Dr Negin Imani

Research Fellow

Email: negin.imani@otago.ac.nz

Research Background

Negin Imani is passionate about interdisciplinary research and collaborations. Her academic background is in Architectural engineering. Her research interests include biomimetic energy-efficient and ecologically sustainable building design with a focus on thermal regulation, and optimal internal comfort for human wellbeing and productivity.

Negin is an overseas registered architect and has taught graduate and postgraduate courses at overseas and New Zealand universities and polytechnics. The interdisciplinary nature of her field has enabled Negin to teach across a wide range of subjects such as energy-efficient and sustainable building design, sustainable engineering systems, and architectural and construction technology.

Negin’s current research uses her recently developed innovative, bio-inspired design tool (ThBA) that bridges the gap between architecture and biology. She has presented some of her research findings at a TEDxPipitea talk, with two published books: ‘Heating with Wolves, Cooling with Cacti’  and [“Biomimetic Buildings: Copying Nature for Energy Efficiency”|https://www.mdpi.com/books/book/6267-biomimetic-buildings-copying-nature-for-energy-efficiency]

International collaborations

Negin is the founder of Biomimicry New Zealand, which is part of the Biomimicry Institute global network. https://biomimicry.org/globalnetwork/

Current funded project

Biomimetic buildings for climate change adaptation: future generation of facades (2022-2024): Primary Investigator, funded by New Zealand National Science Challenge Science for technological innovation.

This project will develop a conceptual adaptive building façade framework using computer modelling to investigate the potential of kinetic shading systems in reducing building operational energy use.

Journal editorship

• Invited guest editor, Biomimetics (MDPI) Special issue: Biomimetic Adaptive Buildings ISSN 2313-7673. This special issue belongs to the section "Bioinspired Architecture and Climatisation". 2023
• Co-guest editor, Biomimetics (MDPI) Special issue: Taking Inspiration from Nature: Construction Materials, ISSN 2313-7673. 2022
• Co-guest editor, Biomimetics (MDPI) Special Issue "Biomimetic Buildings: Copying Nature for Energy Efficiency", ISSN 2313-7673. 2019

Featured

• Nature-inspired design can make buildings more sustainable: Meet a researcher bridging architecture and biology, The Spinoff Future Proof, 2023
• Creative Welly Episode #27, Negin Imani and Derek Bradley, Courageous conversations with bold humans (from the most creative little capital in the world), 2022
• Negin Imani from Biomimicry New Zealand Highlights Importance of Access to Biological Solutions, Biomimicry Institute, 2022
• Living cities take root, Victorious magazine, Victoria University of Wellington, 2021
• Houses that could function like plants, Newsroom, Independent New Zealand news and current affairs, 2020
• Bringing buildings to life, Te Herenga Waka Wellington University News, 2020
• Could buildings one day imitate living organisms Victoria University of Wellington Alumni, 2020
• Bringing buildings to life, Te Herenga Waka Wellington University, 2019