Plants significantly increase the quality of the indoor environment in rooms. However, taking care of them requires a lot of time and other costs, which are especially noticeable in office buildings. The University Center for Energy Efficient Buildings of CTU has developed a device called KlimaOkno, which reduces the need for indoor plant maintenance to a minimum.
People acquire indoor plants both for their aesthetic function and for the positive effect on the indoor environment in the rooms, in which they reduce the concentration of CO2 and increase air humidity. However, the positives are redeemed by the necessity of regular watering and other maintenance. This activity, especially in large office buildings, must be performed by employees who could otherwise devote themselves to more productive work.
The KlimaOkno device ensures automatic adjustment of the living conditions of plants. Through an advanced sensor system, it measures the state of the environment inside the space for growing flowers and controls the control elements that adjust the situation according to the measured values. For a continuous supply of nutrients, KlimaOkno uses a controlled hydroponic system.
"While people have to take care of ordinary plants every week, when using KlimaOkna, human intervention is only needed about once every three months. Although the automatic system is dependent on the electricity supply, its energy consumption is minimal," says the head of the Daniel Adamovský creator team from CTU UCEEB.
The KlimaOkna construction offers two variants. The first of them is intended for internal environments as a solitary decorative element for dividing the interior, for example in large-scale offices, restaurants, etc. The second version can be installed in an external building structure. In addition, thanks to KlimaOkn, it is possible to place flowers even in environments sensitive to pollution or allergens, such as hospitals or schools.
