Termites Inspired a Building That Can Cool Itself

When Architect Mick Pearce was hired to design the largest office and retail building in Zimbabwe he was left with seemingly impossible challenges because the investment group didn't want to pay for the expensive air conditioning for cooling the building. 

So, How do you design a building that cools itself? 

Millions of termite live inside Termite Mound and some of these mound stretch an astonishing 30 feet high. 

Although these termites skyscrapers may look solid from the outside, they are actually covered in tiny homes that allow air to pass through freely.

Like a giant lung, the structure inhales and exhales as temperature rise and fall throughout the day. This termite ventilation inspired Pearce ( Architect ) to use an approach known as Biomimicry.

Biomimicry : imitating the inequity found in nature to solve human problems.

Just like the soil inside a termite mound, these building materials have a high, " thermal mass " - which means they can absorb a lot of heat without really changing temperature. 

By increasing the amount of surface area; heat loss is improved at night, while heat gain is reduced during the day. Inside the building, low power fans pull in cool night air from outside and disperse it throughout the floors. The concrete blocks absorbs the cold, insulating building and shilling the circulating air. At morning, warm air is released by chimneys , temperature inside stay lively 82 to 57 °F.