GreenBloc Gardens

Problem:

GreenBloc Gardens is addressing the global challenge of balancing water conservation with lawn preservation. With drought events increasing by 29% since 2000, water supplies are dwindling, leading to measures such as lawn removal due to their high water usage. However, lawns are crucial for biodiversity, hosting up to 2000 distinct arthropod species, and contribute to human happiness, with a 25% increase in happiness linked to access to green spaces. The goal is to preserve lawns.

Idea:

GreenBloc Gardens offers a smart irrigation system that can reduce water consumption by up to 60%. The system uses underground drip irrigation, sensors, AI, and hydrogel for efficient watering. It also includes a tablet system for nutrient supplementation based on lawn needs. The AI, named Greenie, uses global and local parameters to make informed decisions about when and how long to irrigate, optimizing water conservation.

Main Beneficiaries:

The beneficiaries of our idea are all city dwellers who enjoy green spaces, as well as the diverse species of arthropods, including bees, that make their home in grassy areas. The exact number of beneficiaries would depend on the number of cities and parks where our system is implemented, but it could potentially impact millions of people and countless species of arthropods. Additionally, by mitigating the effects of climate change and increasing people’s happiness, our solution has the potential to benefit all of humanity.

Stage:

Execution and validation

SDG:

GOAL 15: Life on Land

GOAL 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

University:

Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile