Since March 2023, the CityTree in the courtyard of the student housing complex in Treptow-Köpenick has been filtering polluted air and cooling it down before releasing it. The student apartments are located on Bergaustraße (corner of Eichbuschallee) in the Plänterwald district and are part of Berlinovo Grundstücksentwicklungs GmbH – just like the regenerative moss filter that ensures “clean air and a cool head, especially during the hot summer months”.
Photos: Green City Solutions
The current balance of the moss-based air purifier and cooler is impressive:
- Within one year, the device has purified 19.8 million cubic meters of air, filtering out 225 grams of fine dust particles. The former corresponds to the hourly breathing volume of approximately 1.8 million people, while the latter equals the amount from 14,375 cigarettes.
- Another positive aspect is the cooling effect. Thanks to the integrated moss mats, an average annual air cooling of -2.72°C was achieved. This provides the cooling capacity equivalent to 81 trees.
“The moral of the story” for Berlinovo Grundstücksentwicklungs GmbH, with its commitment to “building economically and sustainably”:
(German) Photo: Berlinovo
With the CityTree and our other multifunctional fresh air concepts, we are bringing nature back to the city. The integrated high-performance plants ensure demonstrably and noticeably clean air in urban spaces. We combine the natural filtering power of mosses with smart IoT technology. Through an automated irrigation and ventilation system, the CityTree can clean and cool the surrounding air – even at the student housing complex in Treptow-Köpenick.
For more information about the start of the project, see the article “Living and Learning Close to University, Nature, and City”.