Abstract In my study I have investigated how a constructed outdoor green environment can be used, managed and how it works. The study also investigates the concept of social sustainability, where, for example, civil dialogue is a method to promote this. This investigation mainly gives account for the inhabitants viewpoint but also a gardeners perspective. The study focuses on the planning process of the study object, what the outcome has been and how the users of the green environment, think about the result. In the process there has been a strong concern of involving the residents and others using the area. I also discuss the results concerning plantation problems, which I can see may influence the site identity and the quality of green areas, which in turn also can affects the residents relationship to it. The result also suggests that there still are possibilities for improvements in the dialogue and the participation of the residents of the area under the concept that’s been named "Dynamic habitat". The outdoor green environment can also further provide life quality for the inhabitants and other users, while it hopefully at the same time, promote the knowledge of ecosystem services. / Sammanfattning I min studie har jag undersökt hur en grön utemiljö kan planeras samt hur den kan användas, fungera och förvaltas. Studien undersöker även hur medborgardialog kan genomföras i ett projekt. Egen inventering av områdets gröna ytor samt intervjuer med brukare och personer som har varit med i planering och genomförande av platsen, ligger till grund för arbetet. Resultatet visar att de områden och funktioner som planerats och gestaltats; nya stigar, grillplatser, lekytor och sittplatser, används och uppskattas av de boende. Resultatet visar även att det finns möjlighet för de boende att påverka och engagera sig i utemiljön men att uppkomsten av växtrelaterade problem påverkar de boendes upplevelse av platsen. Här kan eventuellt förvaltningsformen vara av betydelse, där personliga relationer med den som sköter platsen kan bidra till ökad förståelse och kommunikation. En slutsats är att utökat deltagande och engagemang hos de boende gällande de gröna ytorna i området, kan både främja platsens identitet, social inkludering och ge kunskap och förståelse om olika ekosystemtjänster.

The Swedish authority for social protection and preparedness, MSB, believes that the self-sufficiency of the country must be strengthened in order to be prepared for a crisis. Presently, Sweden is only 50% self-sufficientwhich is very low compared to its neighboring countries; and it is worse the further north you go. One solution could be to increase the production of food, for example vegetables, but the number of greenhouse operations in Sweden are already dwindling due to the inhospitable climate, which makes it expensive to keep up all-year cultivations. Norrbotten, the northernmost part of Sweden, has the highest heat demand for greenhouses in the country. One option could be to set up operation in heavily insulated buildings and rely on artificial lighting, in so called plant factories. Though, these are expensive, electricity intensive and have generally lower yields. This report will cover the development, validation, and performance of a dynamic model of a new greenhouse concept, developed for subarctic climates. The greenhouse is meant to utilize the strengths of both glass houses and plant factories to optimize the profits for a year-round operation. This, to find an alternative solution to the self-sufficiency problem in the winter. In addition to this, the optimal glaze for the climate shell had to be determined and what type of lighting technology would be the most viable. The hybrid greenhouse is a gableroof greenhouse with insulated north, west and east walls designed for microgreen cultivation, Lactuca Sativa. The interesting part of the greenhouse is that it has a retractable insulation cover, of mineral wool, inside of the climate shell. This was meant to heavily insulate the greenhouse during the winter seasons, though it would not let any sunlight in. This meant that the hybrid greenhouse must rely on artificial lighting in the winter but will get a reduced heating demand. When the outdoor temperature rises and the sun becomes more visible,the cover can be retracted to utilize sunlight for heating and photosynthesis. The cost between heating and electricity usage and the profits from the amount of yield will therefore vary depending on how long the coveris opened or closed and an optimal cost solution should be found somewhere within that variation. The model was created using Simulink version 10.6, which could simulate the heat demand, the humidity level, CO2-concentration, and the yield of the greenhouse. The models heat demand and yield was validated againsta greenhouse in Nikkala, Sweden, owned by Norrskenstomater. The model produced a standard deviation of 24.6 MWh over three months but it overestimated the yearly yield of Norrskenstomater with about 40%. To make the sure the hybrid greenhouse performed effectively, the amount of leakage must be minimized, as this has a significant impact on the heat demand. The hybrid greenhouse needs lighting alternatives with substantial active cooling (90% of the lamps input power), such as light emitting diodes. High pressure sodium lamps produce too much heat and can not be used at all. For yearly simulations, the cover was set to close for certain amounts of months during the year. The highest yearly profit, highest net present value (4.8 MSEK) and lowest payback time (3.5 years) could be achieved if the cover were closed between October and March. The best glazing material in terms of economic performance was 4 mm glass followed by 16 mm plastic panels in acrylic. The hybrid greenhouse could even outperform a greenhouse that did not cultivate during the winter. The hybrid greenhouse seems to get rid of the negative impacts of winter cultivation and is therefore considereda viable alternative as a cultivation system for subarctic climates.

