Claire Janisch

Msc Chemical Engineering

Sustainability and innovation consultant, biomimicry professional

Building sustainable communities through green buildings

Claire is a chemical engineer by training, is a sustainability & innovation consultant and biomimicry professional. She is among the fifteen graduates of the first cohort of the Biomimicry Professional Certification Program and is now a co-trainer for the second cohort. She founded and heads up biomimicrySA (South Africa) - a network of local professionals, from biologists and engineers to designers and sustainability specialists, who consult and educate on biomimicry. She also co-created the Genius Lab in South Africa, an experiential learning lab initially set up to help children make these interdisciplinary connections but which now helps to educate and inspire businesses and organisations to think differently about problems. Claire has a MSc. Chem-Eng in the field of Environmental Process Engineering. She has worked across Africa as an independent consultant in: Environmental Technology, Sustainable Energy & Climate Change, Cleaner Production, Sustainable Urban Design, Integrated Waste Management, Sustainable Agricultural Practices, Eco-labelling, Environmental Management & Environmental Education. Her work focus has included developing policy, strategies and practical projects as well as training & capacity building to enable sustainable development on a broader scale in Africa. She uses whole systems thinking and integration of ideas across disciplines in developing innovative solutions to sustainability challenges.

“Being a biomimicry professional is rewarding and exciting for multiple reasons not least of which is that we spend our working hours learning how nature functions and use that fascinating knowledge to find unique, innovative, sustainable solutions to the modern world’s pressing challenges."