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Pitch

Combining technology such as algae powered lamps and infrared heating systems; we could create limitless applications to reduce urban heat.


Description

Summary

Bioluminescent lamps powered by green algae are a new technology that has been seen in the headlines only for little over a year.

Invented by French Biochemist Pierre Calleja, this solution comes in the form of tube shaped algae powered lamps that uses no electricity, it is completely self sustainable, these lamps directly remove C02 from the atmosphere and produce oxygen, what is left in the process of photosynthesis in theory could be used to create cheap biofuel, and to top it off the energy created during photosynthesis by the lamp is stored in a battery which powers the light during the evening.

So this technology is completely self sustainable.

However there are many factors to consider before simply installing these devices anywhere, the technology needs to be as non disruptive as possible and avoid any other potential hazards, such as leaking fluids and so forth.

By combining creative design such that these new lamps could be installed in a fashionable manner along with space age infrared heating systems used to insolate NASA installations and spacecraft, in addition to top of the line weather proofing resins which serve the purpose of avoiding water damage where ever they are applied.

We could produce cheap functional algae powered lamps, that are completely self sustaining, and serve the additional purpose of reducing humidity levels, thereby reducing the Urban Heat Island Effect through a combination of methods.

Our first step in this process would be to build small versions of these that can be used in small outdoor areas, such as city parks, patios at a restaurant, bar, or coffee shop, interior/exterior use at a home or professional space, etc. It is important to first build working versions of this that are cheap to manufacture and could be produced through efficient and sustainable methods such as 3d printing, but that are also customizable stylish products people would want to buy because the tech is already proven.


Category of the action

Adaptation


Who will take these actions?

I Jacob Hollander would personally oversee this project with a team I would build primarily out of Las Vegas, with people I have already associated with for some time. In addition we would seek to build relations with individuals already working on these technologies, so that we can figure out ways to combine them into useful technologies that consumers from all walks of life would use.

In particular, my team includes Clause Schmidt, who is a former corporate lawyer from Germany who now promotes clean and sustainable German technologies fromhttp://www.redwell.com/enandhttp://www.mactrast.com/2013/12/kickstarter-week-smartbell-wi-fi-doorbell-video-chatsin Las Vegas NV

Primarily the team I wish to form would be with policy experts, local ordinance experts, manufacturers, urban/interior designers and the biochemists behind bioluminescent technology such as these algae lamps.


What are other key benefits?

The other desired outcomes of this system would be to work seamlessly with existing systems and materials with those yet to be created or discovered. So this project is about aiding the cause of promoting true cooperative sustainable developments, making these lesser known space age technologies accessible over time to the general public, and utilized in the public sphere to reduce wasteful spending in addition to supporting and promoting projects with similarly stated goals, and that are at least in theory perpetually sustainable.

In addition the technologies we are promoting and utilizing can be re-purposed to an unlimited extent, in particular infrared heating technologies are used to quickly dry concrete slabs to build city streets, which is both more economically efficient and adsorbs less heat than asphalt roadways.

This technology is also hypoallergenic, it reduces the build up of molds and fungus and pollutants created by excess moisture. 
 


What are the proposal’s costs?

This project could begin with the development of a prototype for completely reasonable prices even within the tens of thousands of dollars or less, for something that could be applied quickly to mass production.

The primary foreseeable obstacle would be developing and creating policy to install systems of this nature, and the work required to build a product as seamless in our day to day lives as possible, in addition to finding space in existing cities such as a public parks or busy city entertainment or business district, or a university that would adopt these technologies.


Time line

We would begin by building medium to large sized city lamp posts intended to light and cool popular public areas, as well as developing products for private and commercial use, such as for use in a home, factory or office. 

Over a course of 5-10 years, we predict that small locally owned start up businesses would assist greatly in popularizing this technology, as it is cheap, sustainable and meets or exceeds the standards of todays market.

Given 15-50 years, voter drives, marketing campaigns and word of mouth advertising from influencers and early adopters would effectively recruit long term, larger scale industries into our user base, and aid in developing a brand new market for alternative lighting and moisture reduction systems.

Within 50-100 years, as use of this technology becomes more commonplace and has taken beyond just a fad in fashion and interior design into a brand new standard for making every day use products, such as United Federation of Planets' uniforms and custom personal transportation interiors. In short, these cheaply produced materials can definitely be developed in a smart, sophisticated and sexy way to make them attractive alternatives for more than just amateur and professional futurists in a time frame that is ahead of our current timeframe for catastrophic climate change.


Related proposals

I am not familiar with other similar proposals, although I imagine there are many projects which could assist on this one and we welcome them to communicate and work with us, this is open source/access to the highest nomically possible degree.


References

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/can-an-algae-powered-lamp-quench-our-thirst-for-energy-3509307/?no-ist

http://blog.ted.com/2013/10/02/a-streetlamp-powered-by-algae/

http://inhabitat.com/living-microalgae-lamp-absorbs-co2-from-the-air/

http://ucanr.edu/datastoreFiles/234-2607.pdf

http://www.spaceray.com/pdf/infrared-heating_engineering-manual_0305.pdf

http://www.concrete.org/Publications/InternationalConcreteAbstractsPortal.aspx?m=details&i=12351

http://www.redwell.com/en/

http://www.ultra-aire.com/pdf/Ultra-Aire-Spray-Foam-Case-Study.pdf

http://www.applegateinsulation.com/Product-Info/Technical-Pages/249224.aspx