Denna undersökning diskuterar virtual reality (VR) spel i förhållande till lärande och underhållning. Gestaltningen kommer ske genom det existerande spelet GROW’em från företaget Okay Games där vi undersökte effekten av virtual reality på lärande i just spel. Målet är att förse spelaren med engagerande uppgifter för att sköta ett växthus tillsammans med lekfulla VR-interaktioner och möjligheten att kunna påverka den egna omgivningen. Syftet är att spelaren ska lära sig om genuin flora och kanske en dag framöver byta ut sin virtuella växt till en riktig planta. Med denna undersökningen vill vi lyfta fram spel och virtual reality som ett verktyg för lärande, där kroppens del i lärandet syftar på hur inlärning sker genom ens handlingar. / This study discusses virtual reality (VR) games in relation to learning and entertainment. The digital portrayal will take place through the existing game GROW’em from the company Okay Games, where we examined how the effect on learning in a virtual reality game. The goal is to provide the player with engaging tasks in order to manage their greenhouse together with playful VR-interactions and the ability to influence their own environment. The purpose is for the player to learn about genuine flora and maybe one day replace their virtual plant with an actual plant. With this study we want to highlight games and virtual reality as a tool for learning, where the body's part in learning refers to how learning takes place through one's actions.

Med detta kandidatarbete så prövar samt undersöker vi möjligheterna till en “praxisgemenskap” inom Games for Change genom digitala spel med tekniken virtuell verklighet (VR). Genom prövningen i sig så testar sig denna undersökningen fram med en stark analysmetod från spelbranschen. Detta för att kunna definiera hur man kan skapa ett spel som får spelaren att tänka kring ett fåtal utvalda diskussionsämnen som baseras på i den digitala gestaltningen om vad som är GROW’em. Vår frågeställning är: “Hur kan man med hjälp av digitala spel inom VR förmedla diskussion samt tankar kring hortikultur?”, och vi har valt att gestalta detta genom att utveckla ett spel vid namn GROW’em. Nyfikenhet kring detta ämne väcktes inombords efter att vi undersökt närmare inom spelupplevelsen som GROW’em är baserad på. Men vad vi vet, efter att ha genomgått en lång sökhistorik, så finns det inte någon upplevelse som liknar den erfarenhet och område såsom hortikultur vilket vi vill komma åt. För att testa denna undersökning så gav vi diverse individer chansen att testspela igenom gestaltningens demo som varade mellan 10-15 minuter, dessa individer fick sedan besvara på ett frågeformulär kring deras spelupplevelse. Undersökningen resulterade i ett digitalt spel i samband med den fysiska hårdvaran av VR. Med resultat som ger till följd av nya synvinklar på en framtida planering av projektet. Dessa resultat gav även en indikation på hur rimlig vår undersökning är i mån av frågeställningen som vi ställer / With this bachelor thesis, we try and explore the possibilities of a "practice community" within Games for change through digital games with the technology of virtual reality (VR). Through the work itself, this study tests itself with a strong analysis method from the gaming industry. This is to be able to define how one can create a game that causes the player to think about a few selected discussion topics based on the digital design of what GROW’em is. Our question is: "How can one with the help of VR convey discussions and thoughts about horticulture?", which we have chosen to create this by developing a game called GROW’em. Curiosity about this subject was brought onto us after we examined in more detail within the gaming experience of what GROW'em is based on. But what we know, after having gone through a long search history, is that there’s no immersion that resembles the experience and areas as a horticultural culture that we want to access. To test this study, we gave different individuals the chance to try a demo that lasted between 10-15 minutes. These individuals then had to answer a questionnaire about their experience. The investigation resulted in a digital game in conjunction with the physical hardware of VR. With results that puts things in a new perspective on a future planning of the project. These answers also provided an indication of how reasonable our inquiry is, to the extent of the framing of a question that we ask.

