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Biomimicry is an approach that entails understanding the natural system and designs and mimicking them to create new non-biological systems that can solve human problems. From bio-based material development to biologically inspired designs, architects and designers excelled in highlighting the fascination of integrating the biomimetic thinking process into the modern

Biomimicry is an approach that entails understanding the natural system and designs and mimicking them to create new non-biological systems that can solve human problems. From bio-based material development to biologically inspired designs, architects and designers excelled in highlighting the fascination of integrating the biomimetic thinking process into the modern design that provides more comfortable space in which to live. This thesis explores how historical sustainable strategies from Islamic traditional architecture incorporated natural design system that could now be appropriately applied to interior architecture. In addition, it explores the current existing problems in this field and the possibilities of biomimetic sustainable solutions for existing buildings in the hot dry climate regions of Saudi Arabia.

The author concentrates on examining Islamic traditional architecture where the past architects incorporated certain aspects of nature in their construction and through using local resources, built buildings that mitigated heat and provided protection from cold. As a result of completing this research, it was found that there are common characteristics between the traditional Islamic architecture elements and system solutions found in some natural organisms. Characteristics included, for example, evaporative cooling, stuck effect, and avoiding heat gain. However, in the natural world, there is always opportunities to further explore more about the impacts of biomimicry and natural strategies applicable to enhance interior environments of buildings.
ContributorsHawsawi, Hawaa Ismail (Author) / Bernardi, Jose (Thesis advisor) / Fehler, Michelle (Committee member) / Harmon-Vaughan, Elizabeth (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2016
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Description
Without scientific expertise, society may make catastrophically poor choices when faced with problems such as climate change. However, scientists who engage society with normative questions face tension between advocacy and the social norms of science that call for objectivity and neutrality. Policy established in 2011 by the Intergovernmental Panel on

Without scientific expertise, society may make catastrophically poor choices when faced with problems such as climate change. However, scientists who engage society with normative questions face tension between advocacy and the social norms of science that call for objectivity and neutrality. Policy established in 2011 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) required their communication to be objective and neutral and this research comprised a qualitative analysis of IPCC reports to consider how much of their communication is strictly factual (Objective), and value-free (Neutral), and to consider how their communication had changed from 1990 to 2013. Further research comprised a qualitative analysis of structured interviews with scientists and non-scientists who were professionally engaged in climate science communication, to consider practitioner views on advocacy. The literature and the structured interviews revealed a conflicting range of definitions for advocacy versus objectivity and neutrality. The practitioners that were interviewed struggled to separate objective and neutral science from attempts to persuade, and the IPCC reports contained a substantial amount of communication that was not strictly factual and value-free. This research found that science communication often blurred the distinction between facts and values, imbuing the subjective with the authority and credibility of science, and thereby damaging the foundation for scientific credibility. This research proposes a strict definition for factual and value-free as a means to separate science from advocacy, to better protect the credibility of science, and better prepare scientists to negotiate contentious science-based policy issues. The normative dimension of sustainability will likely entangle scientists in advocacy or the appearance of it, and this research may be generalizable to sustainability.
ContributorsMcClintock, Scott (Author) / Van Der Leeuw, Sander (Thesis advisor) / Klinsky, Sonja (Committee member) / Chhetri, Nalini (Committee member) / Hannah, Mark (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2015
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Description
This paper discusses the second phase of sustainability in the field of design and identifies the success factors of design innovation in the ethnic craft industry in northern Thailand. This study explored craftspeople’s capital, their means of developing it, and potential routes to sustainable development on the capital.

The literature

This paper discusses the second phase of sustainability in the field of design and identifies the success factors of design innovation in the ethnic craft industry in northern Thailand. This study explored craftspeople’s capital, their means of developing it, and potential routes to sustainable development on the capital.

The literature review examines three topics: (1) ethnic identity and craft; (2) northern Thailand and hill tribes; and (3) design thinking, vulnerability, and resilience.

Empirical research was conducted with hill tribe craftspeople in northern Thailand. Seven types of capital—human, social, natural, physical, financial, cultural, and emotional capital—were identified through interviews and observation. Those types of capital indicated what the craftspeople wanted and needed.

The key findings were as follows: First, social capital has a close relationship with both human capital and emotional capital, indicating that for craftspeople, networks and membership ensure knowledge and increase connections with friends and family. Secondly, emotional capital is affected by financial capital. Financial capital refers to the monetary resources used to achieve craftspeople’s livelihood objectives. The craftspeople required high order volumes to earn to more money and thus improve their economic condition; they experienced more stress when order volumes were low. Third, financial capital is not related to social and cultural capital. Graphs implied certain relationship among them, with the reasons varying depending on the individual craftsperson’s environment. A high level of social and cultural capital does not affect low financial capital, and vice versa. Finally, cultural capital directly influences emotional capital because the happiness of hill tribe craftspeople is related to their identity and dignity as craftspeople.
ContributorsLee, Hyojin (Author) / Takamura, John (Thesis advisor) / O’Neill, Gerald Daniel (Committee member) / Chhetri, Nalini (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017