Rainwater in kindergarten

Before using the collected rainwater, the quantity collected during the first rainfall should not be introduced into the system (on deposits and for use). Then, before the use of the collected rainwater, the rainwater reservoir will be verified, if they do not collect impurities. Their purification will be performed and a complete cycle of purification will be carried out with rain water.
Technology validated in relevant environment.
Fidelity of breadboard technology increases significantly. The basic technological components are integrated with reasonably realistic supporting elements so they can be tested in a simulated environment. Examples include “high-fidelity” laboratory integration of components.
A pilot case this innovation is done in one Kindergarten in Tirana, the extent of this innovation should be to develop the innovation in an attractive place for children.

How does it work?

The water used for flushing toilets and washing clothes doesn’t need to be treated to potable, drinking water standards. Such savings would greatly reduce the monthly water bill, and help in a variety of other ways.Rainwater is free and although climate change and changing weather patterns may affect its regularity and intensity it should be part of the solution to our water future. It is cleaner than most other sources. Through this project will be improved the water supply for some Kindergartens, will be reduced the urban floods, ensuring a quality of clothes washing, bathing water reducing detergents, reducing costs of kinder gardens in water bill.

January, 2019
TRL updated according BRIGAID selectio assessment by Sergio Contreras (WP3 leader)
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Unified Fire Protection Units and System-UFPUS

The main scope of the invention is to provide an Artificial Intelligence system and method for fire identification and extinguishing in real time, by combining and embodying existing tools, technology systems and products puzzle referred to as an innovation algorithm. This technology in the future should serve to protect the planet from natural fire emergencies and is ready to be test first in Albania by developing a pilot testing area/zone in one of our national forest parks in the country.
Technology validated in relevant environment.
Fidelity of breadboard technology increases significantly. The basic technological components are integrated with reasonably realistic supporting elements so they can be tested in a simulated environment. Examples include “high-fidelity” laboratory integration of components.
After we concluded on the AI theoretical model, we achieved its code implementation (a prototype), and because we are lacking a NRT fire map feed, we tried to simulate it by using conventional methods of online maps. Furthermore, on the hardware side, we have achieved to operate the drone programmatically (with computer code), thus the AI system is able to automatically give coordinates to the drone (or also known as Planning a flight route). Below is a list of our main achievements until now, regarding the software and hardware communication side: • AI theoretic model • AI implementation of the model (software prototype) • AI simulations, feedback and calibration of the model • AI notification system for personnel • Software communication with drones • Programmatical plan of drone flight path from AI. With further effort, we plan for the AI system to also be able to command the drones to drop the fire-extinguishing materials on the fire, once the drone has arrived at the coordinates, as one of our main goals is to make the whole system automatic. Note that the drones, once arrive to the fire location, they don’t need any more guidance from the satellite, as they are able to “see” it by themselves. Again, this is how we design to complete our AI model and system to automatically coordinate the drone to drop the material exactly on the fire source.

How does it work?

We intend to make use of an existing satellite technology, which provides NRT (Near-Real-Time) map feed with information about fires on the terrain. These satellites, technologically speaking, are able to detect and reflect fires on the map with red-dots. Now this is where comes the AI model that we designed, which, provided a real-time map feed, is able to detect little red-dots on the map as fire by itself, with no need to be supervised by human factor. After it has identified the fire/s, it notifies for its finding/s and provides the drone with coordinates for it to follow. The AI system, provided a near-real-time fire feed map, is able to scan, identify and automatically coordinate drones with the location of the fires.

January, 2019
- URL path renamed - Web link restored by Sergio Contreras (WP3 leader)
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SAEx–L (Signal of Atmosphere Extreme Locally)

An integrated system provides the Signal of Atmosphere Extreme at the local scale and enables automatic dissemination of SAEx-L warning to SIM card holders who live or are occasionally located in the risk area by SMS and also a phone number making possible the connection of risked population with the rescue teams at the terrain.
Technology validated in relevant environment.
Fidelity of breadboard technology increases significantly. The basic technological components are integrated with reasonably realistic supporting elements so they can be tested in a simulated environment. Examples include “high-fidelity” laboratory integration of components.
The SAEx – L is tested in the everyday quantitative rainfall forecast and it demonstrates that it works with a higher accuracy during heavy and extreme rainfall (tested during two very extreme rainfall events over Tirane and three other cities). The SAEx – L needs to be tested in forecasting wind & hail storms and moreover, it should be tested on the response and feedback from community and different institutions about the improvement that brings this innovation on their life and activities during extreme weather events signalized by SAEx – L.

How does it work?

A dense enough network of automatic weather stations for monitoring a specific urban area and a high resolution numerical weather prediction model enable an accurate forecast of extreme weather phenomenon at least 48 hours in advance. In case an extreme weather signal is captured, the SAEx-L warning is available and enables automatic transmission to SIM card holders who live or are occasionally located in the risk area. SAEx-L also includes advises for appropriate risk-based actions and also a phone number, ready to respond during the entire extreme weather event and to connect the people under the risk to the rescue teams.

