A very Scilly problem: using biomimicry to inform climate resilient infrastructure

Overview

Despite recognition of the impact of climate change on infrastructure performance, engineers are struggling to adapt infrastructure solutions to changing climate conditions. However, nature has adapted to specific climate challenges over billions of years of evolution. 

Using a biomimicry approach, this presentation explores how biological organisms, which have adapted to conditions predicted under climate change, could inspire climate resilient infrastructure design. Here, we specifically investigate the Isles of Scilly as an indicator region for the United Kingdom.

We will explore how nature’s strategies to address conditions on the Isles of Scilly (which are reflective of the climate predictions for the UK) are similar to, and more expansive than, the set of solutions employed by current design codes.  

The presentation will also compare the overlaps and gaps between nature’s design and engineering design, identifying opportunities to bio-optimise existing strategies, innovate from nature’s genius, and/or re-evaluate where strategies might not be sustainable, across a range of levels of implementation.