The Biomimicry Challenge by Jennifer Richardson

FA ACADEMICS

The Biomimicry Challenge

BY JENNIFER RICHARDSON SCIENCE DEPARTMENT CHAIR AND THE MORPHOBRICKS

Entering a competition was a goal voted on by Biology Club members last September, beginning in earnest when we found and signed up for the Biomimicry Institute’s Youth Design Challenge in November of 2020. For the next two months, interested students began their independent research on biomimicry and climate change with a focus on Maine issues. In January, the group work began steadily. Regular weekly meetings were set up after school with their advisor. In addition, the team began meeting independently once or twice a week to collaborate on the design process. The goal of the competition was to “design bio-inspired ideas that can provide solutions to the climate crisis through a project-based learning experience. The team took on the role of innovators working together to apply biomimicry (nature-inspired innovation) to address a social and/or environmental issue related to climate change adaptation or mitigation. Students study how organisms in nature have adapted to similar problems and challenges and apply what they learn to innovative solutions.” (youthchallenge.biomimicry.org)

In a year of uncertainty and constant change, pursuing and completing an international competition was a huge win. Through the team MorphoBricks’ tenacity, discipline, and teamwork they became one of five high school teams to win an award for the internationally recognized Biomimicry Institute 2020-2021 Youth Design Challenge (YDC). Daryna Serediuk ’22, Bueri (Stella) Yoon ’22, Yungyeong (Zoe) Jung ’22, Gege (Grace) Liu ’23, Ki-Ok (May) Shin ’23 and Jiwon Choi ’24 won the Problem Definition Award for their systems thinking, thoroughness, and creativity in researching, identifying and defining a problem to solve. Along with this award, they received a $500 cash gift to donate to a nonprofit of their choice; they selected the World Resources Institute.

THE PROBLEM OUR TEAM ADDRESSED

Heating systems in Maine and around the world are unsustainable because oils, gas, fossil fuels are burnt for heating. The excessive usage of nonrenewable energy for buildings emits massive amounts of greenhouse gas, which contributes significantly to global warming. The rising temperature of air and ocean results in the migration and death of many species, causing damage to the world’s biodiversity and ecosystem. It also causes extreme weather that severely threatens, for example, Maine’s agriculture and economic development. In order to solve the problem, we developed the idea to make eco-friendly buildings that regulate temperature by themselves.

HOW OUR DESIGN IMPROVES THE PROBLEM

By constructing the brick that can change its color and reflectivity, buildings will be able to regulate their temperatures efficiently by either absorbing or reflecting heat from the solar radiation. The MorphoBrick that we designed is constructed with four layers: photonic skin made by 3D printing at nanoscale for light reflection, black body for heat absorption, heat flow tunnel, and concrete developed by biochar technology. Being made of eco-friendly materials, MorphoBrick is an excellent