The City Tree's moss-filled panels absorb polluted air and blow out fresh, clean and cooled air. Picture taken in Lyric Square, Hammersmith
Hammersmith & Fulham Council is pioneering a new air filtering system using ground-breaking biotech.
The new ‘City Tree’ has been installed in Lyric Square, where its moss-filled panels absorb polluted air from Beadon Road and blow out fresh, clean air the other side.
The distinctive honeycomb structure is one of the first in London and marks the borough’s commitment to tackling the climate emergency and improving air quality in our town centres.
“Our brilliant City Tree is already drawing attention for its distinctive appearance, but its best feature is its ability to pump out clean air where we need it most,” said Cllr Wesley Harcourt, H&F Cabinet Member for Environment.
“We’re investing in the most innovative technologies to clean our air and make the borough greener and more pleasant.
How does it work?
The City Tree technology was created in Germany by Greencity Solutions. While the technology is used in several cities across Europe, H&F is one of the first areas in London to use them.
The City Tree has eight panels covered in different kinds of moss. Those panels sit in front of eight powered fans. The moss panels absorb and digest particulate matter – like the small molecules found in car exhaust fumes – while pumping out oxygen-rich cleaned air.
The moss also has a cooling effect, by using the large surface area of the moss panels to store and evaporate large amounts of water in the air.
The unit’s overall design has been made to have a minimal carbon footprint.
Tackling the climate emergency
Last year, H&F Council declared a climate emergency and ambition for the borough to be net carbon zero by 2030.
We formed a resident-led commission to lead our transition to a more sustainable way of operating. The commission has investigated ways that residents and businesses in the borough could reduce their carbon output and will work closely with the council on delivering this.
See what else we’re doing to tackle the climate emergency in our bid to create a cleaner, more sustainable H&F.
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