐heat’ water going into the next step of the process. The clean water bin would ideally be blue or white, indicating it’s the consumable drinking water container.
The Collection :: Multiple Solar Still Pods Assembled Together The SolDrop solar still design emulates nature’s pattern of doing smaller tasks many times by leveraging the collective capacity of multiple SolDrop pods in concert to form a solar still unit. Like that of a deciduous tree, each leaf is working on a process (AskNature, 2013). For the leaf, the individual function is photosynthesis for energy production; for the SolDrop pod, the individual function is distillation. When the leaves are leveraged as a collection by the tree, it optimizes the trees’ overall functioning. The same idea applies to the collection of SolDrop pods. Each pods works independently as a solar still yet the pods may also be collected together in a specific arrangement and held in place by a frame. As a collection, the SolDrop solar still unit is more productive and more resilient. Further, by leveraging the space-‐saving and orientation form of the ubiquitous spiral pattern found across nature’s models at both small and large scales, SolDrop is able to perform enhanced self-‐regulating functions (See Figure 9).
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Figure 9. The collection of multiple SolDrop pods used together to form a solar still unit
Frames The SolDrop’s spiral helix dome design is used as a frame to hold multiple pods and was inspired by organisms that exhibit ‘phyllotaxis’ or nature’s golden ratio, such as sunflower seed heads, strawberry seeds layouts, nautical shells, the growth pattern of tree branches, and many more (Dunning, 2012). The golden ratio is a unique mathematical and geometrical proportion; when found in nature, it functions as a means of efficient packing (Dunning, 2012). For example, “a sunflower has seeds packed as efficiently as possible within the circular head of the flower, no matter how the large the flower gets. This type of packing produces visibly crisscrossing spiral patterns going both directions around the head” conserving space with optimized layout (Dunning, 2012). This is an abstracted design concept that I applied to the design of a SolDrop frame.
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The spiral form of the SolDrop design not only permits the highest density of pods per area, it also helps to cool the exterior surface by encouraging wind to pass around the whole unit, rather than only across the top. The ridges of the spiral form give the pods a cool and warm side to further the temperature regulation. Drawing inspiration from sunflower seed patterns, SolDrop uses the strategy of infinite growth to have differently sized pod units based on the location on the dome. The bottom of the dome has larger pods than the top allowing for location, orientation, and size to always have units that optimize solar absorption. This strategy of optimizing size and location for solar absorption is shown in deciduous trees’ leaf layout (also based on nature’s golden ratio) that adjusts leaf orientation, size, and form to facilitate the process of photosynthesis. The leaves that receive most of solar radiation are shaped differently than the tree’s leaves that live in (AskNature, 2013). SolDrop is comprised of decentralized pod-‐based design to ensure that SolDrop solar still units can be adapted to various frame designs based on the location, material availability, and optimal orientation of the unit for the given space and exposure to the sun where it will function to distill water. Although the spiral frame might serve additional functions, the ability to adapt to different frame layouts will allow for an even more locally attuned and responsive solution (See Figure 10).
Figure 10. Example of adaptable frame forms (right)
Adaptability: Scaling and Various Situations The SolDrop design idea may also be scaled up or down by using a larger or smaller frame with many more or less pods, respectively. The size of the single still pod can be rescaled or the number of pods used together and can be increased or decreased depending on community needs (See Figure 11). The collection of SolDrop pods could adapt for use directly on the water if the frame included a floatation element (See Figure 11). This would be especially useful for flood situations where there is a lot of post-‐storm standing water, or for places that are located by bodies of water (i.e. coastal regions, lakes, surface water), where there is plenty of water but it is not safe to drink.
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Figure 11. SolDrop scaled up for community use and example of SolDrop adapted for use on water
The System :: SolDrop in Context As a whole system, the SolDrop concept can be adapted in many ways depending on the various contexts it may be used within. The specific frame layout, scale, materials used, etc., may be modified to best suit the needs of the specific environmental context to the given market and location (see Figure 12). Ensuring that SolDrop can pair with existing products and systems will be key in achieving meaningful outcomes and a truly sustainable design solution.
Figure 12. SolDrop as a system used in conjunction with existing products (rainwater collection bins, collection containers), adapting to various local materials (plastic, clay, glass), sizes and capacity needs (individual, family, or community scale), and context (directly on water)
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Collaboration with Other Products Currently products such as the Hippo Roller are used to transport and store many gallons of water; this is a life-‐changing intervention for villagers that have to retrieve water far from home (Hippo Water Roller Project, 2013). SolDrop solar stills could be used in conjunction with these water containers by including a modified cap that allows users to use the Hippo Roller with the tubes of the SolDrop water purification device (See Figure 12). This could also reduce potential recontamination because the same water transport and storage containers can be used with the SolDrop system. Because the SolDrop solar still idea has the ability to work on the process directly at the source of the inputs, as nature does, the idea could be adapted to work directly with other systems like rainwater collection bins or irrigation water trough (See Figure 12). Adapting Materials As the design is adapted to various contexts and environments it is important to ensure various materials could also be used to support its potential employment in new regions. Figure 13 depicts a prototype that I made of the SolDrop design that shows how discarded bottles could be used as the pods that would make the design even more adaptable. With more development, this reused water bottle version could be implemented in developing countries using a readily available and inexpensive (or free) material (see Appendix for beginning stages of prototyping the solar still made of bottles).
