Biomimcry Case Studies: Ventilation and Air Control

Here are the projects I will be assembling information on pertaining to ventilation and air control.

For the desert climate:

Eastgate Centre in Harare Zimbabwe by Mick Pearce/Arup Associates

(thanks, Jordan, for letting me use it!)

The building is modeled after termite mounds and the way in which cool air flushes warm air out the top (think of stack effect) by opening and closing vents. They use the control of temperature in order to harvest a certain fungi (their food source) which can only be produced at a specific temperature.

For the cold climate:

Here I've been looking at a few options but I have focused on Manitoba Hydro Place by KPMB

I have yet to tie the passive air features to a natural process but the building uses winter gardens which are described as 'lungs' to the building, a solar chimney for stack-effect as well as water features which act as humidifiers/dehumidifiers. At least it has a lot of potential...