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New European Bauhaus Prizes

Reconnecting with nature

GREEAIR
GreenAir: Sustainable Biofiltration to Improve Indoor Air Quality and Reconnect with Nature
GreenAir transforms indoor and urban spaces into healthier environments by integrating natural biofiltration systems. Using air-purifying plants and real-time air quality monitoring, it reduces pollution, enhances well-being, and reconnects people with nature. Scalable and energy-efficient, GreenAir offers a sustainable solution for homes, offices, and communities, creating a greener, healthier future.
Spain
Regional
ANDALUSIA
Mainly urban
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
Early concept
No
No
As an individual

Overall Aim
GreenAir improves indoor air quality by integrating air-purifying plants and real-time monitoring into homes, offices, and public spaces. It reconnects people with nature, fostering healthier and more sustainable urban environments without relying on energy-intensive air purifiers.

Target Groups
Urban residents facing indoor air pollution
Companies seeking healthier workplaces
Public institutions improving shared spaces
Low-income households needing better air quality
Objectives & Outcomes
Reduce CO₂, formaldehyde, and pollutants using biofiltration
Create greener spaces that enhance well-being and productivity
Raise awareness of nature-based solutions to air pollution
Offer an affordable, low-energy alternative to air purifiers
New European Bauhaus Values & Principles
GreenAir reflects NEB values:

Sustainability – Uses natural biofiltration, reducing pollution and energy use
Inclusion – Affordable solutions for diverse communities
Aesthetics – Creates inviting, biophilic spaces that improve daily life
It follows NEB’s participatory and transdisciplinary principles, engaging communities, businesses, and experts to design healthier environments.

Addressing Urban Challenges
Urban areas suffer from poor air quality due to traffic, low ventilation, and modern materials. GreenAir provides a simple, scalable, and replicable nature-based solution, making cities healthier and reconnecting people with the natural world.
Air Quality
Biofiltration
Sustainability
Well-being
Urban Nature
GreenAir aligns with the New European Bauhaus values by promoting sustainability, inclusion, and aesthetics while tackling urban air pollution.

Sustainability
GreenAir improves indoor air quality through biofiltration, using air-purifying plants and real-time monitoring to reduce CO₂, formaldehyde, and VOCs. Unlike traditional purifiers, it operates without electricity, lowering energy consumption and promoting a low-carbon, circular approach. It uses biodegradable pots, collaborates with local plant nurseries, and supports urban greening to enhance biodiversity.

By replacing energy-intensive air purifiers, GreenAir contributes to climate goals while fostering sustainable urban spaces. The project encourages individuals and businesses to adopt nature-based air purification, making sustainability part of daily life.

Exemplary Character
GreenAir is scalable and replicable, adaptable to homes, offices, and public spaces, particularly in cities with poor air quality and limited green areas. Its nature-tech combination makes it a simple yet innovative model for sustainability, offering an accessible, low-maintenance solution.

By reconnecting people with nature, GreenAir enhances well-being while raising awareness of sustainable living. Its impact extends beyond air quality, fostering a cultural shift towards greener cities. As a low-cost, high-impact solution, it sets an example for creating healthier, more resilient urban environments.
GreenAir enhances indoor and urban spaces by integrating biophilic design, creating environments that improve well-being while reconnecting people with nature. By incorporating aesthetic, functional, and sustainable elements, it transforms sterile indoor settings into healthier, visually appealing, and culturally enriching spaces.

Aesthetics and Quality of Experience
GreenAir uses carefully selected air-purifying plants arranged in modular biofiltration systems that enhance spatial harmony and sensory experience. The project embraces natural textures, organic forms, and greenery to create inviting interiors in homes, offices, and public areas. Unlike mechanical air purifiers, GreenAir integrates living elements that change over time, offering a dynamic and evolving aesthetic.

Beyond visual appeal, GreenAir improves the sensory experience through natural air purification, improved humidity, and enhanced air circulation, creating a more comfortable and refreshing environment. The presence of plants has been proven to reduce stress, increase focus, and promote relaxation, reinforcing the well-being of occupants.