Figure 13. Crude model of the SolDrop idea implemented using old plastic bottles
The reused water bottle concept could go even further by incorporating a bottle that is designed on the front-‐end in anticipation that it will be used for a solar still in its next life. Perhaps the shipping container that holds the plastic water bottles, sent upon initial relief efforts, could morph into the frame for the units once the bottles are made into SolDrop solar stills. The design idea can be applied to a self-‐contained unit made of ceramic material if other materials are not available or culturally less relevant (See Figure 14).
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Figure 14. Example of SolDrop idea implemented as a self-‐contained design, potentially made of ceramics or other available materials
SolDrop as an Organization, Accompanying Service Currently, I am working on refining the SolDrop design to be used specifically in developing nations where access to clean water is most needed. The concept would evolve into a design service rather than a product alone. The organization would be two-‐fold, one being the solar still product and evolving design information and the other being an educational component. Information on how the solar still is built, maintained, and used is transferred from community to community along with a more comprehensive educational component around water use and hygiene, giving them the tools that will reduce the number of water-‐related illness and death in the long haul. As an organization, we would use direct feedback from local community members and SolDrop users to constantly improve upon the SolDrop product, service, and organization. Measuring Impact and Influencing Behavior As I continue to develop the design idea into a viable solution in a given market, I will need to bring in other tools to make sure the design is contextually appropriate and results in meaningful and positive impact. Meaningful impact would be ensuring that the whole system is addressed by making connections with people in the place this idea would be implemented and adapting the design based on local feedback and needs (Polak, 2008). Also considering negatives outcomes that may come with the intervention will be addressed to avoid diminishing current situations further. As an organization, knowing how and what is being measured will be very important when moving forward, as well as staying attuned to SolDrop users needs and contextual operating conditions (Polak, 2008).
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Conclusions Design Outcomes and Broad Lessons
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My intention for this thesis project was to design a more sustainable, innovative, and (ideally) productive solar still using Biomimicry methodologies as a tool for creating a more innovative and sustainable design solution. The project resulted in two sets of conclusions. One set is related to the outcomes of the design, including an evaluation of its sustainability and the results of Round 1 of the BSDC. The second is related to the broad lessons that I learned from the thesis project. The broad lessons include lessons learned regarding the process of designing using Biomimicry, the Biomimicry methodology as a sustainable design tool, the evolution of my ‘Biomimicry Thinking’, and reflections on Biomimicry within the context of sustainable design. I found that using Biomimicry tools to design SolDrop resulted in a robust design idea for a self-‐contained, self-‐regulating solar still that can be adapted to multiple situations and therefore resilient in theory. However, SolDrop is still in the theoretical stage. I need to expand and develop the concept to further test my assumptions. In this section, I will dive into the outcomes of the project thus far and the lessons I learned designing the object itself and lessons from using Biomimicry methodologies.
Design Outcomes Evaluating the Sustainability of SolDrop One of the main goals of this project was to create a more sustainable design solution. By using Life’s Principles in depth, I was able to take a critical look at various aspects of the design idea to evaluate the sustainability of SolDrop. Designs that follow Life’s Principles will likely emerge as well adapted to Earth’s operating conditions and be a product that enhances Earth’s ability to support life for generations to come (Biomimicry 3.8, 2011). Life’s Principles, Design Lessons from Nature: Evolve to Survive Be Resource (Materials and Energy) Efficient Use Life-‐friendly Chemistry Adapt to Changing Conditions Integrate Development with Growth Be Locally Attuned and Responsive
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Note: Descriptions of Life’s Principles (denoted in blue text below) are excerpts from the ‘Life’s Principles Checklist’ worksheet provided during the 2012 BSDC, and are materials produced by Biomimicry 3.8 published in 2011.
