Nature as Engineer: Expo 2031’s Climate Zones & the Launch of the Biomimetics Committee at Biomimetics25

By Wendy Meadley, CEO, Expo 2031 Minnesota, USA

Today at Biomimetics25 I shared three milestones that identify the new chapter Expo 2031 recently entered:

1. Official AIPH Approval: Expo 2031 is formally approved to proceed—unlocking build-mode across our ecosystem of investor-partners, future suppliers, and committee leaders.

2. Climate-Aligned Zones: We revealed our five Expo climate zones—Arid, Tropical, Temperate, Continental, and North Star—the organizing framework that turns the site into a “nature-verse”: a place where visitors experience how climate, culture, plants, technology, and design interact to shape solutions.

3. Biomimetics Committee Launch: In partnership with Michael Wright, CEO of Biomimetics International, we are convening the Biomimetics Committee to embed nature-inspired strategies into pavilion design, demos, standards, and legacy.

Why Climate-Aligned Zones

Each zone is both an immersive visitor experience and a design prompt for innovation at the intersection of humanity and horticulture:

• Arid: Water stewardship, shade/shelter systems, low-resource agriculture.

• Tropical: Rapid growth cycles, biodiversity-driven materials, circular bio-economy.

• Temperate: Productive landscapes, urban greening, pollinator corridors.

• Continental: Seasonality, thermal extremes, resilient infrastructure.

• North Star: Minnesota’s signature lens—cold-climate design, winter cities, and northern lights-inspired multimedia.

The Biomimetics Committee: From Inspiration to Implementation

Co-chaired by Michael Wright, the Committee will stand up cross-sector workstreams aligned to Expo’s pavilions and programs—accelerating prototypes, demonstrations, and standards that persist beyond 2031.

Initial Biomimetics Integration Topics (working concept - to be confirmed by the Committee):

• Built Environment: Facades, ventilation, materials inspired by termite mounds, lotus leaf, seashells.

• Food & Ag Systems: Soil health, precision inputs, polycultures, pollinator-safe design.

• Water & Energy: Fog harvesting, dew collection, micro-hydro, bio-inspired storage.

• Mobility & Sensing: Soft robotics, swarm logistics, nature-based sensing networks.

• Standards & Safety: Verification, labeling, and governance models to de-risk adoption.

Partner Spotlights from Biomimetics25

• Devry Boughner Vorwerk (DevryBV Sustainable Strategies; Expo Founding Partner) outlined how biomimicry can de-risk food supply chains—from soil strategies to nature-positive procurement—so resilience and profitability move together.

• John Pournoor (Innovation & Standards leader; Government Analytica: Expo Founding Partner) shared a roadmap for standards that translate bio-inspired ideas into trusted market offerings, covering validation, interoperability, and public-facing transparency.

Get Involved

If your organization wants a founding committee seat on the Biomimetics Committee👉 Email: Michael Wright at contact(at)expo2031..org with your Investor Partner interest and the subject line “Biomimetics Committee — Interest” and note your sector, proposed contribution, and how to contact you.