The E-Garden: Renewable-Powered Playground for Environmental Awareness

The world of tomorrow must respond to environmental issues, whether they are adapted directly to homes or to larger projects in cities. Indeed, in new cities, it is mandatory to implement green spaces useful to citizens. The objective is to allow children to have fun in the parks, but also to set up new infrastructures dedicated to adults, all in an environmental and energy awareness approach.

The E-Garden in detail:
This new playground is therefore in line with the logic of an ecological and entertaining place for children and adults.
The infrastructures, such as the children’s games, would be equipped with dynamo to be able to recover the energy that the children produce. They could then track the energy they produce in real time. This energy would be used for the lighting of the place but also in the installation of terminals allowing the citizens to recharge their electronic devices.
In addition, the coating used on the roof of the infrastructures would be photovoltaic and would thus allow to recover, throughout the day, the sunlight to transform it into electricity.
In order to be able to use the infrastructures regardless of the weather, each of them will be equipped with cranks to obtain a dry coating.
Adults could, while supervising their children, telework on adapted furniture (computer plug, …). Parents can also bring their pets in a dedicated space.

The problem to be solved: ecological problem of our society
The goal would be to educate, make the new generations aware of this subject thanks to a playground that respects the environment.
The playgrounds are more or less large and have their own materials. This space must also be a space of rest and tranquility for parents (safety, comfort …)

The solution / the offer: The E-Garden is defined as the playground that meets the challenges of our decade. While keeping a form similar to that of the previous playgrounds, its background is totally different. It is in line with the logic of an ecological place that responds to the current issues of our society, entertaining and playful.

Details of the innovation: 250m2 park. Recycled rubber covering for safety. 6 modules in which solar panels and dynamos are installed. On each module is installed a sign explaining simply the technology of the module and / or an anecdote about the environment. Benches equipped with charger and which turn over in case of bad weather. Low energy LED lighting. Sorting garbage cans with a sign that teaches children to sort waste. Fence with security system. Greenery + shared vegetable gardens.

Budget: the classic park of an equivalent surface area costs a city hall between 15000 and 20000 dollars. After calculating the whole budget, we are in the high end of the market prices but we are still competitive.

Collaboration: As a civil engineer, I would be the project manager.
I will be responsible for the conceptualization of the modules, the creation of the educational signs and the realization of the project. I will therefore call upon companies capable of supplying and installing such modules.
Finally, I will have to collaborate with the city that would like to install this kind of infrastructure.