The SolDrop solar still works by breaking down the functions into smaller and smaller parts such that every design choice for each part was made to help aid in the overall process of water distillation. By using many small components, no one piece is solely responsible for any one function. For example, the function of evaporation and more specifically, heating of water, was achieved not only by the inner water basin getting hot but by also using a black dirty water container that absorbed more solar radiation, preheating the water going into the tube. By insulating the input capillary tubes it keeps the water warm as it moves up to the inner water basin where only a small amount is heated and evaporated. From the container through the tubes and into the basin, the design tries to keep the water warm until the solar energy heat it into a vapor. This approach reflects Life’s Principles of redundancy, resilience, multi-‐ functionality, and decentralization that will each be discussed in section of my thesis. Evolving to Survive :: Continually incorporates and embodies information to ensure enduring performance by replicating strategies that work, integrating the unexpected, and reshuffling information. SolDrop is based on the simple technology of distillation that we know works to purify 99.5% of contaminated from water (Zieke, 2011); this is an example of replicating strategies that work. When I made a crude prototype of the design idea, I used a bottle with corrugated sides and noticed that the water running down the edges was getting caught on the ridged sides of the bottle. Moving forward, I integrated the unexpected by adding corrugated walls to facilitate the function of moving the clean water down into the collector as well as adding strength to the thin wall material like a clamshell. I incorporated the unexpected in a way that allowed the form of the body to lead to new functions. With the intention of implementing the idea through various materials or in different conditions, information will be exchanged and altered to create new options, further increasing its ability to evolve. Being Resource (Material and Energy) Efficient :: Skillfully and conservatively takes advantage of local resources and opportunities by using multi-‐functional design, low energy processes, recycling all materials, and fitting form to function. The solar still uses freely-‐available solar energy and gravity to drive internal processes, making it energy efficient, especially compared to other, often centralized, water purification technologies (Zieke, 2011). The idea behind SolDrop is that by containing all
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that parts in the pod, and addressing each function independently, I was able to optimize conditions for evaporation and condensation by designing each the forms to fit each function. Furthermore, each form also provides multiple functions. For example, the corrugated walls of the body are a good example of multifunctional design. The corrugation alone provides strength. The spiraling corrugations provide strength and direct water, combining two forms to provide two functions. This multi-‐functionality of this design contributes to its resource efficiency, which, in theory, could also yield higher amounts of purified water than current solar still designs. As I continue the design process to develop the concept for particular markets, I will determine the best material based on locality. For a very low-‐cost variation, that could be used in poverty-‐stricken areas, I will try to adapt the idea into a functioning solar still made from discarded bottles. This is an example of how the idea can close the loop on the materials used. Use Life-‐friendly Chemistry :: Use chemistry that supports life processes by building selectively with a small subset of elements, breaking down products into benign constituents and doing chemistry in water. SolDrop uses solar energy and gravity as free energy to drive the process, avoiding the use of fossil fuels or other harmful sources of energy. It uses distillation, rather than biocides, for water purification, making it a life-‐friendly technology (Zieke, 2011). The design is in concept stage, however, when materials will be selected, additional tools such as life-‐ cycle assessments (LCA) and computer models would be used to test the viable of various materials. In order to adhere to Life’s Principles I will aim for selecting materials that breakdown into benign by-‐products while satisfying the needs of the design. Moving forward this may be a starch-‐based plastic or another more locally-‐attuned material or manufacturing method. Adapting to Changing Conditions :: Appropriately responds to dynamic contexts by maintaining integrity through self-‐renewal and incorporating diversity, as well as embodying resilience through variation, redundancy, and decentralization. Embodying resilience became one of my core guiding principles during this process. The SolDrop design idea “maintains function following disturbance by incorporating a variety of duplicate forms, processes, or systems that are not located exclusively together,” a self-‐ renewal principle nature uses to evolve (Biomimicry 3.8, 2011). SolDrop maintains integrity through self-‐renewal and incorporating diversity by developing a design that has the option of a single pod that works to purify the water on its own or with multiple pods
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together that may be scaled up or down. The SolDrop design embodies resilience through decentralization; one pod works on its own without depending on the frame or collection of multiple pods. In the same regards, the collection of multiple pods is able to work even if one or a few pods are not working. A single SolDrop solar still pod includes multiple forms that meet functional process needs. If one part in the solar still is damaged or breaks, it can be repaired or replaced without compromising the use of the whole. As the design is implemented in a given location, the design will maintain its functional integrity by using local information flows for improving the system by adapting to changing conditions from space. Integrates Development with Growth :: Invests optimally in strategies that promote both development and growth by combining modular and nested components, building from the bottom up, and self-‐organizing. SolDrop is composed of individual pods (modules) that can be nested as a collection in a frame. The modularity of the SolDrop concept, allows the