Leave it to the Japanese to save the planet by covering concrete buildings in fake plastic. In an effort to help keep Tokyo and other cities green and ease the so-called "heat-island" problem of rising temperatures in crowded metropolitans, Japanese brewer Suntory Ltd. has created an alternative to soil. The motivation behind the fake soil is that Tokyo has very strict load requirements due to its earthquake-prone location, hence real dirt is hard to come by.
The synthetic dirt substitute, 'Pafcal', weighs less than half as much as real soil and is made of urethane. When used as a roof garden, it can reduce the internal temperature of a building up to 10 degrees Celsius (18 degrees Fahrenheit).
P.S., I love how the model's oversized handkerchief looks like a butterfly on her jacket. How green!
Fake Soil Saves Planet
Japanese Plastic Dirt 'Pafcal'
Trend Themes
1. Synthetic Soil - Developing synthetic soil substitutes using materials like urethane can revolutionize urban gardening and green building practices.
2. Green Roofing - Implementing roof gardens with synthetic soil like Pafcal can significantly reduce the internal temperature of buildings, contributing to energy efficiency and mitigating the urban heat island effect.
3. Lightweight Materials - Creating lightweight alternatives such as Pafcal can address load requirements in earthquake-prone areas, paving the way for innovative construction and infrastructure solutions.
Industry Implications
1. Urban Gardening - The development of synthetic soil opens up new possibilities for urban gardening that can be implemented in limited space environments, such as rooftop gardens and vertical farming.
2. Construction - The use of synthetic soil in green building practices, particularly in roof gardens, presents opportunities for innovation in construction materials and techniques.
3. Environmental Solutions - The introduction of lightweight materials like Pafcal for green roofing addresses environmental challenges such as urban heat islands and contributes to sustainable urban development.