Plants maximize photosynthetic returns on investments in leaf production by adopting strategies that cater to the demands of their biological surroundings.
When planning to construct a new building or apply a new technology, creators may mimic the way a plant invests its energy when creating a leaf. Each design must be adapted to the place in which it is planned to be implemented. A building that will experience low-intensity change in technology may require more investment early on so that it may last a longer time in its environment. In competitive technological fields where research advances daily (such as solar panal design), however, less initial investment may be needed because once the technology is in place for use it will likely be replaced by another technology that does the job more efficiently. Thus, by turning to nature for example, we can fit form to function and effectively manage the returns on investments in the most efficient way possible.
Solenostemon scutellarioides, Botanic Garden of Munich, Germany
