Metrics

Ecological, Financial and Social Benefits of Leaf Island Technologies

The Big Picture

The buildings in cities multiply the area where they stand. Productivity and value together rise with layers of working and living space. Footprint multipliers,-floor area ratios,- increase densities under each roof. Leaf Island technologies are also multipliers, but of ecological surfaces. Tall buildings function as artificial “mountains”, providing us a canvas for introducing nature to exposed hard surfaces. Leaf cover layers shading and evaporative cooling, scaled to integrate carbon capture with energy efficiencies that together come with this adaptive reuse of water. The economic value of local reversal of urban heat island translates directly into lower operating costs for buildings. In the process, air quality is enhanced through biodiversity. Leaf Islands create envelopes of living landscape.

New York City has 34 sq. miles of rooftops, 3000 sq. miles of vertical surface, and 8000 linear miles of streets. That’s over 87 billion square feet of potential surface that could host Leaf Island technologies. If even 10% of that surface was outfitted with our green roofs, green walls, street-level and coastal infrastructure (8.7 billion square feet), here is the effect:

Urban Heat Island Effect Reduction: 17 grams of water, when evapotranspired, has the same energy as 1 gram of oil. 10% coverage yields $600 million/day in equivalent air conditioning value to the city during the summer, effectively lowering the average body temperature of NYC by 3-5°F, saving potentially hundreds of lives each year

Stormwater Reduction: Evapotranspiration of ~500 million gallons of water each day during the warm season, effectively eliminating the 20 billion gallon annual surplus of stormwater and saving governments billions of dollars in treatment, pollution cleanup and pollution tolerance costs

Wastewater Processing: It costs $6.70 to process 748 gallons of wastewater. Connecting greywater and stormwater systems to Leaf Island green infrastructure would save the city $4.6 million/day in wastewater treatment costs

Air Pollution Reduction: Every square meter of vegetational cover takes up $0.38 worth of pm2.5 and $0.08 of other air pollutants each year in NYC. 8.7 billion square feet of added vegetational coverage would remove ~$350 million worth of air pollutants each year

Energy Savings: A 12,000 SF GaiaSoil Green Roof has saved one of our clients ⅓ on their air conditioning costs each day, equivalent to $600/day during the summer. Extrapolated over 8.7 billion square feet, Leaf Island technologies can save property owners billions of dollars each year

Biodiversity: The value of increased biodiversity is difficult to track, but the cost of lacking biodiversity can be severe. Consider the value of pollinators alone – the cost of not supporting honeybees would require hand pollination, which could cost NYC alone tens of millions of dollars each year

Adaptive ReUse: Leaf Island technologies use recycled materials as much as possible, such as styrofoam, recycled glass aggregate, recycled brick aggregate, and others. Each cubic yard of GaiaSoil removes 34.4 lbs of styrofoam from the waste stream. The GaiaSoil used for 8.7 billion square feet of Leaf Island technologies would remove billions of pounds of styrofoam, glass, brick and concrete from local landfills

Other Economic Benefits: Increased estuary health will generate tens of millions of dollars from fishing and recreation. Leaf Island technologies can turn unattractive industrial zones and under-utilized rooftops into marketable spaces for recreation and economic activity

We lay out these fundamentals to demonstrate how plant coverage itself works as a Force of Nature, offering an adaptive path forward. Leaf Island modules supplied with water will grow to cover, shade and cool urban surfaces. Couplings of the built environment with living form diminishes costs by removing thermal and pollutant loads, and provides financial & quality of life benefits to all residents.

GaiaSoil™ Ultra-Lightweight Green Roof Systems

Powered by patented GaiaSoil™ Ultra-Lightweight Plant Growth Medium

Urban Heat Island Effect

Three layers of leaf cover (leaf area index (LAI) of 3) generating 1/4 inch of evapotranspiration over ~220 sq. ft. of vegetation produces a ton of air conditioning. Temperature differences can be dramatic. A GaiaSoil green roof, for example, supplied with water on a 102° day of 50% relative humidity drops the temperature on shaded leaves as low as 87° F (wet bulb limit).
A dense leaf cover of four layers (Leaf Area Index of 4) generates $0.08/day/sq.ft. in evaporative cooling during the warm season. Value the air conditioning contribution here is about $400/day for a 5,000 sq. ft. green roof
Roof area beneath vegetation approaches the wet bulb temperature limit, exporting quantities cool air to lower temperatures in adjacent pedestrian zones, and spreading diminishing temperature in larger surrounding area. Cool air from multiple green roofs aggregate impact on whole neighborhoods and communities.

