Last updated: October 2021
CityTree is a four-meter high freestanding installation that is able to purify city air of harmful pollutants by using a special moss culture. (Reference 1) The local government of the 3rd district tested the technology under a 6 month trial from September 2017 to March 2018. The CityTree pilot project in Budapest was concluded, once the district administration decided not to continue the project further due to technical reasons. The irrigation system started to malfunction very early in the trial period, which caused the mosses to dry out and thus producing no quantifiable results. (Reference 9)
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Nature on buildings
- Green walls or facades
Key challenges
- Environmental quality
- Air quality improvement
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Other
Project objectives
The goal of the project was to decrease air pollution by binding nitrogen-oxide and carbon-dioxide and producing oxygen, while cooling the air. (Reference 1) A further objective of the municipality was to raise awareness of air pollution. (Reference 7)
Implementation activities
The municipal council accepted the idea of renting a CityTree and worked on finding a fitting place for the street furniture with the help of air quality professionals (Reference 2). Due to technical issues with the irrigation system, the city district decided not to extend/prolong the contract with the developer company. (Reference 10)
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Unknown
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The government initiated the NBS and commissioned the company Green City Solutions to implement the project. (Reference 10)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Yes
(The Environment Protection Action Plan of the local government aims at reducing air pollution in accordance with the norms of the EU for environmental protection (Reference 4).)
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(The local government has an Environment Protecting Action Plan for the period of 2015-2020 (Reference 4) and the year of 2017 (Reference 6).The project is part of the newly accepted Environmental Protection Action Plan of the local government that aims at the decrease of air pollution and the increase of green surfaces in the district (Reference 4).)
Financing
Total cost
€10,000 - €50,000
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
- Unknown
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Unknown
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Education
- Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
1. Source link. (year unknown) Green City Solution's Official Source link Available at: Source link [Accessed: 19.06.2020]
2. Istvánné, B. (2017). Records of the Municipal Council's Meeting, 25 March. Budapest: Óbuda-Békásmegyer Önkormányzat
3. Source link. (2017). Innovatív levegőtisztítás Óbudán. [online] Available at: Source link. [Accessed: 19.06.2020]
4. Source link. (2017). Környezettudatosság innovatív és hagyományos formái Óbudán. [online] Available at: Source link. [Accessed: 19.06.2020].
5. Szabó, M. (2017). Óbuda-Békásmegyer Önkormányzat 2017. évi környezetvédelmi cselekvési programja. Budapest: Óbuda-Békásmegyer Önkormányzat.
6. Csigó, E., Russói-Patocskai R. and Orsovai Á. (2015). Környezetvédelmi Fenntarthatósági Program: Budapest Főváros III. kerület Óbuda-Békásmegyer 2015 – 2020. Budapest: Óbuda-Békásmegyer Önkormányzat. Available at: Source link Accessed: [19.06.2020]
7. Source link. (2016). Artificial trees and vertical farms helping turn Europe’s cities green. [online] Available at: Source link Accessed: 19.06.2020].
8. Source link (2017). Nyugodtan lehet kivágni a fákat, van helyette mohafal [online] Available at: Source link [Accessed: 19.06.2020].
9. Óbuda-Békásmegyer Önkormányzat. (2018). Lezárul a CityTree tesztidőszaka. [online] Available at: Source link [Accessed: 09.07.2020]
10. Óbuda-Békásmegyer Önkormányzat. (2017). Légtisztító mohafal: kérdések és válaszok. [online] Available at: Source link [Accessed: 09.07.2020]
11. 444.hu. (2018). Óriási bukás az óbudai kísérleti mohafal, bár maga a módszer ettől még akár működhet is. [online] Available at: https://444.hu/2018/05/30/oriasi-bukas-az-obudai-kiserleti-mohafal-bar-maga-a-modszer-ettol-meg-akar-mukodhet-is [Accessed: 09.07.2020]
2. Istvánné, B. (2017). Records of the Municipal Council's Meeting, 25 March. Budapest: Óbuda-Békásmegyer Önkormányzat
3. Source link. (2017). Innovatív levegőtisztítás Óbudán. [online] Available at: Source link. [Accessed: 19.06.2020]
4. Source link. (2017). Környezettudatosság innovatív és hagyományos formái Óbudán. [online] Available at: Source link. [Accessed: 19.06.2020].
5. Szabó, M. (2017). Óbuda-Békásmegyer Önkormányzat 2017. évi környezetvédelmi cselekvési programja. Budapest: Óbuda-Békásmegyer Önkormányzat.
6. Csigó, E., Russói-Patocskai R. and Orsovai Á. (2015). Környezetvédelmi Fenntarthatósági Program: Budapest Főváros III. kerület Óbuda-Békásmegyer 2015 – 2020. Budapest: Óbuda-Békásmegyer Önkormányzat. Available at: Source link Accessed: [19.06.2020]
7. Source link. (2016). Artificial trees and vertical farms helping turn Europe’s cities green. [online] Available at: Source link Accessed: 19.06.2020].
8. Source link (2017). Nyugodtan lehet kivágni a fákat, van helyette mohafal [online] Available at: Source link [Accessed: 19.06.2020].
9. Óbuda-Békásmegyer Önkormányzat. (2018). Lezárul a CityTree tesztidőszaka. [online] Available at: Source link [Accessed: 09.07.2020]
10. Óbuda-Békásmegyer Önkormányzat. (2017). Légtisztító mohafal: kérdések és válaszok. [online] Available at: Source link [Accessed: 09.07.2020]
11. 444.hu. (2018). Óriási bukás az óbudai kísérleti mohafal, bár maga a módszer ettől még akár működhet is. [online] Available at: https://444.hu/2018/05/30/oriasi-bukas-az-obudai-kiserleti-mohafal-bar-maga-a-modszer-ettol-meg-akar-mukodhet-is [Accessed: 09.07.2020]