collection of pods to interact in concert to enhance the overall system by combining nested components to conserve space. SolDrop’s modular and nested design builds from the bottom up in a self-‐ organizing framework. This allows for adaptability and variability (development) as well as scalability (growth). The approach of the SolDrop development has been progressively simple to complex. First the modular and nested concept is an adaptable design idea that does not prescribe specific materials or exact design, but rather describes the idea in a way that can be adapted for the specific location. Next in development, the form and materials for each pod can be optimized for local context and conditions; the still itself promotes development and growth as a locally attuned system. Next, the form, material, and layout of the frame are can be optimized for the collective whole. Finally, the overall system gets increasingly more complex as the idea develops and grows in various regions and is adapted to be locally attuned and responsive, another dimension of Life’s Principles. Being Locally Attuned and Responsive :: Integrates with the surrounding environment by using readily available materials and energy and cultivating cooperative relationships, as well as leveraging cyclic processes and feedback loops. As mentioned throughout this evaluation against Life’s Principles, the SolDrop system was designed to be locally-‐attuned by allowing for adaptable and responsive design iterations, site-‐specific partnerships, and true understanding and reflection of cultural relevance and
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meaningful impacts. For example, to respond to changing needs SolDrop could be used as one pod per person, one collection (unit) per family, or perhaps scaled up for community use. If needed, the idea could include a floatation element for use directly on the water source, or used in collections of different sizes; all locally attuned and responsive attributes. By creating partnerships with local organizations that contribute to our feedback loops, SolDrop as an organization, could develop the localized concept using abundant and accessible materials whether the materials are discarded plastic bottles or pre-‐formed glass units. This type of collaborative design may lead to jobs creation, finding value through win-‐win interactions. Also by optimizing the system to be used with other products in the environment will make the most of what is locally available, like being used with Hippo Rollers which are water storage and transport barrels (Hippo Water Roller Project, 2013). Overall this solar still idea responds to diurnal cycles by leveraging thermal to drive the cycles of evaporation and condensation. The self-‐regulating functions allow water to cycle through the distillation process repeatedly and continuously. Results :: BSDC, Round 1 I submitted the SolDrop design concept to the BSDC hosted by the Biomimicry 3.8 Institute. The SolDrop concept was named a top-‐ten finalist for Round 1 and invited to develop the idea in Round 2. The first round entry for the BSDC (See Appendix) shows the beginning stages of the greater overall system that I have envisioned SolDrop. The second round of the competition requires submission of a start-‐up business plan using Biomimicry as a platform for advancing the concept further in a chosen ecosystem.
Broad Lessons Following the Biomimicry Approach I really enjoyed this process of using the Challenge to Biology Biomimicry Design Spiral (C2B BDS) as a design and problem solving methodology. I found that it aligned my thinking with biological strategies, and pushed me to explore and learn from successful natural designs in a much deeper way than any other previous exposure I’ve had with design. Biomimicry also broadly sets new biological standards of sustainability to aim for by satisfying as many as Life’s Principles as possible. The following two parts will discuss the various lessons I learned from the process of designing SolDrop using the C2B BDS.
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Seeing Patterns + Nature exhibits numerous different strategies for performing the needed function. Many different organisms have different strategies, but leverage the same underlying pattern. I gained a deeper understanding of the Biomimicry approach once I started to see patterns emerge from researching dozens of organisms and natural models, and after making multiple laps through the C2B BDS. Although I realized as I moved closer to a more sustainable solution, that specific functional strategies may be inspired by a single organism; however, it was the discovering strategic patterns underlying numerous models that were most helpful to abstracting useful design concepts. Seeing the strategic patterns emerge was a breakthrough lesson for me. I gained clarity on how to abstract the patterns from these strategies that I could then emulate in my design solution. Researching the several different biological strategies used for temperature regulation brought light to the design concepts I could emulate, and combine in a way that provided SolDrop with its own ability to self-‐regulate temperatures by using the form that fits the function. A Reason for Every Choice + All of nature’s designs fit form to function and are multi-‐functional. Forms, functions, process, and systems are optimized to support and enhance each other as a collective whole. I have heard of ‘form fits the function’ throughout my design education but never had such an understanding of the true meaning of this until after researching so many organisms. I was able to see how in nature there is a reason for every ‘design choice’. In every example with an organism or ecosystem, the form facilitates the process, collectively performing functions adapted to the specific location or need. Seeing now how relentlessly nature adheres to this principle makes me realize how much of the products designed by humans are not fitting form to function in most cases. Making Incremental Gains + Always strive for incremental gain as nature is always making progress towards positive outcomes. It never gets worse to get better. This lesson was not directly outlined in the methodology but one that I came away with during the process. Here are some of my curiosities that arose: Can our products make incremental gain with the object itself and as an overall system? Can some of the product or system be done is a way that still performs the same function even in conditions that aren’t ideal?