Stormwater

GaiaSoil Ultra-Lightweight Green Roofs can hold about 2 inches of stormwater at a 6” depth; blue roof microswales below can capture an additional 1” to 2”, depending on the roof’s bearing capacity, resulting in near total stormwater capture for 3 to 4 inch storms.
Elevated drainage system/green roof over blue-roof can result in zero discharge. All water captured by a 30 lb/sq.ft. green roof system, 4” of water, is channeled to carbon capture and reversing urban heat island.

Adaptive ReUse

Each cubic yard of GaiaSoil removes more than 30 lbs of Styrofoam from the waste stream – a 10,000 sq. ft. GaiaSoil green roof with a soil depth of 6 inches diverting 6,370 lbs of styrofoam from the waste stream and landfills and puts it to work insulating a roof and removing more than a ton of CO₂ from the atmosphere each year.
A 10,000 sq. ft. GaiaSoil green roof with a soil depth of 6 inches uses 11,000 lbs of compost made from food waste, composed leaves, or even biosolids.

Biodiversity & Urban Farming

GaiaSoil green roofs support the growth the hundreds of indigenous plants native to this region, providing and extending habitat for butterflies, bees, and moths in the process. By optimizing plant growth and minimizing load, GaiaSoil opens pathways to urban rooftop agriculture on hundreds of acres of now sterile roofscape.

GaiaSoil™ Ultra-Lightweight Green Roof Systems

Powered by patented GaiaSoil™ Ultra-Lightweight Plant Growth Medium

Electrical Efficiency & Rooftop Maintenance

Roof deck temperature of GaiaSoil green roofs is 82° F compared to bitumen roofs which range from 145-175° F during the warm season. Because GaiaSoil has an R-Value of 1.9/in during standard field conditions and vegetation stays cooler, a 20,000 sq. ft. GaiaSoil green roof saves up to 78,000 BTU/hr in heat transfer during the warm season. This insulating capacity also saves 14,000 BTU/hr during cooler months with heat flow being in the other direction
Each 1° C drop in HVAC intake temperature increases HVAC efficiency by 1%. A standard GaiaSoil green roof increases HVAC efficiency by 15-20%
Energy savings vary based on green roof size, building height and building layout. Large warehouses benefit most from GaiaSoil green roof energy savings. Our Linda Tool green roof in the Red Hook area of Brooklyn saves the property owner 33% on their cooling bill
GaiaSoil green roofs use a professionally-applied waterproof polyurea membrane which carries a 30-year warranty. Our rooftops prevent future potential rooftop leaks and extend the lifespan of rooftops, potentially saving you tens of thousands of dollars over rooftop’s lifetime

Regulations, Incentives & Tax Abatements

New York City Council has passed the Climate Mobilization Act, which mandates green roof construction on new buildings, with increasingly higher standards taking effect in 2025, 2030 and 2050. GaiaSoil green roofs exceed both existing and future green infrastructure compliance regulations
In NYC, a 10,000 SF Green Roof can provide up to $45,000/year in tax abatement from existing property taxes. In 8 years, the green roof has already paid for itself irrespective of other use. Measures taken by City Council could increase the amount of tax abatement on a per-square foot basis
GaiaSoil green roofs boost the performance of solar panels by helping them stay cooler. Solar panels become more efficient due to evaporative cooling from GaiaSoil green roofs. Solar panels are typically tested at 25° C (78° F) and output efficiency decreases by 0.258% for every 1° C increase above 25° C. Output efficiency increases by 0.258% for every 1°C decrease below 25° C. This means that during the warm season, solar panels typically operate with 10-25% decreased output efficiency. Solar Electric Generating System (SEGS) Tax Abatements are worth 5% of solar electric generating system installation cost, or up to $62,500/year, whichever is lowest
Additional incentives are being introduced in NYC to further promote green roofs and other forms of green infrastructure.
Please review your local regulations, incentives and tax abatements on green roofs and solar panels regarding various property types for more pertinent information.