January, 2019
- TRL updated according to the BRIGAID selection assessment by Sergio Contreras (WP3 leader)
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Operational flood forecasting system including levee performance

This operational flood forecasting system takes real time levee performance into account. With this innovation a next step in the future of operational flood risk modelling- and crisis management will become available for areas behind levees which are in danger of flooding. In order to do this - two innovation steps are required:
Technology validated in relevant environment.
Fidelity of breadboard technology increases significantly. The basic technological components are integrated with reasonably realistic supporting elements so they can be tested in a simulated environment. Examples include “high-fidelity” laboratory integration of components.
There are already two operational flood forecasting systems running daily in Taiwan and in Australia. DAM software (including D-GeoStability) has been proven in competative manufacturing and is a well developed and known software.

How does it work?

The end-user gets its personal viewer/dashboard in the cloud (secured by password) and is able to send warning messages if flood risk becomes too high. In this dashboard/viewer the end-user can see every new update, can look back at historical results and can take a look in the future (2hrs ahead). Besides, the professional user can see the background information, like the water levels, the precipitation, the actual strength of the levees.

January, 2019
- TRL reduced from 7 to 5 according the info provided by the innovator and BRIGAID initial assessment by Sergio Contreras (WP3 leader)
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The filtration unit will be built in autumn 2018 and its schedule follows the construction of the separate sewage piping in Mechelininkatu and Eteläinen Hesperiankatu. The filtration unit will be located at an outfall of a stormwater pipe that gathers stormwater from heavily trafficked roads. Depending on the rain event, the filtration unit will capture part of the stormwater which would otherwise be discharged to the sea without a treatment.
Technology validated in relevant environment.
Fidelity of breadboard technology increases significantly. The basic technological components are integrated with reasonably realistic supporting elements so they can be tested in a simulated environment. Examples include “high-fidelity” laboratory integration of components.
The innovation has been validated in lab: a prototype was built and flow measurements were taken. Different filter materials have been tested in another project by VTT. The filtration unit will be built in autumn 2018 and monitoring will be set up late 2018.

How does it work?

Objective of Helsinki’s stormwater filtration unit is to clean stormwater mechanically without input of external energy. The purification process is based on sedimentation (detention basin) and filtration.

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SolarDew has developed a unique alternative to solve this problem with an affordable product that is easy to use, robust, extremely low in maintenance and only requires energy from the sun to produce clean water from saline, biological or chemically contaminated water. SolarDew’s unique technology eliminates the need to transport water over large distances.
Technology validated in relevant environment.
Fidelity of breadboard technology increases significantly. The basic technological components are integrated with reasonably realistic supporting elements so they can be tested in a simulated environment. Examples include “high-fidelity” laboratory integration of components.
Investment ready
The business plan for this innovation has been evaluated by The Funding Company and it is considered to be ready for investment.
SolarDew has done extensive laboratory testing on the membranes and on A4 sized prototypes under an artificial sun. SolarDew is currently developing a prototype based on the final product design which incorporates the foreseen manufacturing technologies, materials and components for field testing.

How does it work?

In essence, the technology allows water to be heated by the sun and evaporated down through a proprietary membrane to produce clean water, whilst leaving bacteria, viruses, chemicals and salt behind. Through this process of solar membrane distillation one can reduce salinity by more than 10,000x in a single step. In order to increase efficiency SolarDew has created a multi-layer system whereby energy from the 1st layer is regenerated to power the 2nd layer and so on. This dramatically increases the performance per square meter. The proprietary membrane is highly resistant to fouling ensuring constant performance and low maintenance.

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SimuRes will represent the cutting edge in research, testing, design and promotion of flood resilient construction methods and technology.
Technology validated in relevant environment.
Fidelity of breadboard technology increases significantly. The basic technological components are integrated with reasonably realistic supporting elements so they can be tested in a simulated environment. Examples include “high-fidelity” laboratory integration of components.
SimuRes is at a TRL 5 level as the results obtained from the simulations have been tested and validated using data obtained from both simulated flood tests and from surveying of real buildings that have been damaged by flooding. The results were compared illustrating reliable results on a range of construction details.

How does it work?

Adapting the use of software originally designed for the simulation of moisture in buildings, this methodology combines lab tests of materials, computer simulation of construction details and full-scale tests of construction details in a flood tank to produce validated data on the performance of new materials being developed for the protection of buildings from the damaging effects of flooding. This work has been developed over a 2 year period in collaboration with Oxford Brookes University . This is done by comparing the performance of standard materials and construction details with new materials or innovative construction detailing without assuming the restrictive costs associated with lab tests.

