Biomimetic approaches for carbon neutrality in construction: a systematic review of nature-inspired solutions across the life cycle

Abstract The growing concern about climate change and the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions have prompted the construction sector to adopt innovative sustainability strategies. Bioinspiration—defined as the use of natural forms, processes, and systems as design models—offers a wide range of potential applications. Within this discipline, three complementary approaches are distinguished: biointegration, bioimitation, and bioutilization. While prior research has investigated low-carbon practices in construction, there is limited systematic analysis of how bioinspired strategies are applied across different life-cycle phases. This study addresses that gap by systematically identifying and analyzing bioinspiration in the construction sector. A review was conducted using Scopus, Web of Science, and Engineering Village, complemented by a proprietary industrial database. The methodology followed a structured sequence: identification of keywords, screening against inclusion and exclusion criteria, classification by life-cycle phase and biomimicry scale, and synthesis according to technology readiness levels (TRLs). Results show that the materials and components phase exhibits the highest prevalence of applications, particularly mineralization and biobased composites, followed by planning and design, where thermal regulation and regenerative frameworks predominate. When these strategies are explicitly oriented toward sustainability and regenerative objectives, they can be considered examples of biomimicry, contributing to carbon neutrality through direct CO₂ uptake, reduced material intensity, extended service life, and enhanced energy efficiency. The framework developed enables a clearer classification of contributions and their maturity levels, thereby improving their generalizability across contexts. By aligning bioinspiration with the challenges of the sector, and biomimicry with its sustainability goals, this review provides insights of practical value for professionals, researchers, and decision-makers working toward carbon-neutral built environments. Graphical Abstract