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Helping companies and individuals access a circular economy for electronics

Spotted: Researchers predict that the refurbished electronics market will reach more than $94 billion (around €88 billion) by 2030. Such growth suggests an increase in the accessibility of devices based on cost as well as more robust reuse and recycling systems.

Contributing to the big strides being taken in keeping used electronic devices out of landfill is technology recycling company GreenDice. The Estonian company partners with a range of businesses to place their used equipment with members of communities in need of connectivity.

With a starting monthly fee of €5.9 per month, individuals can choose a refurbished laptop, desktop, or both. Every plan comes with GreenDice’s guaranteed IT support and full transparency on how old the device is and who owned it. Borrowers can feel confident that they are getting quality devices as all equipment comes from globally known manufacturers and businesses upgrading their tech.

If a device is no longer needed, borrowers can return it at any time, with no costs involved in cancelling. And when a computer reaches the end of its usable life, GreenDice takes it back and oversees the responsible, sustainable recycling of its parts.

For businesses, GreenDice offers a way to reduce environmental impact without having to resort to offsetting emissions. The company’s programme also makes it possible for organisations to complete reliable full life cycle assessments of their device inventory.

Affordability is a cornerstone of the company’s programme, and the team plans to decrease monthly fees in proportion to a growth in the number of commercial partners.

A non-toxic, low-energy material recovery process, along with a used electronics marketplace are two other methods of increasing circularity that are highlighted by innovators in Springwise’s database.

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

Sustainable News

Converting air pollution into plant fertiliser

By Zarkon Group,24/10/2023

Spotted: Nitrogen oxides – or ‘NOx’ – is a collective term for a group of gassy compounds that contain nitrogen and oxygen atoms. Within this group, the most significant gases are nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and nitrous oxide (N2O). NO and NO2 are produced during combustion and have negative impacts for human health (NO2 in particular). Nitrous oxide meanwhile is a potent greenhouse gas, produced by agriculture and fossil fuel use, that has 273 times the global warming potential of CO2 over a 100-year period.

Now, startup Crop Intellect has developed technology that breaks down harmful NOx into nitrate – a form of nitrogen that can be absorbed by plants as feed. The product, called R-Leaf, consists of photocatalytic particles suspended in a liquid that can be sprayed onto crops using standard equipment.

Light ‘charges’ the surface of the R-Leaf particles producing negatively charged electrons and positively charged ‘holes’ – spaces in the material where an electron could be but isn’t. The electrons capture oxygen from the air to form anion superoxides, while the holes capture water molecules to form hydroxyl radicals. These, in turn, break down NOx into nitrate, water, and CO2. The nitrate is then dissolved in dew and rainwater and taken up by the plant, which uses it to create more biomass. Crucially, unlike other photocatalysts which require high-intensity light, R-leaf works with ordinary daylight.

Once applied to the leaves of crops, R-Leaf continuously supplies the plants with nitrogen in a form they can use, reducing the need for bulk spraying of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser.

The company is currently exploring the possibility of awarding carbon credits to farmers who use R-Leaf thanks to the reduction in the use of carbon-intensive fertiliser it could entail.

Other solutions aiming to reduce the impact of fertiliser include a more efficient phosphorous fertiliser, a fertiliser that delivers nutrients to plants when they are most needed, and a solution that turns methane into organic fertiliser through microbes.

Written By: Matthew Hempstead

Reference

Sustainable News

Everyday materials made out of tea waste

By Zarkon Group,23/10/2023

Spotted: It is estimated that the world will consume 7.1 billion kilogrammes of tea in 2023, and a Macau-based startup is working to develop sustainable materials for use in the Far East, with a project to turn spent tea leaves and other local bio-waste streams into packaging and other industry items.

Zence Object hopes to take advantage of this abundant bio-waste by turning it into “eco-friendly” materials that can be “seamlessly integrated” into everyday life. In addition to tea waste, Zence’s ‘Chazence’ product range uses bamboo, bellflower, and discarded Chinese herbs. These are transformed into alternatives for conventional plastics, paper, and wood.

Some of the company’s initial products include biodegradable tea paper, formaldehyde-free tea board – which is three times as hard as cement – and tea plastic, which is waterproof, washable, and temperature-resistant. All three products are in the process of patent applications in Hong Kong, China, Japan, and the United States.

Zence Object has recently secured $2.5 million in Seed funding from the AEF Greater Bay Area Fund (AEF GBA) managed by Gobi Partners GBA (Gobi GBA). The funding will be used to establish a research and development centre and an immersive exhibition facility in Hengqin, and to set up a manufacturing line and processing hub.

