Doris Kim Sung's Work with Thermo-Bimetals is Inspired by Human Skin
Meghan Young — October 28, 2012 — Eco
Floor to ceiling windows might be coveted for the spectacular views they offer, but Doris Kim Sung shows the world just how ineffective they are when it comes to ventilating a building. She has been experimenting with thermo-bimetals, which are two layers of metal that expand and contract in response to temperature at different rates, to essentially create metal that breathes. By doing so, Doris Kim Sung envisions walls that can shade a room from sun and self-ventilate.
Having majored in Biology and pursued architecture, Doris Kim Sung has combined her two interests to develop this unique thermo-bimetal system. An assistant professor at USC, she was inspired by human skin and grasshoppers. She observes, "[Skin is] the first line of defense for the body. Our building skins should be more similar to human skin."
Having majored in Biology and pursued architecture, Doris Kim Sung has combined her two interests to develop this unique thermo-bimetal system. An assistant professor at USC, she was inspired by human skin and grasshoppers. She observes, "[Skin is] the first line of defense for the body. Our building skins should be more similar to human skin."
Trend Themes
1. Thermo-bimetals - The use of thermo-bimetals in architectural design presents disruptive innovation opportunities for creating walls that can shade a room from the sun and self-ventilate.
2. Self-ventilating Buildings - The concept of self-ventilating buildings offers disruptive innovation opportunities for improving energy efficiency and indoor air quality.
3. Inspired by Human Skin - Inspiration from human skin opens up disruptive innovation opportunities for creating building materials that can adapt and respond to environmental changes.
Industry Implications
1. Architecture - The architecture industry can explore the use of thermo-bimetals and self-ventilating building systems to create more sustainable and efficient structures.
2. Construction - The construction industry can embrace the concept of self-ventilating buildings to enhance occupant comfort and reduce energy consumption.
3. Material Science - The material science industry can research and develop innovative materials inspired by human skin, such as thermo-bimetals, for various applications in architecture and beyond.
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