A Biomimetic Approach to Rainwater Harvesting Strategies Through the Use of Buildings

Year 2018, Volume: 2 Issue: 1, 27 - 39, 10.07.2018

Duygunur Aslan , Semra Arslan Selçuk

Abstract

Water is limited and strategic basic life
source as well essential factor for the continuation of life. There is no
alternative to water in the nature. Access to safe water resources is a common
vital requirement for all organisms. In today’s world, global warming,
pollution, climate change and the rapid increase of the world population have
necessitated more water use; the water resources have started to decrease, and
the sustainability of those water resources has become a critical issue. After
that the humans are faced with the fact that the water resources are limited,
they have begun to seek for alternative solutions for the acquisition and
preservation of water efficiently. In these quests, the issue of collecting
rainwater has begun to be considered as a solution to water-related problems in
the buildings. While humans are looking for answers to how to obtain rain water,
many plants and animal species use limited water resources with sustainable
methods which give tips to humans on potential water resources and modes of
use. For this purpose; the study of rainwater harvesting, which has a critical
aspect in terms of ensuring the sustainability of water resources, and of the
most strategic environmental issues of the century we are in, has been
examined. The living creatures those who succeeded in obtaining water by
various techniques in the nature were researched. Innovative approaches to
rainwater harvesting, one of the most promising alternatives for achieving
water in the face of decreasing water resources and increasing demand, have
been addressed through biomimicry and constructions in the architecture
of the future. The aim of the work in this context is to realize the potential
of collecting, storing and reusing rainwater in buildings which are designed
with biomimetic approaches in terms of rainwater harvesting methods to
contribute to the solution of water related problems in the buildings and to
present possible design and manufacturing methods.

Keywords

Rainwater Harvesting, Biomimicry, Water, Architecture

References

• Bradshaw, A. J. 2008. Water Harvesting Methods and the Built Environment: The Role of Architecture in Providing Water Security, Masters Thesis, in Architecture Department, University of California, San Diego. p.22
• Bradshaw, A. J. 2016.Water Harvesting Methods and the Built Environment: The Role of Architecture in Providing Water Security’. Masters Thesis in University of Nevada, Las Vegas. p.23
• Brown, PS. And Bhushan, B. 2016. Bioinspired materials for water supply and management: water collection, water purification and separation of water from oil, http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2016.0135. (Last accessed:8.2.2018)
• Comanns, P., Withers, P. C. , Esser, F. J., and Baumgartner, W. 2016. Cutaneous water collection by a moisture-harvesting lizard, the thorny devil (Moloch horridus) Journal of Experimental Biology (2016) 219, 3473-3479 doi:10.1242/jeb.148791
• Eroksuz E, and Rahman A. 2010) Rainwater tanks in multi-unit buildings: a case study for three Australian cities. Resour Conserv Recycl 54(12):1449–1452
• Fewkes, A. 1999. The use of rainwater for WC flushing: the field testing of a collection system. Build Environ 34(6):765–772
• Ju, J., Bai, H.,Zheng, Y.,Zhao, T.,Fang, R. and Jiang, L. 2012. A multi-structural and multi-functional integrated fog collection system in cactus. Nature Comminications| DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2253
• Mays, L. Antoniou, G. P. Angelakis, A. N. 2013. History of Water Cisterns: Legacies and Lessons. http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/5/4/1916/htm (Last accessed:12.3.2018)
• Mourad, K. Berndtsson, R. 2011. Potential water saving from rainwater harvesting in Syria. J Water Manag Res (VATTEN) 67(2):113–117Murugesan, A. 2014. Traditional Water harvesting systems of Rajasthan, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312799247, (Last accessed:11.3.2018)
• Maglic, J M. 2014. Biomimicry: Using Nature as a Model for Design, Masters Thesis, in Architecture Department, The University of Massachusetts Amherst. (p.13-16)
• Omran, W M. 2013. Biomimicry Applications in Agriculture to Benefit from Water Renewable Resources. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/293652474_Biomimicry_Applications_in_Agriculture_to_Benefit_from_Water_Renewable_Resources (Last accessed:12.3.2018)
• Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission Department of Drinking Water Supply Ministry of Rural Development Government of India. 2004. Water Harvesting and Artificial Recharge, Technical Document, New Delhi. (p:18,19,20)
• Tekin, Ç., Kurugöl S. 2011. Üç Canlı ile Çevre Dostu Üç Bina”, e-Journal of New World Sciences Academy, 6: 4, 944-952.
• Traboulsi1, H. and Traboulsi2, M. 2015. Rooftop level rainwater harvesting system. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs13201-015-0289-8.pdf (Last accessed: 11.3.2018)
• Upadhya, M. 2009. Traditional Techniques for Water Harvesting, Institute for Social and Environmental Transition- Nepal, Sustainable Mountain Development, p. 56, 24-26
• Villarreal, EL. and Dixon, A. 2005. Analysis of a rainwater collection system for domestic water supply in Ringdansen Norrkping, Sweden, Build Environ 40(9):1174–1184
• Yannopoulos, S. Antoniou, G. P. Kaiafa-Saropoulou, M. and Angelakis, A. 2016. Historical development of rainwater harvesting and use in Hellas: A preliminary review, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311782273, (Last accessed:9.3.2018)
• [URL1] https://www.renewableenergyhub.co.uk/rainwater-harvesting-information/the history-of-rainwater-harvesting.html (Last accessed: 12.3.2018)
• [URL2] https://www.globetrouper.com/blog/chand-baori-stepwell-in-rajasthan-india/ (Last accessed:4.3.2018)
• [URL3] http://rahulghai.blogspot.com.tr/2015/12/water-security-and-entitlements-of.html (Last accessed: 12.3.2018)
• [URL4]https://asknature.org/strategy/water-vapor-harvesting/#.WqY56mrFKUk (Last accessed:9.3.2018)
• [URL5] http://www.dapco.es/node/161(Last accessed : 13.3.2018)
• [URL6] https://fpsbutest.wordpress.com/2011/11/10/theater/ (Last accessed:3.1.2018)
• [URL7] http://www.warkawater.org/design (Last accessed:3.1.2018)
• [URL8] https://sustainabilityworkshop.autodesk.com/project-gallery/chaac-ha-biomimetic-water-collector (Last accessed:12.3.2018)
• [URL9] https://inhabitat.com/habitat-2020-off-the-grid-future-abode/ (Last accessed:12.3.2018)