We are seeing a growing number of products manufactured from bio-waste. These include recent innovations made from bio-waste, such as footwear, green hydrogen, and even construction materials.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

Reference

Sustainable News

Equipping autonomous aircraft to rapidly tackle wildfires

By Zarkon Group,22/10/2023

Spotted: As the world continues to break global temperature records and conditions get drier, wildfires are increasing in frequency, severity, and duration. In 2023 alone, there have been almost 50,000 fires, burning 2.57 million acres of vegetation. Wildfires wreak havoc on communities, environments, and the economy, and one company is working to suppress catastrophic fires through automation.

Rain is the only autonomous technology developed to rapidly suppress wildfires during the first ten minutes of ignition, helping fire agencies more quickly, safely, and effectively contain them before they grow out of control. Its founders, Max and Ephraim, have personal experience with wildfires, having lived in the interior of British Columbia when the Okanagan Mountain Park Firestorm in 2003 caused the largest mass evacuations since WWII.

The company adapts existing military and civil autonomous aircraft with the intelligence to perceive, understand, and suppress wildfires. This technology then enables these aircraft to be prepositioned in remote locations where the risk of fire is high, resulting in increased response times.

The Rain Wildfire Mission Autonomy System uses software that integrates with aircraft autonomy systems and includes components for wildfire mission management, fire perception, path planning, suppression strategy, and suppressant targeting. The system also has infrared and visual spectrum cameras, inertial navigation, GPS and other sensors, and automated suppressant deployment equipment.

Rain plans to collaborate with Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company, to demonstrate how an uncrewed BLACK HAWK helicopter with Rain’s Wildfire Mission Autonomy System could respond rapidly to suppress incipient wildfires.

As we witness more wildfires by the year, Springwise has spotted many ways to manage and mitigate its devastation. A Berlin-based startup created a sensor that uses AI to detect ultra-early wildfires, while Mitiga is using physics and AI to assess risk in real-time up to 100 years into the future.

Written By: Anam Alam

Reference

Sustainable News

Crop care products based on sustainable materials

By Zarkon Group,21/10/2023

Spotted: The European Commission is navigating a bumpy path as it attempts to reduce the amount of toxic chemicals in the environment. A proposal on a sustainable use of pesticides regulation (SUR) suggests halving the amount of pesticides in use in the region by 2030 may be debated in early 2024. On the other hand, the revision of a broad chemicals strategy for sustainability appears to be indefinitely paused.

In the meantime, Belgian agritech company Minagro is helping farmers reduce their chemical impact and navigate changing regulations by providing bio-based versions of essential crop care products. With a number of patents already in place, the company provides three different categories of crop inputs. In-can preservatives, adjuvants, and solvents are made from the natural raw ingredients sugarcane bagasse and essential oils.

In-can preservatives help preserve aqueous-based products in their liquid form. Adjuvants help other chemicals work more effectively, and solvents make it easier to spread crop treatments by dissolving certain products. Agrochemical companies can replace standard products with Minagro’s bio-based versions and help farmers reduce the negative impact of their agricultural activity.

The company provides distributors with technical support in formulating just the right mix of its inputs for desired results. All Minagro products are biodegradable, making them an important piece in growers’ transition towards reductions in groundwater pollution and soil damage. And most organic certification authorities allow for the use of Minagro’s biochemicals.

From drone-powered pest control to carbon-neutral fertiliser that improves crop yields, Springwise’s database contains a diverse range of innovations seeking ways to change agriculture for the better while making it possible to feed the growing global population.

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

Sustainable News

Smart lockers let patients pick up their medication in minutes

By Zarkon Group,20/10/2023

Spotted: The World Health Organization predicts that the healthcare staff shortage experienced across the African continent will worsen by 2030. A long-standing problem, staff shortages have been exacerbated by rapid population growth alongside economic advancement, and experts recommend strengthening training programmes and governance of the workforce in order to improve the situation. While systemic change, like South Africa’s creation of national health insurance, slowly moves ahead, innovators are creating meaningful improvements to improve access to medication now.

Pelebox smart lockers from healthcare technology company Technovera are a new way of accessing prescription refills far quicker than the current standard. Designed to help patients with chronic conditions that require regular prescription refills, the Internet-of-Things-enabled (IoT) smart lockers use a one-time pin to identify individuals and dispense the correct medication.

Patients enrol in the local clinic’s refill programme and receive the pin when their refill is available. This allows people to avoid waiting up to three and a half hours at a clinic to receive their prescription. Such long waits often entail taking time off work and cause frustration both to patients and healthcare professionals. Additionally, the modular design of the smart lockers makes them well-suited to installation in high foot traffic zones such as shopping malls and transit hubs, thereby making access to healthcare services even more convenient for thousands of people.

