Serranova at CES 2020
One of the leading companies of CES 2020 in the Eureka Park sector and present in the Italian pavilion for startups could not directly show their project: even in the mini version Serranova had incompatible measures with the small stand where we met the architect Stefano Chiocchini, deus ex-machina of the company that has already received several awards and funding for the creation of a series of greenhouses with very particular characteristics.
Photoluminescence
The project, according to what its creator told us, was born by chance during a research on photoluminescent materials in the design class of Prof. Chiocchini: from a study on the capacity of “photo converter” pigments, the idea of using them inside was born. of tempered crystals to increase the level of production (reduction of the ripening times of vegetables) with above average growth in standard conditions: the frequencies of sunlight or a particular artificial light are converted into other types of frequencies in the visible spectrum between 400 and 700 nm.
The particular mix of these photo-converting pigments incorporated in supports such as tempered crystal, silicone or other less expensive ones such as non-woven fabric widely used in agriculture, converts sunlight into luminous frequencies very close to the peaks of chlorophyll photosynthesis. significantly stimulating plant growth.
In the greenhouses that have been created for the study and then for the commercialization, the glasses with incorporated photoluminescent powders are adjacent to the shelves for the growing plants and cover all the transparent walls of the greenhouse. Photoluminescence from rare inorganic aluminates is capable of “capturing” and retaining solar or artificial light and then returning it to the dark for a maximum of 8-10 hours with decreasing intensity: it is possible to maintain this intensity always at maximum through natural sources or sources artificial with fluorescent lamp.
Accelerated growth is the “breeding ground”
The project concerns the construction of one or more modular greenhouses that allow to grow vegetables in an innovative way using a method of natural stimulation through the
photoluminescence (stimulated by natural light + fluorescent light) increasing the response speed and guaranteeing an excellent yield, up to 3 or 4 times the norm, of the dimensional growth of the same.
Inside the greenhouse, the reduction of the risk of attack on plants by parasites and diseases is obtained without resorting to pesticides and avoiding chemical defense also through an innovative activation system of a fungus / microorganism placed in the cultivation pot which reduces the risk of attack on the plant by bacteria and an air purification and purification system that guarantees the healthiness of the greenhouse by pollen and air suspension.
Modular greenhouses and the public who can buy them
With these premises, Serranova has decided to create three different models of greenhouses to maximize modularity and size all components to the maximum efficiency, obviously including the aluminum structure and special glass panels that must be easily transportable and installable. In addition to this, the standard dimensions of an artifact that can be installed in the garden respecting the dimensional characteristics also imposed by Italian laws have also been taken into account.
Serranova Maxi is the largest model and occupies about 18 square meters (301.5x591x234 / 336h – within the limits of a building to be installed in the garden), Serranova Midi occupies 9 square meters (301.5 × 301.5 × 234 / 336h): both are intended outside to serve a condominium, a group of families, a school canteen, a family with a large consumption of vegetables that wants a controlled production at zero KM and has no space and climatic and soil conditions for the management of a standard vegetable garden.
Model Serranova Midi (180x70x215h – approximately the size of 3 kitchen units of 60 cm or a wardrobe) is dedicated to indoor use and is suitable for both home cooking or for restaurants that want to stock up on vegetables with controlled growth and superior organoleptic characteristics.
Serranova MINI is equipped with photoluminescent tempered glass, wood LEDs for the lighting system, air purification system and irrigation and water purification, which allow you to develop the same results as the two largest greenhouses. The high-tech greenhouse is made entirely of stainless steel and 100% recyclable materials.
A “green” system with total control of the growing conditions
What is “green” in the project is not only the color of the photoluminescent powders but also the entire cycle that excludes the use of chemical fertilizers: the plants are grown, inside the greenhouse, in a pot that contains a biological system / biodynamic with a mixture of peat and coconut combined with organic fertilizers of biological origin with the use of mycorrhiza and trichoderma (materials of certified organic origin).
The care of the essences is carried out with specific agronomic techniques that allow to have a product with organoleptic characteristics higher than the standard.
All the cultivation substrates of the previous crops are reused for other cultivation species with a great reduction in the costs of raw materials and furthermore, the processing waste of foodstuffs, properly mixed, can be used as cultivation substrates.
The greenhouse is energetically and hydrically self-sufficient, has a local and remote home automation control and a filtration and air purification system from pollen and pollutants and last but not least an increase in growth potentials (3x) and growth speed of potted plants (2x).
Prices start (to go down) at around 35,000 Euros for the 18sqm Maxi model and include all the structure and control equipment and after-sales assistance.
In the coming weeks Serranova will meet several customers interested in the project, especially in the field of high-level catering.
