Biomimicry: How to Mastermind Blue-Green Infrastructure

#SpotlightLearning.climate-kic.org

Nature-inspired solutions for the built environment

Limassol, Cyprus l 13-15 October 2017

Information Pack

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About the workshopAn intensive three-day course, aimed at exploring Biomimicry Thinking as a framework for introducing nature-inspired and climate-friendly solutions into the built environment.

Future-proofing of cities, combining water systems, biodiversity and urban farming: With the support of biomimicry - derived from the Greek words ‘bios’ (life) and ‘mimesis (imitation) - sustainable solutions to man-made problems can be identified by emulating natural systems and processes. This Spotlight course includes specialized talks, interactive workshops, group work, peer-to-peer feedback, and short visits to natural habitat sites.

Course objectivesThe course objective is to train professionals and students interested in blue-green urban infrastructure on how to apply Biomimicry Thinking and look at nature as a model for innovation in order to generate truly sustainable solutions. In addition to teaching a structured methodology, this course aims to inspire participants to incorporate more biomimetic design solutions in their problems.

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BackgroundQuoting the Biomimicry Institute: “Biomimicry is an approach to innovation that seeks sustainable solutions to human challenges by emulating nature’s time-tested patterns and strategies. The goal is to create products, processes and policies that are well adapted to life on earth in the long run. The core idea is that nature has already solved many of the problems we are grappling with. Animals, plants and microbes are the consummate engineers. After billions of years of research and development, failures are fossils and what surrounds us is the secret to survival.” Biomimicry is not something new. Ancient civilizations used to observe natural processes in order to create tools and improve their habitat. The methodology and tools created by the Biomimicry Institute and the Asknature.org database offer a structured approach to tackling challenges that can be benficial in future-proofing our cities and adapting to climate change.

Why nature-inspired?:Simply put, while man-made processes use ’heat, beat and treat’, nature utilizes minimum energy and hierachy and synergies to grow, perform and communicate, leaving no harmful waste behind. Using circular economy concepts, CO2 is considered a building tool for growth and ecosystems thrive together instead of in isolation. As our urban systems become more complex, mitigation and adaptation strategies require us to do more with less by sharing resources and increasing efficiency.

For further reading:Baumeister, D. 2014. Biomimicry Resource Handbook: A Seed Bank of Best Practices, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

Benyus, J. 2003. Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, 2nd Ed. Harper Collins.

Pawlyn, M. 2011. Biomimicry in Architecture. RIBA Publishing

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What we offer: Participants will gain skills in applying Biomimicry Thinking in their work or new startups. In particular the participants will:

• Gain an appreciation of the potential of Biomimicry Thinking for the built environment

• Learn how to scope a biomimetic design brief, initiate, catalogue, and create meaning out of biological research, and develop concepts inspired by the research findings

• Understand how to frame their work challenges and seek nature-based solutions

• Discover how they can incorporate circular economy concepts

• Learn how to translate a natural system into a nature-based solution for the built environment

• Practice evaluating nature-based solutions and comparing them to conventional solutions.

Who can take part? • Managers of climate-friendly

innovation projects relating to the built environment (retrofitting, urban farming, renewable energy micro-generation)

• Clean-tech startups - in particular startups focusing on cities

• Students of engineering or the natural sciences interested in blue-green infrastructure

• Town planners, urban utility stakeholders, civil, mechanical, and electrical engineers and architects active in the built environment.

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Oct. 13, 2017Day 1 – Entering BiomimicryAfter an orientation to the local ecosystem, we will start outling the foundations of the philosophy of biomimicry and the related design approach by a mixture of lectures and activities.

