Energy harvesting pavement launches in London shopping district

A pavement harvesting the kinetic energy produced by pedestrians has launched near London’s Oxford Street, one of Europe’s busiest shopping districts.

Pavegen, the company behind the smart pavement, has installed a 10-square metre area, which harvests energy to power lighting and ambient bird sounds, while collecting data on the energy produced.

The energy-harvesting walkway will also scan bluetooth-enabled phones, interacting with apps to reward users for their steps on the pavement with discounts, vouchers and education resources.

The ‘Pavegen‘ is part of an installation showcasing the latest in sustainable technologies — bringing together energy harvesting, data collection and pollution reduction.

 

Bird Street will also soon feature an Airlabs’ ClearAir bench, which will remove nitrogen dioxide to create a zone of cleaner air. The street will also feature Airlite paint, which purifies the air, removing nitrogen dioxide. Oxford Street had the world’s worst levels of the gas in 2013.

With the integration of these innovative technologies, Bird Street demonstrates potential ways to put a dent in emissions in busy urban environments.