Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
Proverbs 6:6
"Of the approximately 2,000 recognized termite species,
some play a crucial role as ecosystem engineers.
The colossal mounds,
up to eight meters high, constructed by several termite genera like Amitermes, Macrotermes, Nasutitermes, and Odontotermes,
represent some of the most significant biological formations globally.
Q: How might human architects and engineers
benefit from studying these industrious insects?
A groundbreaking study published in Frontiers in Materials
demonstrates the valuable lessons we can learn from termite mounds to
create comfortable interior climates in our buildings.
“Here
we show that the ‘egress complex’, an intricate network of
interconnected tunnels found in termite mounds, can be used to promote
flows of air, heat, and moisture in novel ways in human architecture,”
said Dr. David Andréen.
The researchers focused on the egress complex: a dense, lattice-like
network of tunnels, between 3mm and 5mm wide, which connects wider
conduits inside with the exterior.
During the rainy season (November
through April) when the mound is growing, this extends over its
north-facing surface, directly exposed to the midday sun.
Outside this
season, termite workers keep the egress tunnels blocked. The complex is
thought to allow evaporation of excess moisture, while maintaining
adequate ventilation.
Q: But how does it work?
The researchers concluded that tunnels in the complex interact with wind
blowing on the mound in ways that enhance mass transfer of air for
ventilation.
Wind oscillations at certain frequencies generate
turbulence inside, whose effect is to carry respiratory gases and excess
moisture away from the mound’s heart." SciTech Daily