10 a.m. - 5 p.m. • Introductory presentations (Biomimicry and nature-based solutions)

• Introduction to Biomimicry (Essential Elements: Ethos, Reconnect, Emulate)

• Biomimicry: the framework

• Function Junction for Urban Environment (learn about the emulation of shappes, processes and systems, with specific reference to urban/architecture case studies); practice the functions

• The Biomimicry Thinking approach and Life’s Principles - the deep patterns behind the way life works, introduction and exercise

• AskNature: How to use it

• Start Framing the Design Challenges

Oct. 14, 2017Day 2 – Dive into Nature – Outdoor ActivitiesThis day emphasizes the biology-to-design Biomimicry Thinking approach. While in an exciting outdoor environment, participants learn how to describe the function and context of the biological phenomenon that they observe, learning the biology-to-design approach as they explore

9 a.m. - 5 p.m. • Quieting your cleverness (exercise sensing functions)

• Biological Lenses exercise

• Genius of Place exercise (linked to a design challenge)

• Recognizing Life’s Principles in the local ecosystemexercise

• Another exercise for re-connection, iSite

• Presentation: Multi/Inter/Trans disciplinarity: reflections around the practice of Biomimicry

Review the Design Challenges (in the light of the excursion)Dinner

AgendaLimassol, Cyprus University of Technology, CUTing Edge Entrepreneurship Hub13 –15 October 2017

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Oct. 15, 2017Day 3 – Looking for SolutionsThis day we will tackle each step of the Biomimicry Thinking approach with an interdisciplinary team-based design challenge throughout the day and kick off with how to scope a design challenge biomimetically. With a clear understanding of the team’s design challenge, we then start the process of discovering natural models that can inspire solutions.

9 a.m. - 5 p.m. • Use the Life’s Principles as a framework for evaluating and optimizing the solutions to the design challenges. Presentation of results

• As a final wrap-up, we consider how the lessons learned and experiences gained in the course of the workshop can be applied in the work that we do. Final Remarks – Q & As

AgendaLimassol, Cyprus University of Technology, CUTing Edge Entrepreneurship Hub13 –15 October 2017

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Alessandro Bianciardi (Trainer)

Alessandro Bianciardi has a background in Environmental Engineering and more than 20 years’ experience in formulating and implementing environmental and development projects, acquired working in international organisations, consulting companies and NGOs. He is a certified Biomimicry Professional at the Biomimicry3.8 and has a master’s in Biomimcry from Arizona State University. He is the co-founder of Planet s.a.s and Biomimicry Italy. He applies Biomimicry as a tool for designing and evaluating sustainable solutions and for education to sustainability.

Saskia Van den Muijsenberg (Trainer)

Saskia is the director and co-founder of BiomimicryNL and a Certified Biomimicry Professional with a Master’s in Biomimicry and over 20 years’ experience in marketing, change management and strategic innovation. She worked for several Fortune 500 companies (such as Lead GameChanger Innovation Workshop Program at Shell) and catalyzes innovation by discovering design strategies from nature, developing them further and then translating them into real business opportunities. In addition, Saskia is an expert advisor for the Horizon 2020 program of the European Commission for Societal Challenge 5: Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials. Saskia’s love of nature was born on the beach in The Hague, Netherlands, where you can find her still regularly. She’s currently doing a PhD on biomimicry & circular economy.

Coaches and experts

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Dr Stelios Yiatros (Trainer)

Stelios an Assistant Professor in Structural Engineering at the Department of Civil Engineering and Geomatics at the Cyprus University of Technology. Stelios has also been a Marie Curie Fellow at Cranfield University in the UK (2015-2017). He is in the core team of the Climate-KIC Cyprus Regional Innovation Scheme and is the acting Education Lead for Climate-KIC activities in Cyprus and Greece. Furthermore he is one of the Co-founder of Chrysalis LEAP, the first business accelerator for Cleantech ideas in Cyprus, which has been working with Climate-KIC to organise ClimateLaunchpad national programmes for Cyprus and Greece. Stelios won the Trevithick Prize for Engineering Sustainability in 2008 for his paper on Biomimicry in Structural Design.

Dr Olia Nisiforou (Coach)

Olia has a BSc in Marine Science, an MSc in Learning in Natural Sciences, an MSc in Environmental Pollution Control and a PhD in Environmental Science and Technology. She was awarded a fellowship under the “UNESCO Fellowships Programme in Support of Programme Priorities” award and a PENEK Scholarship (ΠΕΕΕΕ/0311/21). She has also worked as an Environmental Consultant, a co-researcher in European projects funded by the 6th framework Programme, (a) ‘BIOHED’ and (b) ‘Mitigation of water stress through new approaches to integrating management, technical, economic and institutional instruments’ and as a visiting lecturer.