With South Africa seeing a rapid increase in the number of patients needing treatment for non-communicable diseases, on-demand access to medication makes it easier for people to complete a full treatment schedule. Patients receive their medicine at a time that is convenient for them, rather than having to choose between travelling and waiting or not seeking care at all.

Advancements in technology are transforming the healthcare industry, with Springwise’s database including examples like an AI-powered cancer scan platform and a new last-mile delivery service that brings pharmaceutical products to customers’ doors while maintaining full privacy.

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

Sustainable News

Decarbonising domestic heating at scale

By Zarkon Group,19/10/2023

The International Environment Agency (IEA) considers heat pumps to be a central technology in the bid to decarbonise the way homes are heated, estimating that they could reduce global CO2 emissions by at least 500 million tonnes by 2030 – equal to all the cars in Europe today.

In the UK, domestic heating and air conditioning contribute around 14 per cent of the UK’s total carbon emissions, with the majority of UK homes – roughly 85 per cent – using gas boilers. In order to meet the UK’s net-zero goal, it’s estimated that 29 million homes will need to replace fossil fuel-powered heating systems by 2050 – a target that the UK government is not on track to meet.

But heat pumps have suffered from bad press in the UK, with critics often citing cost as a prohibitive factor to mass adoption. Cornish firm Kensa, the only company in the UK currently manufacturing ground source heat pumps, is hoping to change the narrative. Its system harnesses solar energy stored underground. Ground source heat pumps extract heat via loops of submerged pipes filled with a heat transfer fluid. The pump upgrades the energy into usable heat or reverses the process for cooling, storing the heat back in the ground until it’s needed.

In order to make this an affordable solution that works in areas with higher population densities, Kensa has worked in partnership with local authorities in Cornwall, Gravesend in Kent, and Thurrock in Essex to drill boreholes and install heat pumps in built-up areas, including high-rise towers. This ability to install shared systems, where the infrastructure is buried in the street and connects to multiple homes is – the company says – the 21st-century equivalent to the gas grid, and a way to positively impact the 3 million people living in fuel poverty in the UK. It keeps the costs of implementation down in tandem with reducing emissions – and that’s a win for everyone.

Video and article credit: RE:TV

Reference

Sustainable News

An app making life easier for EV drivers and charger owners

By Zarkon Group,18/10/2023

Spotted: The European Council recently passed a law requiring fast electric vehicle (EV) charging stations every 60 kilometres along the region’s main highways by 2025. The stations must provide at least 150 kilowatts of power and allow contactless or card payments without requiring a subscription. A lack of reliable and affordable charging options worldwide is hindering the speed with which people convert their personal vehicles to electric.

In the Netherlands, EV technology company Tap Electric has created an app that makes it less of a hassle for EV owners to charge their cars, with transparent pricing and single tap payments transforming the experience of charging an electric vehicle. The company connects drivers with charger owners to make it easy to find the most affordable, currently available charging options.

Users download the Tap Electric app and can then choose to sign up for a Tap Electric subscription plan, either the free or paid version, or charge anonymously. Drivers pay only for the power they use, and payments are made via a Tapkey linked to either a credit or debit card, or Apple or Google payment account. Power costs are displayed before every charging session, and during a charge, the artificial intelligence (AI) provides real-time cost calculations. Once a vehicle is charged, users receive an invoice and paid subscribers have the option to sign up for a monthly invoice, rather than make individual payments.

For charger owners, Tap Electric provides a platform for collecting payments and managing the hardware of the charging stations, without being charged a fee. Instead, Tap Electric charges drivers a service fee that ranges from 10 per cent per charge for pay-as-you-go drivers to zero for certain levels of subscribers.

Having recently closed a €1 million seed funding round led by Shamrock Ventures, Fair Capital Partners Impact Investing, and Lumo Labs, Tap Electric plans to expand its market reach and network of connected drivers.

Several innovations recently spotted in Springwise’s database focus on the urgent need to electrify transport in some of the world’s most urban and populous countries. Several new e-bike designs are reaching market in Singapore and Indonesia, with the companies planning to expand internationally.

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

Sustainable News

IoT sensors for hyper-local natural disaster insights

By Zarkon Group,17/10/2023

Spotted: As locations around the world battle increasingly severe weather events, outdoor sirens, mobile texts, and television notices are common ways of notifying communities of impending disaster. The lethal fire on Hawaii’s Maui Island is an example of a time when planned emergency alerts did not work. With more than 400 outdoor alarms available for use, the fire moved so quickly that disaster management teams didn’t have time to activate them.