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Can parts of the product still work, performing some function(s), even if other parts do not work? Can the product be a viable solution in a market that is not exactly your target consumer? Can your product be created with alternative materials or manufacturing methods? Dynamic Responding + Create dynamic and responsive systems that are locally attuned and adapting to changing conditions. This is one of the principles outlined in the C2B BDS methodology that I gained a much deeper understanding of throughout. Previous to this project, I would tend to design for static and independent products that did not grow, develop, and adapt to changing conditions. I will continue to incorporate this into the refinements of SolDrop and my sustainable design work in general because it is embodies an iterative process applied to product designs themselves as well as the overall system. Using Biomimicry Methodology I found that using the C2B BDS allowed the project to grow and develop over the course of the taking laps around the spiral. The idea evolved as I gained a better understanding of intended functions, learned how biological models work, and emulated these lessons through iterations of the design. Unlike a traditional design process that can be linear, the C2B BDS helped me to create a better definition of the design challenge, as I understood the functions better, resulting in new design ideas that continuously incorporated nature’s lessons. Below are some of the lessons I took away from working through this process. Multiple Laps + Taking multiple laps is important. As I worked through the design spiral, I arrived at more encompassing levels of sustainability with each trip. I was able to arrive at more innovation and sustainable solutions as I gained further understanding of my design challenge. This was done by breaking down the product into its functions, learning how nature uses form to facilitate functions, and emulating the ideas through design iterations. Finally, the evolving concept was evaluated against Life’s Principles each lap. Incorporating more and more of nature’s lessons each time, resulted in my idea getting closer to a more sustainable solution, creating conditions conducive to life. Divergent and Convergent Thinking + Understanding when to change my thinking between divergent and convergent depending on which step I was at in the design spiral and which phase of the project overall. Learning when I was getting too divergent and needed to get more convergent was a skill I developed during
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this thesis project work. This “spiral technique is going from divergent thinking (DISCOVER) back to convergent thinking (EMULATE). At any point, when you feel you are getting farther from a solution (too divergent), stop and proceed through to the Emulate stage where you create a specific design solution that incorporates the strategies or principles that you discovered and abstracted” (DeLuca, 2012). This lesson is important to push creativity but also incremental to productivity. Divergent and convergent thinking is also required to realize sustainable design. To better show how the different steps of the C2B BDS are an iterative process with divergent and convergent thinking, I created this sketch that hybridizes the two design diagrams (See Figure 15). By thinking broadly (diverging) about my design at various stages, I was able to creatively think beyond the scope of my own assumptions and knowledge base. On the other hand, in order to not get too far from the scope of the challenge, I used information that I learned in the previous design spiral steps or laps to help me to narrow down (converge) into an emulated strategy or principle.
Figure 15. Biomimicry Spiral adapted to show how divergent and convergent thinking is used throughout the process. Graphic for divergent/convergent thinking adapted from The Double Diamond diagram and agile development models as described by the British Design Council (Stickdorn, et.al, 2011)
Each step can be convergent during one lap and divergent during another lap depending on where the designer is in the design process. For example, at the beginning of the process,
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designers need to think broadly when identifying functions and the challenge being addressed, but once all of the steps have been reached, the Identify step on the second lap of the spiral could have more narrow thinking of the functions as a designer’s understanding of the challenge deepens. As designs expand through each lap of the Biomimicry spiral, the biomimetic solution will get broad and narrow back in using an iterative process of agile development using feedback loops (see Figure 15). Avoiding Superficial Replications + Distinguishing between true biomimetic problem-‐solving over superficial replication of natural forms in design was another take away for me. In some occasions, I discovered that biomimetic solutions may not even physically resemble anything in nature, rather they are a collection of natural strategies used to accomplish intended function that also reflect Life’s Principles for sustainability. Working through the Biomimicry methodologies kept me engaged in deep consideration for biological problem solving, rather than a superficial replication of nature when aiming for an innovative solution. Here is an example of what I mean by superficial replication of a natural form (See Figure 16).
Figure 16. Outset® Hex Ice Tray (Fox Run Brands), photo from Amazon.com
Designing this ice tray was my first paid product design job coming out of design school (surprisingly, the product made it to market) but clearly, this was a shallow application of Biomimicry that failed to recognize Life’s Principles. Now that I have a deeper understanding of Biomimicry, this old project reminds me how far I have come through MCAD’s Sustainable Design program. This job working on kitchen gadgets is actually what got me thinking more about my design process and wondering why I did not understand product lifecycle or systems thinking coming out of my undergraduate industrial design degree. Less than a dozen projects in, I could no longer justify working on design ideas when I did not think were well thought out or had positive impact in the world. This led me to seek out continuing education in sustainability-‐minded design.
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Evolution of my Biomimicry Thinking
I used Biomimicry as a sustainable design framework to achieve a more innovative and sustainable solar still concept; however, my perspectives and ability to practice ‘Biomimicry Thinking’ evolved more than I could have anticipated. The more I engaged with the Biomimicry process as a design tool, the more I experienced revelations. These experiences changed how I view the use of Biomimicry as a tool for design inspiration all the way through to Biomimicry as a tool for ongoing, positive impact. Here is a sketch to illustrate how my design perspective evolved into a Biomimicry Thinking process (See Figure 17).
