Luftverbessernd
Energieunabhängig
Easy to clean
At Solaga we develop living algae images in order to improve indoor air.
Alwe acts as an air purifier using the biological superpowers of microalgae to turn grey areas into green lungs.
What our customers say
um die
...litres of air a person breathes every day
um die
...percent of our time is spent indoors
We have an air problem.
Humanity is growing, cities are getting denser and our breathing air is getting worse.
Air pollutants affect us every day. As an invisible problem, we usually only recognize it when it is too late.
Facts
The WHO schätzt, dass ca. 91% der Weltpopulation in Gegenden leben, in denen die WHO-Richtlinien für Schadstoffbelastung in der Luft überschritten werden.
Diese Grenzüberschreitungen verursachen jährlich den Tod von etwa 4,2 Millionen Menschen.
Functional interior design with ALWE
An air purifier for your home and office
Alwe, our natural square garden for the wall, not only contributes to a natural atmosphere in your interiors, but is also able to effectively filter air pollutants from your indoor air.
Die Vorteile unseres Algenbildes, verglichen mit herkömmlichen Pflanzen und Bildern im Wohnzimmer sowie Büro, sind vielfältig:
Our algae picture is an air cleaner, a humidifier and a modern piece of furniture at the same time. Thanks to our microalgae biofilm, an oxygen producing photosynthesis with minimal space requirements is achieved. In this way, our algae picture creates a pleasant room climate much more efficiently than ordinary plants and binds the air pollutants in your rooms. In addition, Alwe50 is not just a green picture, but with its minimalist design it is an extraordinary eye-catcher with living, breathing materials. This makes Alwe ideal for a more natural and modern design of your living and office spaces.
Research to counter air pollution - Solaga
FAQ
What are microalgae?
Microalgae are the ancestors of complex land plants. Fossil finds indicate that these organisms have existed since 2.5 billion years and have laid the foundations for the existence of higher life forms through their mass production of oxygen. Cyanobacteria, i.e. blue-green algae, are also commonly classified as microalgae. Together with the rainforests, they are among the largest oxygen producers on the planet.
Microalgae are unicellular microorganisms belonging to the class of phototrophic organisms, i.e. carrying out photosynthesis. This means that microalgae, just like plants, use light to bind carbon dioxide, thereby releasing oxygen. In our algae picture Alwe we use specially selected microalgae, which can be found in nature under stones. As a result, these organisms are adapted to perform effective photosynthesis even under difficult light conditions - such as those we find in our indoor environments. For this purpose, they have developed extraordinary photosystems that are clearly different from those of plants.
Why are microalgae more effective than plants?
Algae films have not yet been researched in the long term, as these materials are completely new. However, we have not been able to identify any time limits in our previous R&D projects. Some of our algae films are already 4 years old and still healthy and productive, which is even more important. As algae films are living materials, no general statement can be made about their lifetime, as this obviously depends on care and local conditions. As far as we know, however, our biofilms are very robust, making them suitable even for users with brown rather than green thumbs.
What is Alwe?
Alwe is the world's first living algae picture that actively improves the ambient air.
It is a natural air purifier and eye catcher in one.
The dimensions of our algae picture Alwe are 50x50x5cm.
How does Alwe work?
Alwe consists of a special algae film in an ingenious frame. Why ingenious? There are openings on the sides of the frame. This is where the room air flows in. The algae filter out air pollutants, and because they heat the air by photosynthesis, the air rises out through the upper openings. The resulting chimney effect creates a natural circulation of air.
How long do the algae live?
Normally algae need a lot of water. However, by means of a special ripening process, we make algae grow very densely on a surface and form a natural protective layer. This protective layer is called the exopolysaccharide layer and protects the algae from dehydration, contamination and other stress factors. This special type of growth therefore makes the algae durable and reduces its water requirements by a factor of 100 compared to other types of cultivation for algae.
Algae films and their lifespan are for the most part a scientific novelty and have not yet been researched in the long term. However, we have found that even algae films that are already 4 years old remain active and stable. As these are living organisms, it is still not possible to make a general statement regarding the lifespan of the algae, as this naturally depends on the care and local conditions. As long as they are regularly supplied with water, they live for up to several years. In our experience, our biofilms are very robust, making them suitable even for users with brown rather than green thumbs.
If something does go wrong, we offer a free exchange for the acclimatisation phase during the first 6 months.
Can Alwe break and the microalgae spread?
No, the microalgae cannot spread. Inside Alwe there is an artificial ecosystem that the microalgae need in order to survive. Outside of Alwe the microalgae are not viable and cannot spread. Alwe is thoroughly checked for leaks before delivery. We can accordingly guarantee that when Alwe is installed, there are no leaks that could promote the possible spread of algae.
The algae used in Alwe are natural and harmless. They are immobilised on a surface and can be easily collected and disposed of via bio bin or normal household waste.
From the outside our algae picture is very similar to a living picture with a picture frame. This also means that Alwe can be broken if incorrectly attached.
Are the microalgae safe?
Our carefully cultivated microalgae are organisms which belong to the so-called security level 1. This means organisms that are unlikely to have a negative effect on health. They are therefore not dangerous to animals, humans, plants or water and can be used without any restrictions. Organisms from the food industry such as yoghurt, baker's yeast or sauerkraut cultures belong to the same safety class.
Our biofilms are produced under sterile conditions. Only when the biofilms have formed their characteristic protective skin layer are they released by us for usage in the algae image "Alwe".
