Frankfurt, Germany, September 23, 2022 — The German Nassauische Heimstätte | Wohnstadt group (NHW), a provider of living space for consumers, starts a pilot project to collect and manage rainwater for a more sustainable approach to water plants on their real estate.
The NHW group has launched a new app-based project for collecting rainwater. With just one container, they can provide enough water for 13 trees. This is an interesting way to save water and help the environment, especially in times in which we can observe draughts and especially dry seasons.
How it works
The system is quite simple. When it rains, water runs from the roof through the downpipes and hoses attached to them into the collection containers. The rainwater distribution app comes into play, connecting to a sensor on each container and showing the open space management staff the water level in each container.
This way, they can avoid over- or under-watering the trees. As the gardeners are on their way, they can utilize the corresponding app to find out where the nearest water collection containers are, and pump the water into their mobile distribution system.
The benefits
This is a great way to conserve water, as well as save money on watering costs. In addition, it helps the environment by using a sustainable source of water. This is a win-win for everyone involved.
How was this developed?
The idea for the project came from Robert Lotz and Michael Mayer-Marczona. Naturally, the NHW chose to work with their in-house startup accelerator and innovation network Hubitation to conceptualize the idea and develop all of the components that enable the solution.
Project manager Sebastian Jung shares, “There have been more and more hot summers recently, and this is causing a lot of damage to our trees and plants. By collecting rainwater and using a smart distribution system, we can water many plants and save valuable drinking water.”
The company shares, “A young tree needs around 60 to 80 liters of water per week. With a 1,000-liter water container, we can water around 12 to 13 trees each week in our neighborhoods. This project might not be able to solve all problems at once, but it can help in times of increasing dryness and falling groundwater levels to better care for shrubs, trees, and bushes.”
Conclusion
Even if this project does not easily scale, every project and experiment is one step forward into a more sustainable future. The NHW group’s app-based rainwater collection project is worth pursuing for its many benefits, including conserving water and saving money on watering costs. In addition, it helps the environment by using a sustainable source of water. We hope that this project will inspire others to pursue similar initiatives in other regions of the world as well.
YouTube: Promotional NHW image film for their 100-year anniversary (German)
Photo credit: The feature image is symbolic and has been done by Tomasz Zajda. The photos in the body of the report have been provided by NHW and are used with permission.
