Ostrava will host a new green lab!
Ostrava is set to receive over 50 million CZK of EU funding for a project to improve air quality in the city. It will be the first ever Czech city (and only the fourth in Central Europe) to receive a grant from one of the European Union’s community programmes. The Urban Innovative Actions (UIA) programme supports the most innovative projects in Europe, and funding from the programme is considered highly prestigious. The City of Ostrava and the Moravian-Silesian Region are the two project partners, and both are contributing funds from their own budgets to co-finance the project.
What is Clairo? A living green lab in Ostrava!
The project title Clairo comes from the title “CLean AIR and CLimate Adaptation in Ostrava and other cities”. The aim of the project is to achieve systematic reductions in air pollution by planting appropriate greenery which is proven to help absorb pollution from various sources.
Besides the City and the Region, the Clairo project also involves scientists from three universities. The Silesian University in Opava will propose suitable types of plants, the VŠB-Technical University of Ostrava will measure the plants’ effects on air quality, and Palacký University in Olomouc will design suitable mechanisms for the maintenance and care of the greenery. Measurements will be taken at 5-minute intervals every day for a period of 8 years. This huge quantity of data will be processed by a supercomputer at the IT4Innovations research lab, part of the technical university campus in Ostrava. Selected types of greenery will be planted in the Radvanice and Bartovice municipal district, creating a unique living green lab.
The data will be evaluated throughout the project period, creating an accurate picture of how air pollution levels change over time. The greenery will be watered with special solutions reducing the negative effects of environmental pollution and guaranteeing that it remains in excellent health. Scientists will also use advanced innovative calculation methods to analyze pollution based on spatial data from local air flows. Another innovative aspect of the Clairo project will involve boosting the plants’ resistance to environmental pollution by using special maintenance methods. The results will be applicable not only in Ostrava, but also on an international (European) scale.
The Clairo project budget will be around 65 million CZK, with 52.7 million CZK coming from EU funds. The City of Ostrava is implementing the project in conjunction with a range of partners: the Moravian-Silesian Region, the VŠB-Technical University of Ostrava, the Silesian University in Opava, Palacký University in Olomouc, SOBIC Smart & Open Base for Innovations in European Cities and Regions, and the Těšín Silesia Regional Territorial Cooperation Association.
