How do we imagine a sustainable future? And what are we doing in order to help the world become a better place?
I stepped into the world of people who see and build a different way of living and working.
Stina, tell me about this concept idea that you and your companions have developed.
Imagine that it’s the year 2050. Global warming has already changed the climate permanently. How do you imagine we will live and eat?
To stay abreast of the ongoing climate changes, our urban micro farms grow fresh greens directly in the kitchen, and bring a more “natural” environment indoors. It is called ‘biophilic design’, and according to research boosts people’s well-being by 15%!
Over 60% of the world-population already lives in urban areas. With expanding cities, we have to reconsider food security and supply chains to ensure sustainable urban development.
Hollbium decentralizes farming with smart Micro-farms combined with biophilic design. Hollbium transforms existing buildings to green houses – using existing walls indoors. Our vertical micro farms grow food in offices, communities and semi-public places, using significantly less fresh water than normal farming.
We believe that sustainable solutions should be aesthetic and integrated into the buildings where people live their lives. It produces food that doesn’t need packaging nor transportation, and retains more nutrition. They also take advantage of a perfect indoor climate, by turning existing walls into farmland.
How does it work in reality? Can we call this project unique?
Yes, we are unique. Hollbium brings the farm to the fork – literally. We make farming a natural part of our indoor environment by merging functionality and design. And the best thing – you don’t need to farm yourself, we take care of the nitty-gritty part!
The Hollbium Loop itself is a state-of-the-art hydroponic system that is merged with biophilic design for a multi-sensory experience of taste, scent, touch and look. The Loop increases comfort and wellbeing, gives healthy daylight and inspires innovation and creativity. The Loop brings greens directly to the plate with no food waste, and uses empty wall space in for example offices, hallways, lunch canteens etc.
Thanks to our excellent team and our circular business concept, Hollbium takes care of the service, maintenance and even the planting and harvesting. For a monthly fee, companies transform a workplace into a farm and improve well-being for their employees, tenants and visitors. The client can enjoy the freshest greens nature provides, while contributing to a more sustainable planet!
Our vision is to make farming a natural part of all indoor environments. We make sustainability tangible by providing a unique set-up that improves daily lives.
Do you plan to develop it overseas, or the main focus is Sweden?
Hollbium started in Stockholm, Sweden. Right now we are focusing on Sweden, but our business model and our products are desirable for any urban area. Many companies and organizations overseas have approached us and we expand with our clients.
If we think larger would this be a solution in the future for the overpopulated cities where people live in big buildings and tight spaces?
Definitely! Hollbium wants to decentralize farming and make it a part of our lives, part of the buildings we spend time in. Our Loop can be placed in the kitchen, the corridor, the basement and grow various vegetables independently from other factors. While the Loop is the first design, we already plan on more sizes, designs and set-ups.
Growing in workplaces, your home and other indoor places makes transportation and packaging redundant while significantly reducing food waste (you harvest what you eat, the rest continues growing) and ensure high nutritious, delicious greens. Hollbium will free up roads and infrastructure, prevent negative environmental effects while ensuring food security, and also add wellbeing to society.
There is this therapeutic aspect of being surrounded by plants, like walking in a forest makes you feel more relaxed. This feeling can be forgotten in urban areas, but Hollbium is bringing it back with indoor farming.
Is this a possibility for those who plan to live on Mars?
Living on Mars brings some challenges. Hydroponics, which is farming without soil, was further developed into aeroponics. Those technologies are used in space shuttles and can help to feed the people on earth and beyond.
However, we believe that we can also create a sustainable earth!
Why should anyone invest in a micro-farm when they can plant the traditional way?
The Hollbium Loop is a smart IoT device which means that you can rely on the technology. Great amounts of delicious greens can be grown quickly without “green thumbs”. It allows equal accessibility to healthy greens, creates livable cities and generates awareness for sustainability.
Our clients are companies who have strong sustainability strategies, who value their talent and who want to create comfortable workplaces with tangible sustainability solutions, like the Hollbium Loop. Our clients go the extra mile to create a great workplace by experiencing the taste, scent and look of plants.
Especially after Covid the work environment has changed, with more focus on peoples’ wellbeing and retaining talent.
We eat a whole variety of food plants, and most of these can be grown indoors. Not just salad, spinach and herbs like basil, but also tomatoes, cucumber, squash, watermelon etc. etc. To grow all those plants (successfully) the traditional way takes up a lot of space.
The Loop measures 60 x 160 cm and is hung on the wall, only needing an electric socket. It is connected to Wi-Fi so we can monitor its water levels, temperature etc. We even prune and harvest the plants for you, so you can just enjoy the food. Just imagine being able to collect a bag of the day’s harvest at the office on your way home, instead of passing the grocery store. Or to harvest your own salad for lunch?
Explain how the plants develop without the normal sun, as we all know that plants use
photosynthesis.
The Loop uses a multi-spectrum LED light that imitates the daylight from the sun. It’s dimmer in the mornings and evenings, and completely black during the night, so that the plants get exactly what they need for the photosynthesis.
The plants in the Loop receive everything they need and grow 2X faster than in agriculture while using >90% less water.
How can we find you and how can we order it?
You can find out more about us at www.hollbium.com
and follow us: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hollbium
https://www.instagram.com/hellohollbium
Interested in our Loops or Hollbium? Please contact our Growth Advisor: [email protected]
