Rethinking heat protection
Summers are getting hotter, and the challenges for our cities and buildings are growing. How can we cool not only urban spaces but also indoor environments efficiently and sustainably – without putting additional strain on the environment? This key question was at the heart of the VBI Forum on Building Cooling, which took place as an online event at the end of February.
Challenges and future perspectives of building cooling
Around 90 experts from engineering consultancies, research and politics came together to discuss the future of building air conditioning. There was broad consensus on one central point: “The topic is highly relevant and, in view of increasing heat periods, will continue to gain importance. At the same time, there is agreement that building cooling has so far not received the level of attention in public and political perception that its significance would warrant.”
The debate is no longer just about comfort. It is about creating healthy indoor environments that are both economically viable and ecologically responsible.
Innovation meets engineering excellence
As a provider of bio-digital, intelligent solutions for air purification and cooling, Green City Solutions was actively involved in the exchange. Our CEO and co-founder, Peter Sänger, showed participants how the natural power of specialised mosses can make a decisive contribution to the climate resilience of buildings.
Peter Sänger’s summary of the forum:
“In the face of increasing periods of extreme heat, the question of how we can keep indoor environments comfortably and sustainably cooled is becoming ever more urgent.
The event brought together valuable experiences and forward-looking solutions – the ideal setting to discuss not only the challenges but also the potential of natural climate control.
We were delighted to contribute to this expert dialogue with our multifunctional biofilters and to help shape the future of cooling together.”
Photo: GCS, AI-generated
The cooling potential of moss
The specialised mosses used in our fresh-air concepts, in combination with active ventilation, can achieve a noticeable reduction in temperature thanks to their high evaporative cooling capacity.
Photos: Andreas Endermann for heylo, GCS
How CityBreeze is used in the “A Showcase for Sustainable Workspaces and Well-Being” and how it contributes to a greener and healthier (work) environment is described in our blog post on the “Heylo Düsseldorf” project.
In our article “How do we keep the urban environment cool as temperatures rise?”, we present our measurements in urban outdoor environments. We compare the surface temperatures of glass, conventional vegetation and active moss mats.
How will we stay healthy and efficient during future heatwaves?
Sustainable solutions for a cooler future: The Association of Consulting Engineers (Verband Beratender Ingenieure, VBI) emphasises that its roughly 1,400 member companies design and plan structures that “improve people’s lives and endure for generations”. In exactly this spirit, we must now set the course for cooling strategies and climate-resilient building design – with the “goal of minimising energy consumption and CO₂ emissions while keeping costs for tenants and building owners within reasonable limits.”
The forum clearly demonstrated that the professional expertise and the will to shape this future are already in place. “The task now is to create the right framework conditions to make building cooling both future-proof and affordable.”
Photos: GCS
Our bio-digital innovations offer a natural and highly efficient complement to modern cooling concepts.
Let’s work together to find out how we can bring your spaces to life in a truly sustainable way!