Cultural and Social Benefits
GreenAir contributes to urban greening efforts and enhances cultural appreciation for nature-based solutions. It encourages community involvement in sustainable design and promotes environmental awareness. The project can be implemented in cultural spaces, libraries, and schools, strengthening local identity and shared responsibility for greener cities.

Exemplary Character
GreenAir serves as a model for integrating functional aesthetics with sustainability and well-being. It transforms bland, artificial indoor environments into vibrant, nature-inspired spaces while maintaining low maintenance and affordability. By prioritizing beauty, health, and ecological awareness, GreenAir creates a new paradigm for sustainable indoor design, offering a replicable and inclusive solution for healthier urban living.
Inclusion and Accessibility in GreenAir
GreenAir is designed to be affordable and accessible, ensuring that nature-based air purification benefits all, especially those affected by poor indoor air quality. It follows the "design for all" principle by offering a low-cost, low-maintenance, and adaptable solution for homes, workplaces, and public spaces.

Affordability and Accessibility
Traditional air purifiers are expensive and energy-intensive, limiting access for low-income communities. GreenAir provides a low-cost alternative using natural biofiltration instead of electricity-dependent devices. Its low-maintenance design makes it ideal for social housing, schools, and community spaces.

By offering flexible pricing models, including subscription-based services for businesses and discounted solutions for vulnerable groups, GreenAir ensures clean air is accessible to all. Locally sourced plants and biodegradable materials further reduce costs and support local economies.

Inclusive Design and Participation
GreenAir integrates modular, adaptable designs that fit various spaces and needs. It also promotes community engagement by encouraging participation in urban greening initiatives and educational programs.

GreenAir fosters intergenerational learning by raising awareness in schools and workplaces about sustainability and well-being. It promotes a new urban model where nature is an integral part of everyday life.

Exemplary Character
GreenAir serves as a replicable model of inclusive sustainability, proving that clean air solutions can be both effective and accessible, making cities healthier and more equitable.
Citizen and Civil Society Involvement in GreenAir
GreenAir follows the New European Bauhaus principles by promoting participation, multi-level collaboration, and transdisciplinary approaches. The project actively involves citizens, communities, and organizations in its design and implementation.

Participatory Process
GreenAir is developed with and for the community, ensuring that those affected by poor air quality help shape solutions. The project collaborates with local organizations, schools, and housing programs, allowing residents to take part in installation and maintenance.

Workshops and educational programs raise awareness about sustainable air purification, teaching participants how to improve indoor environments using plants. This fosters long-term behavioral change toward nature-based solutions.

Multi-Level Collaboration
GreenAir involves urban planners, environmental experts, businesses, and policymakers, ensuring alignment with sustainability goals and urban planning strategies.

Local businesses and plant nurseries are engaged, supporting local economies and ensuring sustainable supply chains. Partnerships with public institutions allow GreenAir to expand into schools, offices, and community spaces.

Transdisciplinary Approach
GreenAir merges design, environmental science, and public health to create an effective and inclusive solution. Experts in sustainability and social innovation ensure it is scientifically sound, aesthetically appealing, and widely accessible.

Impact of Citizen Involvement
By empowering citizens as active contributors, GreenAir fosters shared responsibility for greener cities, strengthening the connection between people and nature.
Stakeholder Engagement in GreenAir
GreenAir integrates local, regional, national, and European stakeholders to create an inclusive and scalable nature-based solution for indoor air quality. Each level plays a key role in design, implementation, and impact expansion.

Local Level
Communities and citizens: Residents participate in workshops and pilot projects, shaping how GreenAir is adapted to different indoor environments. Their feedback ensures the solution is practical, affordable, and user-friendly.
Schools and social housing programs: GreenAir collaborates with educational institutions and public housing authorities to test installations in spaces where air quality improvements are most needed.
Local businesses and nurseries: Partnering with plant suppliers supports local economies, ensuring sustainable sourcing of biofiltration systems.
Regional and National Level
City governments and urban planners: GreenAir aligns with local environmental policies and urban greening initiatives, ensuring its integration into sustainable city development.
Health and sustainability organizations: Experts in air quality, architecture, and environmental health provide insights on optimizing plant selection and placement for maximum impact.
European Level
EU research networks and sustainability initiatives: GreenAir benefits from scientific collaborations that enhance its methodology and validate its effectiveness.
Cross-border partnerships: Working with European cities allows knowledge exchange, supporting GreenAir’s replication and adaptation across different urban contexts.
Added Value of Stakeholder Engagement
By involving stakeholders at all levels, GreenAir ensures scientific credibility, social acceptance, and policy alignment, making it a scalable and replicable solution for healthier, greener cities.
Interdisciplinary Approach in GreenAir
GreenAir integrates multiple disciplines to create a nature-based air purification system that is scientifically effective, aesthetically appealing, and socially inclusive. The project brings together environmental science, architecture, design, public health, and urban planning, ensuring a holistic approach to improving indoor air quality.

