Sun, sea and snails - stories inspired by nature
With 7 Billion people on earth today and natural resources in limited supply, more and more solutions are being inspired by nature because it’s a system that’s had 3.8 Billion years of testing. Taking design and innovation ideas from nature is formally called bio-mimicry, and it looks to solve even complex business problems by learning from our natural world.
Take for example the office building in Harare, Zimbabwe which emulates a termite den and therefore uses 90 percent less energy to heat and cool than traditional buildings. And then there are lessons to learn from lotus flowers which naturally repels dust and dirt particles, an idea picked up by a German paint company, reducing the need to repeatedly ‘touch up the paint’ of buildings. And such ideas can be sold at a premium because they offer customers innovation, long term cost savings and solutions that are in harmony with their environment. Being sustainable can certainly boost brands and customer loyalty, while not being a responsible business has the potential to permanently damage a business’s reputation.
Logica has pulled together a number of inspiring sustainability examples on www.sustainability-stories.com, stories we love from users and from around the world, and this week we have found some stories truly inspired by nature. We love the Snail Shell System, a low cost contained home system that enables one person to live on land and water and still be hooked on to modern technologies. So we were delighted when the Dutch Tempohousing Academy shared their story with us about how they are reusing shipping crates to create modular housing in Nigeria. Nature has taught us that the best sustainable designs ensure that products and their components can be re-used many times over.
Also check out Nordea, one of Sweden’s largest banks that is looking to be inspired by the sea and use cold seawater to cool their servers and data-centres. And while there is no shortage of stories inspired by solar power, we like the way Sunny schools go out of their way to encourage pupils in London to take action and are inspiring future generations.
More stories can be found on www.sustainability-stories.com, a home for amazing sustainability projects. Join our competition to win 20,000 euros worth of consulting to 31 May or simply share your stories with like-minded people. Who knows, we might help make your story even bigger and better.
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