Apr 30 2019
Imperial College London and start-up Arborea are set to form a partnership for developing revolutionary “BioSolar Leaf” technology to enhance the air quality in White City.
Artist impression of Arborea panels on London roofs (Image credit: Imperial College London/Thomas Glover)
The technology, which is the first archetype in the world, decontaminates the air via the photosynthesis of microscopic plants, thereby eliminating greenhouse gases from the environment and, at the same time, producing breathable oxygen.
Arborea has created a groundbreaking cultivation system that assists in the development of tiny plant-life—for example, phytoplankton, microalgae, and diatoms—on large solar panel-like structures. These can subsequently be set up on buildings, land, and other developments to enhance surrounding air quality.
According to the researchers, Arborea’s cultivation system can eliminate carbon dioxide and generate breathable oxygen at the same rate as produced by a hundred trees from the surface area of just a single tree.
In addition, the system generates a sustainable organic biomass source from which Arborea obtains nutritious food additives for plant-based food products.
Arborea was established by alumnus Julian Melchiorri, who holds two masters in Innovation Design Engineering in 2014, a course administered in cooperation by Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art.
Pilot Project
“Bionic Chandelier”—a living and breathing structure that cleanses the indoor air with the help of microalgae—developed by Julian in 2017 became part of the V&A’s permanent collection.
Imperial will be collaborating with Arborea as part of its commitment to reducing the environmental effect of its development at White City. The College will be funding the company to assist the progress of an outdoor pilot of their BioSolar Leaf cultivation system on Imperial’s White City Campus South location.
During the project, the pilot will demonstrate how innovative technologies are tackling environmental and social problems in real working conditions. It is envisioned that the pilot will become a vital part for outreach activities with school students from the local White City area.
This news comes as Imperial and Hammersmith and Fulham Council are joining hands on a Partnership for Growth and Innovation—or “Upstream”—which focuses to change White City into a world-leading innovation district driven by close collaboration between entrepreneurs, businesses, academics, and the local community.
Arborea is now based in the Translation & Innovation Hub (I-HUB) at Imperial’s White City Campus and was recently awarded the “Peres Award for Social Innovation” from The European House Ambrosetti. The company was earlier supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology’s Climate-KIC Accelerator and Innovate UK.
Sustainable Solution
Air pollution is one of London’s most urgent challenges, and Imperial is committed to finding sustainable and resilient solutions to this threat. This collaboration with Arborea is an exceptional opportunity to showcase the power of Cleantech at our White City Campus. Through our White City masterplan, we are bringing forward sustainable solutions that have the potential to improve environmental outcomes in west London, throughout the UK, and across the world.
Professor Neil Alford, Associate Provost (Academic Planning), Imperial College London.
Arborea’s BioSolar leaves are set to revolutionize air quality in London and across the world. Our administration is planning to be the first to put them into our borough as we're determined Hammersmith & Fulham will lead the way in cleaning our filthy air. This cutting-edge biotech is the latest and most radical innovation to come out of the White City biotech hub—the cornerstone of the Hammersmith & Fulham industrial strategy. The Imperial campus in White City, including the I-HUB, is already changing the world, and shows what can be achieved when a council, a world-leading academic institution and business come together to lead the way and grow a local economy that works for all.
Cllr Stephen Cowan, Leader, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.
We are proud to be part of the world-class innovation district that is flourishing at White City and excited about this new collaboration with Imperial. In our ever-growing modern cities, cooperation between start-ups, academic institutions, and governmental bodies is critical to enable and accelerate sustainable innovation that benefits both our society and environment. When I founded Arborea my goal was to tackle climate change while addressing the critical issues related to the food system. This pilot plant will produce sustainable healthy food additives while purifying the air, producing oxygen and removing carbon dioxide from the surrounding environment. It will provide the opportunity to fully harness Arborea’s BioSolar Leaf dual action in real operating conditions and help to unlock the technology’s full potential.
Julian Melchiorri, Founder and CEO, Arborea.
Exhale Bionic Chandelier by Julian Melchiorri
(Video credit: Imperial College London)