Coaches and experts

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Partner organizationsClimate-KIC is Europe’s largest public-private innovation partnership, working together to address the challenge of climate change. It drives innovation in climate change through creative partnerships large and small, local and global, between the private, public and academic sectors. All Climate-KIC partners bring their industry experience to the community and are connected through the centres across Europe.

The Cyprus University of Technology is the second largest public university in Cyprus. It was established in 2004, and welcomed its first students in 2007. In 2016 CUT joined Climate-KIC through the EIT RIS programme and in 2017 it ranked within the top 200-250 European Universities.

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Course Location and Logistics13-15 October 2017CUTing Edge, An American space.Kitiou Kyprianou 45, Limassol Down Town, Cyprus

City DescriptionLimassol is located in the south coast of Cyprus and is the second largest city of the Republic of Cyprus, main sea port and home of the Cyprus University of Technology, this Spotlight’s workshop organiser. Limassol is a vibrant and diverse business centre as well as a tourist destination with a population of about 170,000 people. The city boasts a combination of modern and colonial buildings in the old town (where the university is located) as well as ancient and medieval ruins, highlighting its importance through the years.

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Practical information

How to get to the course venue

You can get to Cyprus by travelling to Larnaca International Airport (LCA) or Paphos International Airport (PFO), both at a similar distance from Limassol. You might also find flights to Ercan airport in the occupied part of the capital, Nicosia. Our advice is to avoid using that airport, as it is not controlled by the Republic of Cyprus and it is not considered as a legal point of entry. From Larnaka and Paphos airports one can either get a shuttle bus or a taxi. If you are taking the shuttle bus from the airport, get off at the Agios Georgios Havouzas Church station.

1. From Larnaca Intl Airport to Limassol, follow the link in order to check timetables, route map and details. Timetable 2. From Paphos Intl Airport to Limassol, follow the link in order to check timetables, route map and details. Timetable From Agios Georgios Havouzas Church bus stop you can either get a local bus or a taxi to your accommodation. 1. If you are getting a bus directly towards your accommodation follow the directions:

• Depart from Agios Georgios Havouzas Church Bus Stop and take the no. 4 bus towards Leontiou - EMEL Central Station (for all bus info routes, timetables and details view here)

• From EMEL Central Station you can:

• Get a minibus CENTRAL BUS ROUTE to Anexartisias street stop or to Pentadromos street stop then walk either from Anexartisias street stop or Pentadromos street stop and walk towards CUTing Edge

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AccommodationLimassol has numerous hotels which are a short walk, bike (e.g. shared bike) or bus ride away from the Cyprus University of Technology. These are a few suggestions, but participants are encouraged to look on the web for several other options.

Harmony Bay Hotel Georgiou ‘A, Limassol, Cyprus(approx. ~100EUR per person per night)5.3 km from venue (10-15 minute bus ride)

Ajax Hotel Georgeiou Neofytou, Mesa Geitonia, Limassol, Cyprus (approx. ~110EUR per person per night)3.5 km from venue (10 minute bus ride)

Curium Palace Hotel Lord Byron, Limassol, Cyprus(approx. ~90EUR per person per night)1.8 km (25 minute walk)

Kapetanios Odyssia Enaerios Complex, 28th October & Makarios III Ave, Limassol, Cyprus(approx. 85 EUR per person per night)2.4 km (30 minute walk)

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Fees and registration

Course fee: EUR 800.

Please note: A 50% discount on the regular fee is available for Climate-KIC partners, public institutions, Climate-KIC alumni and NGOs.

Grant applications are possible for citizens of the following countries: Cyprus, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia.

Participation can be cancelled free of charge until four weeks before the course. Fees already paid will be reimbursed. 50 % of course fees are payable in case of cancellation between four and one week before the course. Already paid fees will be reimbursed accordingly. Full fees apply after cancellation less than one week before the course.

Please note that spots are limited and applications will be assessed as they come in. The deadline for application is 10. September 2017.

For further information and online application: In collaboration with: click here

For further enquiries, please contact: stylianos.yiatros@cut.ac.cy