Marketing & Public Relations

GaiaSoil green roofs are beautiful and marketable, ideal for use as recreational spaces, settings for restaurants, bars & other vendors, extended office spaces, photography, advertisement, film & music venues, art exhibitions, community spaces and increase the property value of real estate
Green roofs are popular as a symbol of sustainability and an environmentally-minded focus. With the additional adaptive reuse and energy efficiency benefits that GaiaSoil green roofs provide, a positive public relations message can be further amplified.

GaiaSoil™ Ultra-Lightweight Green Roof Systems

Powered by patented GaiaSoil™ Ultra-Lightweight Plant Growth Medium

Mental Health & Stress

A 1984 study by Roger Ulrich from Texas A&M found that surgery recovery times improved when patients had visual access to green spaces. Many hospitals around the world have begun to construct green roofs for this very purpose.
Access to green roofs provides employees with a quiet, natural space to enjoy, which is shown to decrease stress levels in multiple studies
A Philadelphia study links retrofitted green spaces (added green roofs, green walls, community gardens) to lower incidences of criminal activity
Social distancing measures instituted during the COVID-19 pandemic have limited the amount of access that building residents have to natural spaces. GaiaSoil green roofs allow residents to interact with the natural environment without leaving their homes.
Increased property values resulting from newly added green roofs provides a larger tax base for local schools and other institutions reliant on property taxes

EcoBarrier™ Vegetated Bike Lane Protection Stormwater System

Powered by patented GaiaSoil™ Ultra-Lightweight Plant Growth Medium

Air Pollution Reduction

Each EcoBarrier has a vertically aligned bryophyte exterior totalling 35 sq. ft. (3.25 sq. meters), capturing an estimated 4-12 grams of pm2.5 per year and 225-675 grams of other air pollutants each year (depending on nearby vehicle traffic)
The value of the aforementioned air pollutant reduction is calculated to be $6.30 – $19 for pm2.5 and $1.35 – $4.05 for other air pollutants per EcoBarrier (Nowak, K. David, 2012)
A series of 23 barriers and 1 rain garden (sufficient for a standard NYC block) generate $176 – $530 in annual air pollution reduction. Given that there are over 700 miles of already existing protected bike lane in NYC, cost savings become extremely significant when EcoBarriers are applied at scale

Stormwater

A series of 23 bike lane barriers and 1 rain garden (sufficient for a standard city block) has a daily capacity of 8,500 gallons of stormwater, which would produce 95% stormwater discharge capture for a 3” rainfall (may vary depending on street hydrology)
8,500 gallons of stormwater capture is equivalent to $61 in wastewater treatment costs that are saved for each block that is outfitted with EcoBarriers
EcoBarriers at scale would bring NYC DEP closer to the goal of reducing stormwater runoff by 20 billion gallons. EcoBarriers placed over 350 miles of protected bike lane (roughly 7000 block-lengths) would reduce stormwater runoff by 800 million gallons annually.

Adaptive ReUse

The GaiaSoil used in each EcoBarrier removes 25.5 lbs of Styrofoam from the waste stream – a blocks’ worth of EcoBarriers would remove 850 lbs of styrofoam that would otherwise end up in landfills

Biodiversity

EcoBarriers use native plants, which provide habitat for tens of thousands of pollinators, and creates greenways to increase the range and mobility of pollinators

EcoBarrier™ Vegetated Bike Lane Protection Stormwater System

Powered by patented GaiaSoil™ Ultra-Lightweight Plant Growth Medium

Regulations, Incentives & Tax Abatements

In 2018, the Mayor’s Office and City Council have moved to add 250 miles of protected bike lane. City Council Speaker Corey Johnson has proposed a $1.7 billion plan to promote alternate modes of transport by changing NYC streets to better accommodate buses, pedestrians and cyclists. EcoBarriers provide immense ecological value on top of protecting pedestrians, furthering Climate Mobilization goals
Private construction (non-municipal) of EcoBarriers would likely allow for city subsidies as well as tax abatements

Marketing & Public Relations

EcoBarriers allow for branding and marketing opportunities to offset costs, similar to advertisements on public transporation, or permanent branding when EcoBarriers are privately constructed
Placing advertisements on EcoBarriers conveys a sustainability and environmentally-minded focus, as well as a committment to cycling as a clean form of transportation

Liability

EcoBarriers significantly reduce the possibility of vehicle-cyclist collisions which could result in potential lawsuits and negative press for both public and private properties where vehicle traffic occurs

