A small bench with a high "living wall" of moss was installed in Piccadilly Circus in London. Its main task is to fight air pollution in the capital of Great Britain: the "living wall" is filled with various types of mosses, which naturally absorb dirt. The CityTree project was developed by the German startup Green City Solutions and, according to the company, is the world's first “intelligent biological air filter”. According to Green City Solutions, one such plant can replace 275 trees.
The German startup has previously conducted a study that showed that every year about 9,000 Londoners and 50,000 Britons die from respiratory, cardiovascular and other diseases caused by air pollution. London project appeared thanks to the company
The Crown Estate, which manages the royal estate, and is backed by the City Council of Westminster (one of the boroughs of London - approx. Archi.ru). Note that CityTree blocks operate in other European cities, including Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, Oslo.
“The ability of some mosses to filter out and absorb air pollutants such as particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide makes them ideal purifiers,” explains Green City Solutions. "But it is in cities where air pollution is a serious problem that the mosses themselves are barely able to survive because of the high demand for water and shade." Therefore, CityTree uses "additional" - protective, shade - plants that create a comfortable environment for the growth of mosses. Among the additional advantages of the device is the cooling effect, which helps to combat the phenomenon
"Heat island".
The structure collects rainwater and automatically redistributes it using an integrated irrigation system. Using technology
"Internet of Things", it is also able to measure data about its condition and maintain its own life. The installation is powered by solar panels.