Key Disciplines Involved
Environmental Science: Experts in air quality and plant-based filtration identified the most effective plant species for reducing CO₂, formaldehyde, and VOCs.
Architecture and Urban Planning: Specialists helped design modular biofiltration systems that integrate seamlessly into indoor and urban spaces, optimizing airflow and placement.
Industrial and Product Design: Designers contributed to aesthetic and functional elements, ensuring GreenAir is visually appealing and easy to implement.
Public Health: Health professionals advised on the impact of air quality on well-being, guiding GreenAir’s application in homes, offices, and public spaces.
Social Sciences: Experts in community engagement helped develop participatory models that involve citizens in the adoption and maintenance of GreenAir.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Added Value
These disciplines worked together through workshops, pilot programs, and research collaborations, ensuring GreenAir is scientifically validated, adaptable to different environments, and user-friendly. This process:

Strengthened scientific credibility by combining research with practical implementation.
Ensured aesthetic and functional integration in diverse spaces.
Promoted community participation, making GreenAir more inclusive and widely accepted.
By blending these disciplines, GreenAir offers an innovative, effective, and scalable solution that enhances air quality while fostering a deeper connection with nature.
GreenAir provides a nature-based, energy-free alternative to traditional air purification, integrating biofiltration, real-time monitoring, and community engagement. Unlike electric air purifiers, which are costly and generate waste, GreenAir offers a sustainable, low-maintenance, and scalable solution using air-purifying plants.

Key Innovations Compared to Mainstream Practices
Living Filtration Instead of Mechanical Devices
Traditional air purifiers require filters, electricity, and maintenance. GreenAir uses self-sustaining biofiltration, reducing waste and long-term costs.

Technology Integration for Measurable Impact
Unlike decorative plants, GreenAir includes real-time air quality sensors, allowing users to track purification efficiency and adjust plant placement.

Modular and Scalable Biofiltration
Instead of standalone plants, GreenAir creates vertical and modular plant systems, maximizing efficiency in compact urban spaces.

Inclusive and Affordable Model
Standard air purifiers are expensive. GreenAir provides an affordable, low-maintenance alternative, making cleaner air accessible to all.

Community and Educational Engagement
GreenAir fosters citizen participation, raising awareness and promoting sustainable urban living through workshops and pilot projects.

By merging natural air filtration, smart monitoring, and community-driven implementation, GreenAir presents an innovative, sustainable, and inclusive model that redefines indoor air quality solutions.
GreenAir follows a nature-based, data-driven, and community-oriented approach to improve indoor air quality sustainably. The project integrates biofiltration, real-time monitoring, and participatory engagement to ensure effectiveness, scalability, and accessibility.

Key Methodological Steps
Scientific Selection of Air-Purifying Plants

Environmental and air quality studies guide the selection of highly efficient plant species that filter CO₂, formaldehyde, and VOCs.
Testing in different environments (homes, offices, public spaces) ensures adaptability.
Integration of Real-Time Air Quality Monitoring

Low-cost sensors measure CO₂, humidity, and pollutants, allowing users to track the effectiveness of biofiltration.
Data-driven insights help optimize plant placement and maintenance for maximum impact.
Modular and Scalable Biofiltration Systems

GreenAir designs adaptable plant-based filtration systems that fit diverse spaces, from small apartments to large offices.
The modular approach ensures easy installation and expansion.
Community Participation and Education

GreenAir involves citizens, schools, and workplaces in workshops and pilot projects, promoting awareness and long-term behavior change.
Engagement strategies ensure solutions are practical, inclusive, and widely accepted.
Sustainable and Circular Practices

Uses biodegradable materials, partners with local plant nurseries, and reduces reliance on energy-intensive devices.
Impact and Scalability
GreenAir's evidence-based approach ensures measurable air quality improvements, making it replicable and adaptable across different urban settings. By combining scientific research, technological integration, and citizen engagement, GreenAir delivers a scalable, cost-effective, and inclusive solution for healthier indoor environments.
GreenAir is highly adaptable and scalable, making it suitable for diverse urban environments. Its nature-based air purification model can be easily transferred across various locations and user groups without major infrastructure changes.