EcoBarrier™ Vegetated Bike Lane Protection Stormwater System

Powered by patented GaiaSoil™ Ultra-Lightweight Plant Growth Medium

Traffic Safety

EcoBarriers weigh 800 lbs each when full, 85 lbs totally empty and lock into each other with dynamics similar to traditional plastic traffic safety barriers. EcoBarriers are effective at reducing the impact of a vehicle collission while providing additional time for cyclists to escape a dangerous situation.
The 6′ height of fully planted EcoBarriers provides a clear and visible deliniation between the car and bicycle lanes which prevents reckless driving maneuvers, potential door opening into the bicycle lane which can injure cyclists, and is effective at preventing even large vehicles with low visibility such as box trucks and semi’s from accidentally entering the bicycle lane while not impeding normal vehicle traffic
In 2019, there were 29 cyclist fatalities as a result of vehicle collision in NYC. EcoBarriers would not only prevent these unfortunate fatalities, but also countless other non-fatal injuries that can occur.

Aesthetics

EcoBarriers add important vegetation to busy commercial streets which are often lacking in greenspace. These streets are also the most effective use of EcoBarriers due to higher vehicle traffic and higher air pollution concentrations

Trellis™ Green Wall System

Urban Heat Island Effect

Three layers of leaf cover (leaf area index (LAI) of 3) generating 1/4 inch of evapotranspiration over ~220 sq. ft. of vegetation produces a ton of air conditioning. Temperature differences can be dramatic. A GaiaSoil green roof, for example, supplied with water on a 102° day of 50% relative humidity drops the temperature on shaded leaves as low as 87° F (wet bulb limit).
A dense leaf cover of four layers (Leaf Area Index of 4) generates $0.08/day/sq.ft. in evaporative cooling during the warm season. Value the air conditioning contribution here is about $400/day for a 5,000 sq. ft. green roof
Real benefits translate to the nearby pedestrian area being cooled by as much as 3-4°F, extending lesser effects on larger surrounding areas. Working in concert, multiple green walls can transform the mircro-climate of highly urbanized landscapes.
There are over 3,000 sq. miles of vertical space in NYC, more than ten-fold greater than the 34 sq. miles of roof space. It is a fact of biophysics that vegetated surfaces supplied with water remove heat and drop surrounding temperature below ambient. In terms of potential for, Because of this, greening walls of the City presents the greatest potential of any technology to significantly, even dramatically reduce or even eliminate Urban Heat Island locally, regionally, or, as coverage increase, at city-scale

Stormwater

Trellis Green Walls require a constant water supply. A GaiaSoil Floating Wetland which captures and stores stormwater may serve as this source. Rooftop planters, alternatively, can store and treat building greywater and/or HVAC condensate, and with supply trellis systems with their excess inputs. Such reservoirs in horizontal structures provide the capacity to supply water for these vertical structures which impose engineering and physical constraints. Favoring cost-effective scalability, our design philosophy favors integrating low cost holding and treatment volumes with tensile webs and kindred forms to train green walls across vertical opportunities on any urban structure.
The evapotranspiration potential of a Trellis Green Wall allows it to extract significantly high volumes of stormwater when growth media are integrated with capture and storage reservoirs. A 10,000 sq. ft. Trellis Green Wall can turn 1,500 gallons of stormwater a day into a powerful urban cooling center. While the typical NYC treatment cost for this water would be about $14, such a wall could contribute the equivalent of about 45 tons of air conditioning a day, approaching a thousand dollars a day in value.

Air Pollution

A 10,000 sq. ft. Trellis Green Wall can capture an estimated 230-370 grams of pm2.5 per year and 12.6-18.6 kilograms of other air pollutants each year (depending on nearby vehicle traffic)
The value of the aforementioned air pollutant reduction is calculated to be $336 – $540 for pm2.5 and $75 – $112 for other air pollutants for a 10,000 sq. ft. green wall (adapted from Nowak, K. David, 2012)
Given that there are over 3000 sq. miles of already existing vertical space, cost savings become extremely significant when Trellis Green Wall Systems are applied at scale

Biodiversity

A Trellis Green Wall uses native vines, which provides habitat for birds and pollinators, and creates greenways to increase the range and biogeographic corridors of local fauna

Trellis™ Green Wall System

Energy Efficiency

Surface temperature of Trellis green roofs is 82° F compared to concrete or stone walls which range from 120-150° F during the warm season. Because vegetation stays cooler, a 10,000 sq. ft. Trellis Green Wall saves up to 36,000 BTU/hr in heat transfer during the warm season

Regulations, Incentives & Tax Abatements

New York City Council has passed the Climate Mobilization Act, which mandates green roof construction on new buildings, with increasingly higher standards taking effect in 2025, 2030 and 2050. Trellis Green Walls exceed both existing and future green infrastructure compliance regulations
Additional incentives are being introduced in NYC to further promote green roofs and other forms of green infrastructure.
Please review your local regulations, incentives and tax abatements on green roofs and solar panels regarding various property types for more pertinent information.

