Biomimetic adaptive solar building envelopes: Trends, challenges, and opportunities for sustainable applications

Jalali, Sara; Badarnah, Lidia; Nicoletti, Eleonora

Abstract

As global energy demand continues to rise, the importance of effective solar management in building design becomes increasingly critical. Solar management encompasses strategies for harvesting, regulating, and utilizing solar energy, contributing significantly to sustainable and renewable energy solutions. Biomimetics presents a promising approach to adaptive design by drawing inspiration from nature's solar management strategies. This research conducts a systematic review of biomimetic adaptive solar building envelopes (Bio-ASBEs), classifying them into three key solar management strategies: solar regulation, solar harvesting, and thermoregulation. A comparative analysis of existing studies highlights trends, gaps, and opportunities in the field. Findings indicate growing interest in biomimetic solutions for solar management, with a predominant focus on energy efficiency. However, the study identifies limited research on energy harvesting and indoor environmental quality, as well as a reliance on shading techniques, potentially overlooking alternative thermoregulation and solar harvesting strategies. Furthermore, the study highlights the scarcity of mixed-method research, emphasizing the need for multifaceted approaches that integrate, qualitative and quantitative data into actionable solutions. Finally, this study reveals the untapped potential of biomimetic solar management strategies, demonstrating how integrating solar harvesting, regulation, and thermoregulation can drive the development of adaptive, energy-efficient building envelopes. By bridging research gaps and exploring nature-inspired multifunctional solutions, it paves the way for scalable, climate-responsive technologies that support net-zero goals and a more sustainable built environment.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 4, 2025
• Online Publication Date: Mar 11, 2025
• Publication Date: Jun 30, 2025
• Deposit Date: Mar 26, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 27, 2025
• Journal: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
• Print ISSN: 1364-0321
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 215
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2025.115586
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/13982430
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: Biomimetic adaptive solar building envelopes: Trends, challenges, and opportunities for sustainable applications; Journal Title: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2025.115586; Content Type: article; Copyright: © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.