Dr Negin Imani
Senior Research Fellow
Negin is a Senior Research Fellow at Bodeker Scientific with a rich background in biomimetic adaptive building design and sustainable architecture. She earned her PhD in Architecture from Victoria University of Wellington, focusing on energy-efficient building solutions inspired by nature’s thermoregulatory processes. Her work bridges architecture and biology, exploring how bio-inspired materials and intelligent facades can reshape our built environments for greater resilience and energy efficiency.
Negin has authored two books: Biomimetic Buildings: Copying Nature for Energy Efficiency and Heating with Wolves, Cooling with Cacti: Thermo-Bio-Architectural (ThBA) Framework, highlighting innovative strategies for energy-efficient building design.
As the Primary Investigator for the project Biomimetic Buildings for Climate Change Adaptation: Future Generation of Facades (2022-2024), funded by New Zealand's National Science Challenge for Technological Innovation, Negin has led a team of interdisciplinary researchers to investigate the potential of kinetic shading systems in reducing building operational energy use.
Negin has held academic positions at institutions like the University of Otago and has contributed to a range of influential research and publications in her field, including guest editorship for MDPI’s Biomimetics journal. Recognised as a finalist for the Wellingtonian of the Year Awards in 2023, her expertise and passion for innovation continue to influence sustainable design both in New Zealand and internationally.
Academic qualifications
2020 PhD in Architecture, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
2013 Master of Architectural Engineering, IKIU International University, Iran
2005 Bachelor of Architectural Engineering Shiraz University, Iran
Positions held
2024 Senior Research Fellow, Bodeker Scientific.
Oct 2024-Present Senior Lecturer, Open Polytechnic of New Zealand, Wellington New Zealand.
2022-Oct 2024 Academic staff member, Open Polytechnic of New Zealand, Wellington New Zealand.
2023-2024 Research Fellow, The Centre for Sustainability, University of Otago, Dunedin New Zealand.
2022-2023 Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Science Leader), School of Architecture, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.
2021 Lecturer, Otago Polytechnic, Dunedin New Zealand.
2013-2016 Lecturer, Razi University.
Peer-reviewed journal editorship
2023-Present Invited guest editor, Biomimetics (MDPI), Special issue: Biomimetic Adaptive Buildings ISSN 2313-7673. This special issue belongs to the section "Bioinspired Architecture and Climatisation".
2021- 2022 Guest editor of Biomimetics (MDPI), Special Issue "Biomimetic Buildings: Copying Nature for Energy Efficiency", ISSN 2313- 7673