Cost Savings, Marketing & Public Relations

Trellis Green Walls are beautiful and marketable, ideal for creating recreational spaces from typically unattractive areas such as underpasses and other types of industrial infrastructure
In addition to their considerable ecological benefits, Trellis Green Walls are an aesthetically pleasing replacement for building facades that show signs of wear, discoloration or simply a boring, monolithic design in lieu of a much more costly structural modification
Green walls are a popular and highly visible symbol of sustainability and an environmentally-minded focus. Any building with a Trellis Green Wall will clearly stand out and cultivate a uniquely positive image

Trellis™ Green Wall System

Mental Health & Stress

Trellis Green Walls are a highly visible accompaniment to other retrofits of areas suffering from urban blight. Access to green space provides residents with a quiet, natural space to enjoy, which is shown to decrease stress levels in multiple studies
A Philadelphia study links retrofitted green spaces (added green roofs, green walls, community gardens) to lower incidences of criminal activity

Community Revitalization

In almost all cases, urban highway underpasses serve as separations between two neighborhoods of different socio-economic standing. These unattractive pieces of urban infrastructure end up functioning as a form of “barrier” from an urban planning perspective. Retrofitting underpasses with Trellis Green Walls helps soften this “barrier” by turning underpasses into attractive, well-lit greenways that are safer for residents to navigate, create opportunities for community stewardship and education programs, and provide attractive recreational real estate
Increased property values resulting from newly added green walls provides a larger tax base for local schools and other institutions reliant on property taxes

BlueBlocks™ Filter Coastline Protection + CSO Treatment System

Stormwater

Each BlueBlock can physically and chemically filter 875 gallons of combined sewage overflow (CSO) discharge and sit runoff per day. The static capacity of a below-grade rain garden coupled with three BlueBlocks is 7,500 gallons.
Each BlueBlock is 6 ft in diameter and placed in series. The total system can have a large number of BlueBlocks connected in series (only limited by coastline length) and has a proportionally sized below-grade rain garden. 100 BlueBlocks connected in series can capture and filter an entire CSO event from a nearby CSO outfall.
A BlueBlocks system includes an intertidal wetland which features freshwater mussels and wetland grasses. Intertidal wetlands are extremely effective at chemically filtering millions of gallons of ambient water each day.

Biodiversity

A BlueBlocks system amplifies wetland restoration initiatives by capturing and focusing polluted water into constructed wetland systems that attenuate and utilize the high volume of nutrients and chemical compounds found in the water. This helps maintain native mussels and grasses

BlueBlocks™ Filter Coastline Protection + CSO Treatment System

Coastline Protection

With rising sea levels and the potential for devastating storm surges, BlueBlocks provide the invaluable advantage of elevating and hardening the coastline. Each BlueBlock weighs over 20,000 lbs and will not shift from strong wave pressure. This prevents storm surges from flooding a site and protects critical public & private infrastructure
BlueBlocks can be utilized in rivers with unstable banks to prevent erosion in areas where it is most critical. At a larger scale, the BlueBlock system can protect an entire town from usual flood events as a result of heavy rainfall
BlueBlocks can stack on top of one another, and be customized for various heights with minimal adaptation. The standard BlueBlock measurements are 6′ in diameter and 6′ tall, however they could be manufactured to be taller or shorter depending on client needs. A BlueBlock system can be continuously upgraded without the need for removal of original structures.