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Modeling future population's vulnerability to heat waves

This innovation uses a Cellular Automata-based model "Metronamica" to model a proxy indicator - urban landscape at micro (building block)-scale. Based on a number of different urban development scenarios, an allocation of urban landscape cells is used to model future social and landscape data (indicators). In the end indicators are weigthed and combined into an vulnerability index which shows which locations might be most vulnerable in the future and where decision makers should take specific action.
Technology validated in relevant environment.
Fidelity of breadboard technology increases significantly. The basic technological components are integrated with reasonably realistic supporting elements so they can be tested in a simulated environment. Examples include “high-fidelity” laboratory integration of components.
Model produced a vulnerability index for four urban development scenarios (business as usual, concentration (compact city), urban sprawl and de-central concentration) for Greater Hamburg case study on basis of 250 x 250 meters cells. Index showed a number of critical locations which might have high population's vulnerability to heat waves. Main reasons among high vulnerability was a high percentage of older population, higher percentage of welfare recipients and longer distances to hospitals.

How does it work?

This model was tested in Hamburg case study and used a proxy indicator (Urban Population's Vulnerability Zones (UPVZ)) as a basis for other indicators. UPVZ was modeled by Metronamica (cellular automata-based model). To model UPVZ there was a need to calibrate (which took most of the time) a model. Then based on experts' evaluation four different urban development scenarios were modeled and used to develop four different UPVZ allocations. Next task was to disaggregate 2000 census data by different UPVZ classes and added an assumption that this data will not change over a time. Finally data was modeled based on UPVZ allocations and was compiled into an index which showed potential population's vulnerability to heat waves in Greater Hamburg.

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The beginning of a research started 7 years ago when Hazus-MH flood model was adapted to satisfy needs of European Flood Directive - map hazard and risk maps. Later on it was adapted to international scale and it was able to perform flood risk analysis (and damage assessment) internationally. Additionally VGI functionality has been added to this application - it was able to easily acquire essential facilities, required for flood risk analysis, from VGI (Volunteer Geographic Information) systems such as Open Street Map with almost no effort.
Technology validated in relevant environment.
Fidelity of breadboard technology increases significantly. The basic technological components are integrated with reasonably realistic supporting elements so they can be tested in a simulated environment. Examples include “high-fidelity” laboratory integration of components.
HAZ-I is operational and has been tested in multiple sites: from US, Canada, to Japan, Hong Kong and other countries. Flood risk and damages were assessed and evaluated.

How does it work?

Firstly, a Hazus-MH application which is free to download, has to be installed. Second, an ESRI ArcGIS has to be installed as well. Third, a python script collection is downloaded and an ESRI ArcMap MXD document is opened where all the scripts are in place. User navigates and with few clicks creates a study region. Another functions enable user to download critical information (i.e. schools, police stations, hospitals etc.) from Open Street Map server or population data from other sources for selected region. Later on this data is added via Hazus-MH inventory. In the end user overwrites a created region on a default Hazus-MH inventory and is able to perform flood risk analysis for a custom study region not restricted by US boundaries.

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Water retention through restoration of the sponge function of drained soils

Natural Water Retention through restoration of the ‘sponge’ function of currently drained soils in the middle-mountains of the Rhine basin is a locally applied nature-based solution to flood mitigation with potential impacts at basin scale. We argue that the benefits of the proposed solution are not only local, but will also favour end-users further downstream. This solution fits a systems approach and contributes to achieve water, agriculture and nature policy objectives as well as delivering societal benefits such as recreation and carbon capture.
Technology validated in relevant environment.
Fidelity of breadboard technology increases significantly. The basic technological components are integrated with reasonably realistic supporting elements so they can be tested in a simulated environment. Examples include “high-fidelity” laboratory integration of components.
Testing plan completed
The testing plan and the BRIGAID’s Testing Innovation Framework (TIF) has been rightly applied and finished. The TRL of the innovation has been effectively reached.
Whereas the terms “technical readiness” and “prototype” allow a fairly clear guideline on how to describe the stage of a technical project, they are less applicable to describe the level op development of a nature-based solution. That being said: we strongly feel our concept is at Technical Readiness Level 4 and perhaps even higher because the following crucial elements to allow a scale-up are available: - several field projects in which the positive effects are demonstrated on a local scale (several Waterboards are implementing the concept on local scale for local aims) - a conceptual framework, GIS research and first hydrological calculations which, at the very least, make it plausible that upscaling of the approach will not only translate into more local effects, but also has a positive impact (on nature, climate resilience, flood control) basin-wide. Being able to better demonstrate the latter is crucial to harness financial, policy and political support on a national or even international level. In fact, our project proposal aims to reach this tipping point: from local application for local purposes to (multiplied) local application for (inter)national purposes.

How does it work?

The most suited location for restoring the natural sponge function is at the foot of slopes in U-shaped valleys. Removing drainpipes and ditches would slow down the runoff response of a much larger area than the space needed for the measure itself. Calculations for local catchments in the Mosel basin (the case study area) shows potential for local peak reductions of 5 – 8 % in the tributaries to the Rhine, and provide partial evidence for the hypothesis that natural retention can result in substantial reduction of flood peaks. Critical to bridging the gap between our innovative approach and the end-users is to provide more clarification regarding the location and scale of implementation as well as the expected effects of the measure.

January, 2019
- TRL upgraded from 4 to 5 based on BRIGAID selection assessment by Sergio Contreras
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