Figure 17. Evolution of Biomimicry Thinking Diagram. Reinterpreted diagram is inspired by Carl Hastrich’s ‘Biomimicry Ladder’ sketch on his blog, Bouncing Ideas
Biomimicry for Inspiration to Biomimicry for Innovation Initially, I viewed Biomimicry as source of inspiration for my design where I gathered information on how I might draw inspiration from a natural form or a particular model. As I discovered inspiring biological models, I began to reframe my design challenge and capture insights, as well as inspiration, from that model. The more biological strategies I researched, the more I saw nature’s principles emerge. Seeing different patterns across many natural models, enable me to move from drawing inspiration directly from single organisms/models to seeing Biomimicry as a tool for innovation. This inspiration-‐to-‐innovation shift in perspective occurred for me when I was able to let go of a specific biological inspiration and apply what I learned to make deeper connections to the underlying patterns and principles, rather than clinging to particular biological solutions.
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Innovation to Paradigm Letting go allowed new models to inform my next stages of thinking. The more organisms I investigated, the more I was able to abstract insights to the level of a principle, and the easier it was to see how Biomimicry applied to more than this design process. This shifted my thinking to see how the Biomimicry design tool is able to transcend from a tool into a paradigm; a worldview underlying the theories and methodologies of nature’s principles and patterns (Merriam-‐Webster, 2013). Now I am able to see lessons from nature everywhere, in many areas of my life, and how they can be applied to different fields or phases of production. Paradigm to Radical (Sustainable) Innovation After working through the C2B BDS process first hand, I have gained a better understanding how Biomimicry is a design tool and a paradigm. Biomimicry is influencing new ways of doing business, architecture, chemistry and so on, making it a viable tool toward radical innovation. Radical innovation means discovering completely new ways of doing things, shifting design standards, and often making previous innovations obsolete (Merriam-‐Webster, 2013). I believe that once designers are able to see how abstracting lessons from nature may be applied beyond the design of the object/product to the organizational model that supports it and its connection to the environment it exists in, and then radical innovation will begin. Radical Innovation to Ongoing Positive Impact Going through the adaptive thinking process that the design spiral fosters, I have realized that although Biomimicry as a design tool and paradigm has powerful contributions toward innovation, it would be best to cultivate cooperative relationships with other sustainable design tools and frameworks (i.e., lifecycle assessments, eco-‐certification systems, user-‐centered design and systems thinking tools). “Sustainable design professionals are best off knowing what the right tools for their job are and how to use them together” (Faludi, 2012). Other sustainable design tools could be integrated into various steps of the Biomimicry Design Spirals to create a holistic system that is responsive to local needs and social context, resulting in designs with ongoing positive impact. Reflecting on my thesis question, “Can I design a more sustainable and innovative solar still using Biomimicry?” I would answer “yes” because I successfully used Biomimicry as a model, mentor, and measure to create a resilient and robust design idea for a modular solar still that is different than anything on the market. I was originally seeking an answer to a simple question, but found much more than a simple answer, I experienced an evolution in my design thinking.
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Moving forward, I recognize that I will have to use my additional sustainable design knowledge and product design experience in addition to Biomimicry methodology, to appropriately execute as I move the design from idea to reality. This will come into play during the Round 2 of the BSDC. Understanding the limitations of Biomimicry now will help me determine the best tools to bring into the ongoing process of refining my designs for SolDrop. Biomimicry within the context of Sustainable Design
One thing that I’ve learned through my tenure at MCAD is that most of the impacts that a product will have are embedded during the design phase. The choices all designers make involving the products they create are made from the onset of the design process. Decisions about what a product is made of, and how, where, and why it was made, used, and disposed of will define a product’s level of sustainability. Limitations of Biomimicry After using the C2B BDS exclusively, I can see how the Biomimicry methodology could benefit from the incorporation of other tools and various points throughout the process. Non-‐human natural systems are constrained by learning from what they’ve experience the generation before, whereas humans have the unique ability to learn from others outside of themselves (Faludi, 2012). Faludi also describes how sustainability tools serve one or more basic purposes including focusing attention (objectives), suggesting specific design ideas (strategies), and keeping score (metrics) (Faludi, 2011). The BDS includes all three to a degree; this is why it is being used for many applications. Like any tool, there are limitations, for this reason Biomimicry can be used with other tools that help set boundaries of the problem, such as user-‐centered design and systems thinking, quantitative measurement tools such as lifecycle assessments, Cradle-‐to-‐Cradle, and modeling programs for testing viability (Faludi, 2011). Beyond biology, other fields and areas of expertise should be referenced to best execute the design with feasible materials and manufacturing methods. Biomimicry can result in designing better, more sustainable products and systems, especially when complimented by these other tools and areas of expertise (Faludi, 2011). The sketch below is a modification of Figure 17, presented above, to demonstrate how other relevant, sustainable design tools are needed to move biomimetic concepts further into production with the ultimate goal of reaching radical innovation that contributes to ongoing positive and sustainable impact (See Figure 18).
