Biomimicry Design Database AskNature.org Launched

Autodesk is sponsoring the Biomimicry Institute’s AskNature.org, a biomimicry database that features biology-inspired design strategies. The free online library is organized by function and uses illustration to explain the designs.

For instance, someone trying to solve the challenge of how to glue surfaces in moist environments would find information about barnacles, geckos and other organisms that have solved this problem in the ecosystems in which they live.

For some companies, biomimicry is becoming a core sustainability strategy in looking for ways to cut ecological footprints.

Here’s a video of John Bradford, VP of operations and R&D for Interface, discussing why Interface started mimicking nature to design eco-friendly products.

Autodesk has been moving more and more into the sustainable design space: The company has teamed up with Sustainable Minds to develop software and information services for Autodesk’s digital prototyping solution and, earlier this year, it acquired two energy analysis software companies -Green Building Studio, and Carmel Software Corporation.