One way of improving safety for residents is to install more local environment trackers, making it possible to generate super-specific alerts before a threat runs out of control. Aurassure, a Bhubaneswar-based environmental technology company, is building an extensive network of informed, connected citizens and neighbourhoods to provide real-time weather and ecosystem data for a variety of uses.

Using a system of smart environmental monitoring devices with wireless sensors for networking, Aurassure tracks meteorological data, including wind direction and speed, humidity, temperature, and rainfall. The Internet of Things (IoT) system also tracks other essential urban information such as noise levels, the amount of UV light present, and the presence of gases and particulates in the air. And for residents living in close proximity to bodies of water,

All sensors are customisable so that areas can track exactly what they need, and a dashboard presents information in easy-to-grasp visuals to help make it easy to spot changes over time and identify areas of potential high risk. The sensors are also usable in a variety of locations and are easily mounted on existing infrastructure. Depending on local facilities, there are different ways for a neighbourhood to transmit data to the cloud, and information is viewable on the web and via a mobile app.

The company’s goal is to provide policymakers, urban planners, and communities with accurate, robust data on which to base ecosystem improvements.

From portable power stations for grid independence to building-level flood alerts, Springwise’s database includes examples of innovators around the world seeking ways to predict, cope with, and thrive after monumental changes are wrought by natural disasters.

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

Sustainable News

Ingenhoven Architects tops resort with Europe’s largest thatched roof

By Zarkon Group,16/10/2023

Architecture studio Ingenhoven Architects has created a series of buildings topped with large, overhanging thatched roofs for the Lanserhof Sylt health resort on the Germany island of Sylt.

Ingenhoven Architects was informed by the surrounding dunes and the thatched roof of a previous building on the site for the resort, which was built in an area formerly used by the military on the island of Sylt in northern Germany.

Lanserhof Sylt Medical Health Resort by Inhenhoven Architects — Ingenhoven Architects created the largest thatched roof in Europe

Lanserhof Sylt includes traditional spa services, such as a saltwater swimming pool, gym, climbing wall, yoga studio, sauna and steam rooms, library and indoor-outdoor lounges. The resort’s focus on health means there are also CT and ultrasound scanners, ECG monitors as well as IV lounges and colonic hydrotherapy suites.

Its building is topped with a thatch roof that measures 7,100 square metres – making it the largest in Europe. It was conceived as a contemporary interpretation of the surrounding dune landscape.

“Our projects are always to be understood as a contemporary reaction to what previous generations have created,” Ingenhoven Architects founder Christoph Ingenhoven told Dezeen. “At the same time, building on Sylt means being part of a dune in motion.”

“For the Lanserhof we designed buildings in harmony with nature, reduced to the essentials, which is our definition of luxury today,” he continued.

The studio chose a colour palette that echoes the surrounding landscape: beige, white, grey, wooden floors, large windows and transparent glass.

“Everything is geared towards simplicity and transforming restraints to achieve a positive spatial experience,” the studio explained.

Natural materials without synthetic finishes, such as reed, were used for the project, which Ingenhoven described as “not only a traditional choice but also an eco-friendly building element”.

Local craftsmen built the roof framework from wood, which “eased logistical challenges posed by the island’s location”.

“The softly undulating form of the roof harmonises beautifully with the dynamic dune landscape,” Ingenhoven explained.

“In terms of architectural heritage, we sought to pay homage to the cultural tradition of the island’s historical houses.”

Inside, an imposing staircase made of steel and oak connects all levels, leading guests from the reception to the garage to the medical area to their rooms, which each have their own sheltered outdoor area.

“The architecture operates in analogy to the medical concept, which, in terms of the healing process, translates to a design that simplifies itself to the essentials,” added Ingenhoven,

Other projects by Ingenhoven Associates recently featured on Dezeen include plant-covered skyscrapers in Tokyo and an office covered in five miles of hedges in Dusseldorf.

The photography is courtesy of Ingenhoven Architects/HGEsch.

Reference

News

Helping companies and individuals access a circular economy for electronics

Converting air pollution into plant fertiliser

Everyday materials made out of tea waste

Equipping autonomous aircraft to rapidly tackle wildfires

Crop care products based on sustainable materials

Smart lockers let patients pick up their medication in minutes

Decarbonising domestic heating at scale

An app making life easier for EV drivers and charger owners

IoT sensors for hyper-local natural disaster insights

Ingenhoven Architects tops resort with Europe’s largest thatched roof

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