Biophilic Materials and Systems as a Potential for Architectural Adaptation to Climate Change—An Analysis of Environmental Mechanisms

The growing popularity of biophilic design in architecture is often linked to the physical and mental well-being of building occupants. At the same time, increasing climate change requires greater emphasis on passive material strategies that support environmental regulation in buildings. In the literature, biophilic elements encompass a wide range of components, from natural materials, through plant systems, to environmental factors such as light and water. However, their classification often relies on perceptual criteria. The aim of this article was to critically analyse and evaluate the issues of materials and biophilic systems in the context of architectural adaptation to climate change. A classification based on impact mechanisms, rather than on the origin of materials or their aesthetic character, was proposed, which allows for associating material properties with measurable indoor environmental quality parameters such as temperature and humidity. The proposed framework suggests that the impact of biophilic materials and systems on users may be indirect, linked in part to the shaping of the interior microclimate and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) parameters. This perspective highlights the potential importance of environmental mechanisms as a complementary dimension of interpreting biophilia, an aspect that, in the authors’ view, has not yet been sufficiently explored in the literature. A mechanism-based approach could serve as a foundation for further assessment of the potential of biophilic materials and systems in the context of architectural adaptation to climate change.