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Figure 18. Evolution of Biomimicry Thinking Diagram shown with how other relevant tools might be integrated for radical innovation and ongoing positive change
Nature has a whole system context. In every case, biological organisms experience, respond, and adapt to their surroundings and therefore ‘design’ themselves with contextual relevance. In my SolDrop design experience, I found that using the C2B BDS exclusively was not going to help me to completely understand the context SolDrop will be used in. Access to clean water is a major design challenge that reaches far beyond my understanding of the true needs of communities thousands of miles away, living in conditions different than those that I have experience in Western culture. Although I found using Biomimicry design tools very helpful when looking to nature for solutions, other tools and frameworks would help me to further define the context of the relevant situations that SolDrop will be employed within (i.e., society, culture, social systems, etc.). There are parts of the C2B BDS that address defining the operating conditions that the design will exist within but there are other tools that would undoubtedly do a better job of setting priorities and contextual objectives for the challenge at hand. Applying the lens of Biomimicry to compare the design of human products and systems to those found in nature has been wonderful for my overall development of deep sustainable design thinking. I found that working through the C2B BDS process resulted in a whole systems thinking perspective whereas other sustainable design methodologies begin with whole systems thinking. For me this discovery-‐based approach has shaped my ability to cast a wider net while using whole systems thinking. I can now make more encompassing considerations by initially looking at a product’s whole system and by reframing the design challenge into core
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functions, abstracted strategies and principles, and emulate lessons from nature. In my opinion, the C2B BDS served as a wonderful gateway to understanding the vast lessons that may be learned from biology to inspire innovation on many levels.
Next Steps BSDC, Round 2 and beyond Round 2 of the Biomimicry Student Design Challenge is centered on bringing the biomimetic solutions to a viable place as a business venture. This round includes a mentorship component with Startup Nectar, a business incubator for Biomimicry-‐based ventures. I will collaborate with my BSDC teammates to bring the idea closer to market using additional design tools, areas of study, and processing methods for prototyping the design idea for real-‐world use. By incorporating what we’ve learned through creating crude models and getting feedback from the BSDC judges, we aim to take the design further for the BSDC, Round 2 submission. The creation of a business plan will give us critical information on how and where the SolDrop solar still best fits into the desired location. As we take the next steps, the idea will adapt specific needs as needs are assessed, designs are customized, and field tested (see Figure 19).
Figure 19. Progression of taking the SolDrop idea to market
The SolDrop solar still will be positioned in developing regions where it will have the most meaningful impact because these low-‐resource areas face the largest challenges. Initially I
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intend to position the design idea for developing nations with limited resources before moving into consumer markets for developed nations, like here in the North America. It will be important to establish that this design idea can be achieved for this population before moving into other consumer markets in developed nations. To do this, additional tools and resources will be used to get at the social relevance (e.g. design for real social impact resources by Mulago Foundation, human-‐centered design toolkit by IDEO.org, design for extreme affordability by Stanford University), technological feasibility (Autodesk Inventor CAD modeling), and manufacturing design will be used to create prototypes that will be used for feasibility testing and user studies. There are many models out there of projects that are trying to make a difference, but which actually do make a real impact? By using resources like those published by various foundations, organizations, and individuals tackling similar issues, I can arrive at a more contextually relevant solution for the nuances of impoverished regions. Moving forward, I will use additional tools and areas of expertise with Biomimicry to provide a more robust design process for the product, supporting business, and accompanying services. To measure success and true impact, the design team would identify metrics and gather information help us determine how appropriate this design idea is in a given community. Researching the competitive landscape will also clue our team into similar projects, learning from what they have experienced, and understanding who is potentially competing for the same funding avenues. Currently, I am working with my BSDC teammates to create initial prototypes to test the functionality and technical claims (see Appendix). This work will be done beyond the scope of the thesis. Once the pivotal question, “Does it effectively work?” is answered, further refinement of the design can be developed with the use of other tools, feedback loops, and site-‐specific partnerships. Now that I have a design idea (seed), I will have to find the best ground (the locations that benefit most) to plant it in, and strive to make it native (being locally attuned and responsive) to that ecosystem (the community) in which it lives. Once the seed is growing, I will have to use local nutrients (materials, manufacturing, and labor) to feed and maintain balance between development and growth (with cooperative partnerships using feedback loops) to enrich that local biome (the country and surrounding environment) (see Figure 20).
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Figure 20. Growth model for the future of the SolDrop solar still and evolving service system
I realize that SolDrop has a long way before becoming a viable solution for positive, sustainable impact. More importantly, working on this thesis project has expanded, deepened, and solidified my understanding of sustainable design. I have gained confidence in how I approach design and how I will forge ahead in my career as a sustainable design practitioner looking to create evolving solutions (see Figure 21).
Figure 21. ‘The (design) Squiggle’ by Damien Newman showing the (closed) convention design process and a rendition of the ‘Design Squiggle’ ending with evolving solutions done by Stefanie Di Rosso showing the sustainable design process (I Think, I Design Blog, 2012)
As a designer (and user) of products and as I leave MCAD’s master’s program, I have a heightened sense of responsibility to do my part to create as consciously as I can by absorbing, reshuffling, and sharing information. I believe that the process of developing my thesis project
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has made me a better designer because I can better determine when and how various sustainable design tools should be used and when to turn to other expertise on multidisciplinary teams to create sustainable design solutions that contribute to ongoing positive impact and ultimately creates conditions conducive to life.
