Shaping of biochar and seeds for vertical application in urban areas

Purpose and goal:

Through workshops, literature studies and experiments, we have tried to shape biochar, pumice and seeds into a solid material in order to be able to integrate greenery in cities in a resource-efficient way. The aim has been to shape a substrate consisting of biochar, pumice and seeds into a solid material to simplify the storage, planning, application and assembly of vertical greenery in cities to ultimately promote ecosystem services.

Expected results and effects:

A larger disc, adapted to specific dimensions, could not be produced during this project. To form biochar, temperatures so high are required that seeds are destroyed. Therefore, we had to investigate binders to instead create larger pellets consisting of biochar, pumice and glucose. Unfortunately, this affected the strength and a disc with the dimensions we desire could not be shaped. Instead, we had to create enough, previously mentioned, pellets to cover the same surface.

Approach and implementation:

We divided the project into three parts: Literature studies, workshops and experiments. The literature study was mostly carried out by Greenworks where material and seed selection were central parts. Workshops were carried out by EnviGas, Greenworks and RISE where we examined processes.

The experiments were carried out by Greenworks and RISE where actual shaping and cultivation tests were carried out. The tests were carried out in rented premises, such as climate chambers. The project was summarized by Greenworks.