Site Mobility

BlueBlocks have a 7” thick, ASTM C-76 Class 4 reinforced concrete exterior and can be arranged in a number of structurally stable patterns to accomodate an overlying steel grate roadway of various widths (limited by site specifications). This allows for sites to use 100% of their space for transport and storage without creating bottlenecks for vehicle movement near the coastline

BlueBlocks™ Filter Coastline Protection + CSO Treatment System

Storm Surge Resiliency

In 2012, Hurricane Sandy resulted in $19 billion in damage to NYC. Much of this damage was due to failure of critical public infrastructure from flooding related to the storm surge. Widespread use of BlueBlocks would prevent unnecessary loss of life and economic hardship to residents in coastal areas, and potentially save the taxpayer billions of dollars during the next storm event

Water Quality

Combined sewage overflows (CSO) are a major cause of decreased water quality. CSO events cause environmental damage by creating harmful algae blooms and eroding coastlines, as well as causing significant economic damage by hurting industries reliant on fishing and coastline recreation. BlueBlocks decrease and at scale, entirely capture CSO events from outfalls, as well as passively clean the water through intertidal wetlands, enhancing water quality immensely in the process

GaiaSoil™ Floating Wetland

Powered by patented GaiaSoil™ Ultra-Lightweight Plant Growth Medium

Stormwater

GaiaSoil Floating Wetlands can be used anywhere a below-grade rain garden would, but are especially effective in underpasses where they are fed by the drainage pipes, take up stormwater from the overlying roadway
A typical GaiaSoil Floating Wetland has 3 ft. of soil depth – a 10,000 sq. ft. wetland has 108,000 gallons of static stormwater capacity (99% stormwater capture annually)
Roadway drainage could be modified to funnel additional stormwater into specific drains connected to a GaiaSoil Floating Wetland that carries excess capacity
GaiaSoil Floating Wetlands at scale would bring NYC DEP closer to the goal of reducing stormwater runoff by 20 billion gallons. A GaiaSoil Floating Wetland placed on a 2-block stretch of Bruckner Blvd in the Bronx would have an area of 23,500 sq. ft. and capture 630,000 gallons of stormwater each year. There are hundreds of opportunities for similar projects across NYC

Air Pollution Reduction

Each GaiaSoil Floating Wetland has a vertically aligned bryophyte exterior totalling 1 sq. meter for every 3 feet of exterior wall length. A 10,000 sq. ft. floating wetland would have a 280 sq. meters of roadside exterior surface, capturing an estimated 140-560 grams of pm2.5 per year and 3.8-15.2 kilograms of other air pollutants each year (depending on nearby vehicle traffic)
The value of the aforementioned air pollutant reduction is calculated to be $250 – $820 for pm2.5 and $23 – $90 for other air pollutants per EcoBarrier (adapted from Nowak, K. David, 2012)
A GaiaSoil Floating Wetland placed on a 2-block stretch of Bruckner Blvd in the Bronx would have an area of 23,500 sq. ft. and capture $819 – $2730 worth of air pollution each year. There are hundreds of opportunities for similar projects across NYC

Adaptive ReUse

The 10,000 sq. ft. GaiaSoil Floating Wetland removes 38,000 lbs of Styrofoam from the waste stream that would otherwise end up in landfills

Biodiversity

GaiaSoil Floating Wetlands use native wetland grasses, which provide habitat for tens of thousands of pollinators, and creates greenways to increase the range and mobility of pollinators. These wetlands are also effective at breaking down chemical pollutants such as benzene found in stormwater runoff from a roadway

GaiaSoil™ Floating Wetland

Powered by patented GaiaSoil™ Ultra-Lightweight Plant Growth Medium

Recreational & Further Development Opportunities

GaiaSoil Floating Wetlands provide greenspace to high vehicle traffic areas, and create a visual and sound barrier between the roadway, bike lane and surrounding non-traffic areas. This separation helps transform a nearby stretch of land from undesirable to marketable. The non-vehicle side of the GaiaSoil Floating Wetland provides space for food vendors, art exhibitions, small parks and other forms of recreational space
GaiaSoil Floating Wetlands serve as a potential base for Trellis Green Walls. Check out the Bruckner Underpass Greenway render on our front page to visualize how an underpass could be transformed into something much greater

Security

GaiaSoil Floating Wetlands feature a robust design that uses concrete traffic barriers for its walls. GaiaSoil Floating Wetlands can be used in place of bollards and other concrete structures that provide no ecological value in order to discreetly secure vulnerable infrastructure or highly-populated landmarks.