References
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Al-‐Hayeka, Imad, and Omar O. Badranb. “The effect of using different design of solar stills on water distillation.” Desalination 169 (2004): 121-‐127 Architecture for Humanity. Design Like You Give a Damn. New York: Metropolis Books, 2006. AskNature: A project of The Biomimicry 3.8 Institute. 2013. Biomimicry 3.8 Institute. 13 May 2013. (*NOTE: Specific citations for the biological references found on the AskNature.org website can be round in the reference section of the BSDC Round 1 entry (see Appendix) Benyus, Janine. Biomimicry Innovation Inspired by Nature. New York: Harper Perennial, 2002. Benyus, Janine. “A Biomimicry Primer.” Biomimicry Resource Handbook. 2011. Biomimicry 3.8 Institute, Biomimicry Guild. Print. Biomimicry Group. Life’s Principles: Design Lessons from Nature. 2011. Biomimicry 3.8 Institute. Pp 2. Biomimicry Group. Biomimicry Design Spirals. 2011. Biomimicry 3.8 Institute. Pp 1. Biomimicry 3.8. 4th Annual Biomimicry Student Design Challenge: Water Wise. 5 December 2012. Biomimicry 3.8 Institute. 13 May 2013 . Coffrin, Stephen; Frasch, Etic; Santorella, Mike; Yanagisawa, Mikio. Solar Powered Water Distillation Device. “MS Thesis: Mechanical Engineering.” Northeastern University, Boston, 2008. Northeastern University. Web. 20 Feb 2013. DeLuca, Denise. Personal Interview. 04 December 2012. Dunning, Brian. The Golden Ratio. 28 August 2012. Sketptoid: critical analysis of pop phenomena. 14 May 2013. . Faludi, Jeremy. “Biomimicry.” Worldchanging: A User’s Guild to the 21st Century. Ed. Alex Steffen; Carissa Bluestone. New York: Abrams, 2011. 99-‐100. Faludi, Jeremy. “Biomimicry’s Place in Green Design.” Zygote Quarterly 03 (2012):121-‐129. Web. 11 May 2013.
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Fukuhara, Teryuki, and Smimul Ahasan, and Yoshihiro Ishii. “Production Model of Tubular Solar Still Based on Condensation Theory.” IV Conferencia Latino Americana de Energia Solar Cusco (2010). Fuller, R.Buckminster. Your Private Sky: The Art of Design Science. Ed. Joachim Krausse; Claude Lichtenstein. Baden: Lars Muller, 1999. Fritz, Rodney, Schorn, Larry. Vein Disorders. 2013. Advanced Vein Clinic of North Texas. Web. 13 May 2013 Hastrich, Carl. “Hierarchy of Biomimicry innovation.” Bouncing Ideas. Wordpress. 17 October 2011. Web. 13 May 2013. Hippo Water Roller Project. What is the Hippo Water Roller? 01 June2012. Imvubu Projects. 11 May 2013. How the Hydrological Cycle Works. 2012. Foundation for Water and Energy Education (FWEE). Web. 08 December 2012. . LittleGreenSeed. “A tool for innovation – the biomimicry design spiral.” LittleGreenSeed. Wordpress. 2 December 2011. Web. 10 May 2013. National Geographic. How to Find Water. 1996. National Geographic Society. Web. 08 December 2012.. Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Issues: Water. 2012. Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Web. 09 December 2012. . Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Water Facts. February 2010. Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Web. 09 December 2012. . “paradigm.” Merriam-‐Webster.com. Merriam-‐Webster, 2013. Web. 13 May 2013. Polak, Paul. Out of Poverty. San Francisco: Berrett-‐Koehler Publishers, Inc., 2008. Stickdorn, Marc, Schneider, Jackob. This is Service Design Thinking. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2011. United States Geological Survey (USGS). Where is Earth’s Water Located? 31 October 2012. U.S. Department of the Interior. Web. 10 December 2012. http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earth wherewater.html>. Water.org. Water Facts. 2012. Estimated with data from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply and Sanitation. Web. 08 December 2012. .
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World Health Organization. 10 Facts About Water Scarcity. March 2009. UNICEF and World Health Organization (WHO). Web. 09 December 2012. . Zieke, Gregor. “Development of a low-‐cost, high-‐efficiency solar distillation unit for small-‐scale use in rural communities.” (2011). MS Thesis: Resource Management. .
Appendix
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BSDC Round 1 Entry The first round entry for the Biomimicry Student Design Challenge is attached. I will continue to collaborate and reference outside materials to make a stronger entry for Round 2 of the Biomimicry Student Design Challenge 2012-‐2013 due in May 2013.
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