# The Push and Pull of Biomimicry in Construction: Identifying Key Drivers for Sustainable Transformation

## TL;DR

This study explores how biomimicry can drive sustainable change in construction by identifying key factors influencing its adoption in South Africa.

## Contribution

The study introduces a systematic driver of biomimicry thinking and highlights the need for policy and education reforms in the construction sector.

## Key findings

- Education, awareness, and technology availability are top drivers for biomimicry adoption.
- A single dominant factor, the 'systematic driver of biomimicry thinking,' explains over half the variance in adoption.
- Legal frameworks and government support are critical for advancing sustainable construction practices.

## Abstract

The global construction industry is a primary driver of environmental degradation, resource depletion, and carbon emissions, necessitating an urgent transition toward sustainable practices. Biomimicry, the emulation of nature’s time-tested strategies, offers a transformative pathway for this shift, yet its systematic adoption remains inconsistent. This study utilises the Push–Pull–Mooring (PPM) framework to identify the critical drivers and contextual influencers of biomimicry adoption within the South African construction sector. A quantitative research approach was employed, involving a structured questionnaire survey of 104 diverse built environment professionals and subsequent analysis through Descriptive Statistics and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). Descriptive results indicate that providing biomimicry education and training, increasing stakeholder awareness, and improving the availability of biomimetic technology are the highest-ranked drivers for sustainable transformation. EFA revealed a singular, dominant component termed the “systematic driver of biomimicry thinking”, which accounts for 54.2% of the total variance. The result emphasises the necessity of legal frameworks, policy monitoring, and government support. The findings conclude that while the Fourth Industrial Revolution provides the technological tools for bio-inspired innovation, a multi-layered approach combining institutional policy reforms with interdisciplinary education is essential to overcome traditional industry moorings. These insights offer a roadmap for stakeholders to leverage biomimicry as a cornerstone of resilient, regenerative and sustainable construction.