Key Elements for Replication
Modular Biofiltration Systems

Adaptable to homes, offices, schools, and public buildings.
The flexible design allows for easy installation and customization.
Air Quality Monitoring

Low-cost sensors track air pollution reduction.
Replicable in various urban settings to assess indoor air quality.
Community Engagement and Education

Workshops and awareness programs raise public participation.
Schools and institutions can integrate GreenAir into sustainability education.
Sustainable and Circular Approach

Uses biodegradable materials, local plants, and low-energy solutions.
Can be adopted in any city aiming for greener, healthier spaces.
Potential for Transferability
Geographic Adaptation: Selects plant species suited to different climates.
Low-Cost Implementation: Accessible for social housing and underserved areas.
Policy Integration: Fits within green city initiatives and public health policies.
By merging nature, technology, and community action, GreenAir provides a scalable, replicable model for better air quality.
GreenAir tackles urban air pollution, climate change, and public health risks by providing a nature-based, energy-free air purification system. It offers a scalable, low-cost solution that improves indoor environments, reduces carbon footprints, and promotes sustainable urban living.

Key Global Challenges Addressed
Air Pollution and Public Health

Poor air quality contributes to respiratory diseases and reduced productivity.
GreenAir improves indoor air quality using biofiltration, reducing CO₂, VOCs, and formaldehyde without electricity.
Climate Change and Energy Consumption

Traditional air purifiers consume electricity and generate waste.
GreenAir removes pollutants naturally, reducing reliance on energy-intensive solutions and lowering carbon emissions.
Loss of Green Spaces in Cities

Rapid urbanization limits access to nature, negatively impacting mental well-being.
GreenAir reintroduces greenery into homes, offices, and public buildings, reconnecting people with nature.
Local Solutions with a Global Impact
Scalability and Adaptability: GreenAir’s modular systems can be implemented in diverse climates and spaces, from social housing to corporate offices.
Affordability and Accessibility: It provides a low-cost alternative to traditional air purifiers, making clean air available to all communities.
Community Engagement: By educating citizens and businesses, GreenAir fosters a culture of sustainability, encouraging greener urban environments worldwide.
By merging nature, innovation, and local participation, GreenAir offers a practical, replicable solution to some of today’s most pressing environmental and health challenges.
GreenAir is committed to transitioning from concept to scalable real-world implementation. Over the next year, the focus will be on piloting, community engagement, and partnerships to ensure a sustainable and replicable model.

Key Steps for the Next Year
Pilot Installations and Testing

Launch pilot projects in selected homes, offices, and public spaces to assess real-world performance.
Measure air quality improvements using sensors, refining plant selection and placement strategies.
Community Engagement and Awareness

Organize workshops and awareness campaigns to educate individuals and businesses on biofiltration benefits.
Partner with schools and community centers to promote sustainable air purification practices.
Strategic Partnerships and Funding

Collaborate with local governments, businesses, and environmental organizations to expand implementation.
Seek EU sustainability grants and private investments to scale operations.
Scalability and Replicability Planning

Develop guidelines and modular kits for easy adoption across different regions and building types.
Create a digital platform to monitor and showcase real-time air quality data from installations.
Market Introduction and Expansion

Finalize a cost-effective business model, making GreenAir accessible to households, offices, and public institutions.
Initiate subscription-based and direct-to-consumer sales, ensuring affordability and maintenance support.
Ensuring Long-Term Impact
GreenAir is designed for continuous improvement, using data-driven insights and community feedback to optimize effectiveness. By focusing on practical, affordable, and scalable solutions, it will contribute to healthier, greener, and more resilient urban spaces in the coming years.