Smart Environment

The Mumbai Police introduced a new initiative called ‘The Punishing Signal’ in order to reduce constant honking by motorists at traffic signals at different parts of the city. Mumbai Police informed that decibel meters have been connected to traffic signal poles at CSMT, Marine,Peddar Road, Hindmata and Bandra. If the decibel levels went over 85 dB, the signal would reset and stay red for some more time. So basically, the more motorists honk, the longer they will wait at traffic signals as the signal won't turn green unless the decibel is less than 85 dB.

The initial findings of an Israeli pilot project aimed at detecting outbreaks of Covid-19 by identifying traces of the coronavirus in the municipal sewage system have been released.

According to smart wastewater big data solutions firm Kando, preliminary results demonstrate the technology’s ability to pinpoint specifically affected neighbourhoods and hotspots. The idea is that it would provide authorities early-warning for outbreaks and data to limit isolation of areas and lockdowns – even to city street level.

A significant part of the facade and roof of the MOL well in Istenhegyi út is also covered with evergreen plants, which insulate in winter and reduce the temperature in the building on warm summer days, provide oxygen-rich fresh air all year round and neutralize about 10 tons of CO2 gas per year. When designing the shop at the gas station, they tried to rely on recycled materials as much as possible, and plenty of organic products were also placed on the shelves.

The outdoor green wall and flower column scientific research program was launched in Debrecen in 2007, which later called the HIB (Hort-in-Box) project to integrate the latest scientific, biotechnological and engineering knowledge into a biologically balanced, multi-aesthetic, horticultural and technical , a modular plant habitat controlled in part by precision high-tech devices, by displaying it as a “mini garden” or a “box garden”.

One Central Park is currently the tallest building in Australia, covered with vegetation. Designed by Jean Nouvel and Patrick Black, the 166-meter-high building was built in 2013. The façade of the building is covered with 350 species of plants native to Australia. Their motorized mirrors on the roof reflect the sun’s rays so that the plants in the shadier parts of the building also get enough light. A 15 km stainless steel wire rope and 5,500 planters were used for the green walls.

The city of Vienna strongly supports the establishment of green walls. The green wall on the side of the MA48 office building was built in 2010 and has been under constant monitoring ever since. The city’s first green wall system is 450 m2 in size and consists of more than 3,000 m of lined stainless steel planting containers. The properties of the green wall are monitored with various sensors and its irrigation is provided by an automatic irrigation system. The summer cooling effect of the green wall is equivalent to the operation of 80 air conditioners of 3000 W each, 8 hours a day.

Web-based exchange platform for agricultural products - brings together the demand and supply of agricultural and food products - facilitate the delivery of fresh and environmentally friendly products.

The city of Lahti in Finland has introduced a personal carbon trading (PCT) scheme to help reduce emissions from transport by encouraging a shift to sustainable mobility. Lahti’s strategic target is to reduce C02 emissions by 70 per cent from 1990 levels by 2030.

Climate action charity Possible has created a self-watering ‘green’ roadblock to help cities’ with their Covid-19 emergency transport plans. The roadblocks are designed to prevent the predicted surge in post-lockdown motor traffic from overwhelming UK city streets. Working with specialist civil engineering firms and horticultural experts, Possible’s innovation team adapted standard concrete roadblocks to embed high-tech rainwater reservoirs beneath recesses planted with a selection of drought-tolerant species.

The Association of Rural Initiatives of Catalonia (Associació d’iniciatives Rurals de Catalunya) is the regional network for rural development in Catalonia. It provides assistance and represents the 12 Catalan Local Action Groups (LAG).
The network was born in 2010 with the aim to broadcast the activities developed by the LAGs and support them to achieve their mission: stimulate rural and coastal areas by facilitating new projects and opportunities for their inhabitants.