Cost Savings

GaiaSoil Floating Wetlands are built above-grade and require no excavation. They can be built to any size and in any location that can accomodate a rain garden, providing that there is a reasonable way to direct stormwater into the floating wetland. Excavation costs, especially for public works projects, can be astronimical compared to other components of a project. The no-excavation advantage provided by GaiaSoil Floating Wetlands could save billions of dollars in construction costs when applied at scale

GaiaSoil™ Floating Wetland

Powered by patented GaiaSoil™ Ultra-Lightweight Plant Growth Medium

Traffic & Pedestrian Safety

The exterior structure of GaiaSoil Floating Wetlands is constructed from traffic-grade reinforced concrete jersey barriers. GaiaSoil Floating Wetlands are highly visible, and prevent even large vehicles from entering the pedestrian areas.
Because GaiaSoil floats when the wetland is filled with water, it cannot be scaled without getting wet and as a result, provides a barrier from jaywalking unto busy streets. GaiaSoil Floating Wetlands help keep drivers focused on the road and allow pedestrians to safely cross at designated intersections

Community Revitalization

In almost all cases, urban highway underpasses serve as separations between two neighborhoods of different socio-economic standing. Retrofitting underpasses with GaiaSoil Floating Wetlands turns underpasses into attractive, well-lit greenways that are safer for residents to navigate, create opportunities for community stewardship and education programs, and provide attractive recreational real estate

True-Green™ Indoor / Outdoor Furniture

Powered by patented GaiaSoil™ Ultra-Lightweight Plant Growth Medium

Adaptive ReUse

True-Green Indoor/Outdoor Furniture uses GaiaSoil for its planters and recycled components wherever possible, removing 1.3 lbs of styrofoam from the wastestream for each cubic foot of GaiaSoil

Biodiversity

True-Green Indoor/Outdoor Furniture uses native plants and flowers, creating an outsized vegetation coverage for its relatively small footprint, which provides an extensive habitat for pollinators. Urban residences play an important role in extending the range and mobility of pollinators such as honeybees

True-Green™ Indoor / Outdoor Furniture

Powered by patented GaiaSoil™ Ultra-Lightweight Plant Growth Medium

Outdoor Cooling

Urban Heat Islands occur due to heat-absorbing surfaces such as concrete, brick or asphalt absorbing sunlight and re-radiating infrared energy, and the lack of evapotranspiration from vegetation. This effect is no different at a local scale. True-Green Indoor/Outdoor Furniture can reduce local temperatures (such as on a porch/patio/balcony) by up to 5°F
Urban building attachments such as porches, patios, balconies and rooftops are generally limited in size, forcing the resident to choose between planters and furniture. True-Green Indoor/Outdoor not only combines the two in a much smaller footprint, but also utilizes the nearby wall space when using the trellis design, increasing plant coverage by up to 300% over traditional planters

Modularity & Mobility

True-Green Indoor / Outdoor Furniture is created to be modular and lightweight. The GaiaSoil used in the planters only weight 12 lbs / cu. ft dry or 34 lbs / cu. ft fully saturated and the other components can be disassembled and reassembled easily, allowing for the furniture to be readily moved when needed

Optimal Growth

GaiaSoil is simply a better soil medium than anything else on the market, offering unprecedented growth and plant coverage. The key to optimal growth is soil aeration – GaiaSoil maintains optimal aeration and is nearly immune to compaction. Plants grown in GaiaSoil achieve full size 50% faster compared topsoil / potting soil
True-Green Indoor / Outdoor Furniture can be planted with edibles, providing fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs during the growing season, and producing greater yields than outdoor home gardens

True-Green™ Indoor / Outdoor Furniture

Powered by patented GaiaSoil™ Ultra-Lightweight Plant Growth Medium

Food Security

Lack of access to fresh fruits and vegetables is a major problem in many urban areas (14.4% of New Yorkers are food insecure). Most residents lack the space to grow their own food, and while community gardens and farmer’s markets are an effective way of meeting this need, they simply lack the capacity to fully solve the food insecurity problem. True-Green Indoor / Outdoor Furniture is a low-cost alternative to supplementing diets with fresh produce. Everyone needs furniture, but this furniture simply does more.

Health & Education

True-Green Indoor/Outdoor Furniture provides an introductory way for kids to interact with soil, fostering a life-long appreciation and understanding of plant maintenance practices
Microbes found in soil are known to have positive benefits on the immune system, especially when interaction with soil begins at a young age (1-3 years old)