CityTree is a Breath of Fresh IoT Air
by Startacus Admin
Can you tell the difference between an Ash tree and an Oak? A Birch and an Aspen? Perhaps, or perhaps not; however, the thing everyone knows about trees is that they absorb CO2 and produce oxygen which, among other things, makes them vital to life on Earth. Life in an urban environment, however, does not feature trees particularly heavily - there’s not much wood in a concrete jungle. So how do we go about improving the quality of air for urbanites?
Germany’s Green City Solutions has come up with a simple and elegant answer: CityTree.
Almost modern art, CityTree is a sculpture containing specific plants that clean up the air, offsetting 240 tonnes of CO2 per year and providing approximately 17°C of cooling. Each CityTree has the same effect as 275 normal trees, taking up only 99% of the space.
Doubling as billboards and/or benches adds even more to a CityTree’s usefulness, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. CityTree is perhaps the world’s first IoT tree. Businesses using the billboard aspect of the trees can add LED lighting and logos, and use the built-in NFC, iBeacon, and WiFi to transmit information to and from passers-by.
But the tree’s tech nature isn’t just good for business - it allows CityTree to be self-sustaining. Solar panels and rainwater retention systems allow the tree’s sensors to measure environmental data and regulate its water and nutrition, reducing the required maintenance massively. Pretty smart city, we hope you agree. 
Earlier this year, Green City Solutions finished a round of funding with a 7-figure sum (their goal was $1.7m), and it’s not hard to imagine that governments, councils, and all sorts of funds around the world will happily fork out when the benefits of CityTrees are demonstrated in those cities already trying them out: Dresden, Hannover, Paris, Modena, Skopje, Hong Kong, and Oslo.
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you would like to receive our startup themed newsletter, full of the latest startup opportunities, events, news, stories, tips and advice, then sign up here.
The startup that is on a mission to empower cyclists everywhere by providing the world’s largest cycle route collection in its innovative app
Black Young Professional Network, aka BYP Network will hit and surpass their Seedrs £500k funding round target.
.jpeg)
Planning to hire an accountant for your startup? Here are a few of the things you should consider before you do just that...
Sustainable reward scheme Bagboard, a first-of-its-kind advertising platform for planet-friendly brands launches £600k funding round
The Manchester-based startup that's created an app to enable hospitality businesses to maintain social distancing while still taking customer orders quickly
The lowdown on Bubo AI, the Yorkshire-based startup that's using AI to create value-based pricing for wholesale and distribution businesses
The London-based startup that's disrupting the insurance industry by its collective-based model for cycling insurance
More than half of employees concerned about returning to work and majority of employees NOT comfortable using public transport
The GCHQ Innovation Co-Lab is on the hunt for companies harnessing data science, machine learning and AI techniques to create real products and solutions.
Eppik is a smart family photo sharing platform that helps families reconnect through their shared photo heritage
Published on: 18th April 2017
.png)
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.
- More than half of employees concerned about returning to work 2nd Jul 2020 More than half of employees concerned about returning to work and majority of employees NOT comfortable using public transport
- GCHQ Innovation Co-Lab seeks startups harnessing data science, machine learning and AI 2nd Jul 2020 The GCHQ Innovation Co-Lab is on the hunt for companies harnessing data science, machine learning and AI techniques to create real products and solutions.
- Ten Years On: 30% Club Sets New Targets 1st Jul 2020 New targets set by 30% Club aimed at achieving both gender diversity and fully inclusive cultures on FTSE Boards, Executive Committees and Chair Appointments
- Xero’s Roadmap to Recovery manifesto launched 1st Jul 2020 Xero’s Roadmap to Recovery manifesto launched as new data confirms impact of COVID-19 on UK small business revenue and employment
