In late June Pavegen announced the world’s first ‘Smart Street’ to appear in Bird Street, London. The street has been transformed into a traffic free space for visitors to shop and eat in an environment which showcases the latest sustainable technologies – one of which is electricity a data generating floor technology from Pavegen.
This 10-square metre walkway will not only power lights and bird sounds, but will also provide an energy data feed. Likewise, the walkway also incorporates Bluetooth Low-Energy transmitters that will allow for interaction with branded apps – this could mean that user can be rewarded with discounts, vouchers and education resources for their steps on the Pavegen system.
Bird Street is a pilot scheme in the West End, and the transformation spearheaded by New West End Company and Transport for London. The collective vision is to transform once overlooked outdoor space into a blueprint for future concepts in London’s West End. Alex Williams, director of city planning at Transport for London said: “It’s great to see innovative ‘smartstreet’ scheme delivered on Bird Street, the concepts and ideas of which could easily be adapted across London. I hope we can see further examples of this innovative 21st Century thinking in the future as we work to transform Oxford Street and the surrounding area to make it a world-class public space for all.”
Also appearing at Bird Street is Airlabs’ ClearAir bench, which removes nitrogen dioxide to create a zone of clean air, and coatings company Airlite who produce a paint which purifies the air from NOx gasses and bacteria. Bird Street is therefore a prime example of how the integration of innovative technologies holds potential for more sustainable destinations in busy urban areas.
CEO and founder of Pavegen, Laurence Kemball-Cook says: “With installations in Washington DC and at vital transport hubs including Heathrow, being able to demonstrate how our technology can bring to life the retail shopping experience is a vital step for us. As retailers compete with online, technologies like ours make being in the busy high street more exciting and rewarding for people and brands alike.”