Vi rör oss mot en framtid där en allt större andel av jordens befolkning bor i stadsområden, vilket medför ett antal utmaningar som kommer att behöva hanteras. Redan år 2050 förväntas närmare 70% av befolkningen bo i stadsområden, vilket kan jämföras med 1950 då samma siffra låg på 30%. Denna ökning innebär att grönområden kommer bytas ut mot bostäder, medan storleken på bostäder kommer minska och priserna på dem kommer stiga. Samtidigt blir de negativa effekterna av att inte omge sig med växter och natur allt större, och allt tydligare. Detta projekt inom Teknisk design vid Luleå tekniska universitet syftar att undersöka möjligheterna med att motverka dessa negativa effekter, genom att på ett hållbart sätt skapa förutsättningar för användaren att odla i hemmet.Genom att undersöka behov hos målgruppen och använda sig av en användarcentrerad designprocess, har en mängd olika kreativa designmetoder använts för att utforska lösningar och möjligheter. Detta har genom ett iterativt arbete skapat en större mängd olika lösningar som utvärderats av användare.Detta resulterade i ett koncept för att tillåta odling i hemmet genom att använda sig av vertikal hydroponisk odling, där biofil design använts som en röd tråd för att skapa ett välgörande och tilltalande formspråk. / We are moving towards a future where an increasingly larger portion of the world’s population lives in urban areas, which entails a number of challenges that will need to be addressed. By the year 2050, it is expected that nearly 70% of the population will reside in urban areas, compared to 30% in 1950. This increase means that green spaces will be replaced by housing, leading to smaller-sized homes and rising prices. At the same time, the negative effects of not being surrounded by plants and nature are becoming more significant and evident.This project in Technical Design at Luleå University of Technology aims to explore the possibilities of mitigating these negative effects by creating sustainable opportunities for individuals to cultivate plants at home. By examining the needs of the target audience and employing a user-centered design process, a variety of creative design methods have been utilized to explore solutions and possibilities. Through an iterative process, a range of different solutions have been developed and evaluated by users.This has resulted in a concept that allows for home cultivation using vertical hydroponic farming,

Cut flowers are products that have become a symbol of joy, sorrow and wealth. However, consumption contributes to various environmental problems, such as greenhouse gas emissions and leakage of nutrients and pesticides. This study aims to investigate the environmental impact of outdoor-grown cut flowers from a sustainability perspective in Sweden. The questions answered are which aspects of the cut flower lifecycle have the greatest environmental impact, what the cut flower growers think of the cut flower industry and its sustainability and how their work can become more sustainable. The study was conducted through semi-structured interviews with eight businesses that grow field-grown cut flowers and a literature review focusing on the environmental impact of cut flowers from a life cycle perspective. The results from the literature review show that the main environmental and climate aspects from a life cycle perspective are transport, heating through fossil fuels and the use of fertilizers and chemical pesticides. The results from the interviews show that challenges with the cut flower industry are origins of seeds, lack of knowledge and behavior and consumption patterns. Opportunities consist of growing demand, good quality and being able to offer a more sustainable product. Swedish field-grown cut flowers can be considered a sustainable alternative to imported ones due to shorter transport and the difference in the use of nutrients and chemicals. Although, more transparency, knowledge and collaboration will be needed in the industry for long-term sustainable development. Measures that can be implemented to promote the production and consumption of Swedish sustainable cut flowers are political incentives and possibly a certification or labeling.

The pressure on current urban ecosystems is an ongoing problem as greenhouse gaseshave a negative impact on the climate but also on people around the world. As manycities are densely populated, it becomes difficult to introduce more greenery into citieswithout taking up a lot of space, for example by building parks. Therefore, vertical plantsystems placed on facades around the city can be a solution to mitigate the effects ofurban warming and help absorb carbon emissions. The aim of the study is to expandthe knowledge of plant façades with respect to carbon dioxide absorption. The studyexamines three key aspects, namely the economics of installation and maintenance, thelong-term sustainability of carbon absorption and the energy-saving potential of greenwall insulation.The different data collection methods used are literature studies and interviews withcontractors. Fytotextile on the modules was the material whose U-value was used forthe energy calculations; these are used by a company in Spain, Terapia Urbana. Theirquotes were also used for financial calculations to see the viability from an economicperspective.The study shows that the most suitable option for using plants on façades is to chooseresistant and fast-growing perennial plants that require little maintenance as these arethe most optimal for use on façades. The plant Flock Fist was recognized as a suitablespecies for implementation on green walls through various surveys and in-depthinterviews, due to its extended lifespan and inherent ease of maintenance. Analysesinvolving economic, energy and sustainability calculations show that the incorporationof green walls is economically unprofitable. However, in terms of sustainability andenergy efficiency, it appears to be a more practical and beneficial solution.The results show that installing plant façades on buildings can reduce energyconsumption and promote sustainability. The results also revealed that a building with400sqm of green façade can absorb the annual CO2 emissions of a building for 25 years.BIM 3 Requirements and Verification - Design projects are compared with this study'scalculation to check the energy consumption. Plant facades can help buildings achievehigher levels in Miljöbyggnad because of the extra insulation. The study concludes that1100 SEK is saved every year with a plant facade due to the reduction of energyconsumption. The results also highlighted that a building with 400sqm of green façadecan absorb the yearly CO2 emissions of a building for 25 years. Plant facades can helpbuildings achieve higher levels in Miljöbyggnad as the extra insulation helps to reduceenergy consumption. The study also shows that the value of buildings with greenfaçades increases by several percentage points each year.The care and maintenance of the plants were important factors for their survival.However, economic factors were limited due to high installation costs and small savingsrelative to the investment. Plant walls can absorb a significant amount of carbondioxide, but the lack of research on their exact capacity was a challenge.Keywords: Carbon dioxide, White Ness, Fytotextile, Green facades, Plant walls.