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.