Incorporating natural elements into the design of building façades, such as green façades, has emerged as a promising strategy for achieving sustainable and energy-efficient buildings. Biomimicry has become a key inspiration for the development of innovative green façade systems. However, there is still progress to be made in maximising their aesthetic and structural performance, and the application of advanced and generative design methods is imperative for optimising green façade architecture. This research aims to present a generative design-based prototype of a biomimicry green façade substrate with photosynthetic microorganisms to enhance building façade efficiency. The concept of green façades offers numerous advantages, as it can be adapted to a wide range of building structures and implemented in various climates. To achieve this, Rhino and Grasshopper were utilized to design the generative and parametric substrate, optimizing the architectural form using a genetic algorithm. Consequently, a bio-façade prototype was developed, determining the optimal number and shape of coral envelopes to maintain cyanobacteria within a generative and parametric façade. Furthermore, the photosynthetic microorganism façade acted as an adaptive façade, effectively improving visual and thermal comfort, daylighting, and Indoor Environmental Quality performance.

Coral studies rely on comparative research between several reference coral skeletons and living organisms imaged on reefs. However, many of these skeletons are part of collections, making extensive comparative works difficult. Nowadays, imaging technologies and image processing approaches allow acquisition of three-dimensional (3D) datasets that can be converted to virtual models. These models can be made easily accessible and shared among collaborators or researchers using the Internet. Here, we compare high cost and low cost technologies on coral skeletons as well as imaging phantoms for accurate reference. We generated 3D models that were compared. Even though CT scanning and photogrammetry are the most accurate methods the latter is far less costly. It also allows for texture mapping, an essential tool in the field, and easy dataset handling. We submitted these 3D virtual models to experts for taxonomical identification, and they identified all specimens accurately. Finally, we further discuss applicability of our approach on museum collections, living corals, and field work.

This paper introduces a new type of energy-absorbing hierarchical tapered structure, mimicking the hierarchical architecture of barnacle. The proposed structures are designed by iteratively incorporating sub-tapered tubes at the junctions of primary ribs aiming to enhance the crashworthiness performance. The finite element models of the proposed structures are constructed in Abaqus software and validated using experimental testing. The effects of the geometrical parameters including the number of substructures and the external-to-internal wall thickness ratio on the energy absorption characteristics of the proposed structures are investigated. The results demonstrate that as the number of substructures increases, the specific energy absorption (SEA) and mean crushing force of the proposed design show a significant improvement. Specially, the SEA of the proposed structures with four substructures can reach 32.78 kJ/kg, which is 85.8 % higher than the conventional tapered tube. Additionally, decreasing the ratio of external to internal wall thickness leads to enhanced performance. After optimizing the wall thickness ratio, the maximum SEA can reach 40.87 kJ/kg, which is 26.0 % higher than that before optimization. To complement the findings, a theoretical study is presented, which exhibits excellent agreement with the numerical results, further validating the effectiveness of the proposed design. This study highlights the potential of incorporating hierarchical and tapered features into tapered structures, offering promising prospects for advancements in energy absorption technology across diverse industries.