Algae for Clean Air

Algae for clean air is an indoor air purifier and light for use in a bedroom to improve sleep patterns.

A project for Swarovski.

Experts have warned we are in a ‘Global Sleep Crisis’ where worldwide we are getting less sleep than ever before. Studies have linked poor air quality to poor sleep. Carbon dioxide and nitrogen dioxide have a very high effect on sleep quality but are great nutrients for algae. Algae has been shown to improve indoor air quality by 98% and is a proven outdoor carbon capture agent. I am exploiting 2 phases of algae photosynthesis in this design- the air purification of CO2 and pollutants and the excretion of electrons created as energy in a biophotovoltaic cell. It is estimated that in the near future these cells will be a viable option to replace the material intensive, rare mineral using solar panels for large scale energy production and be cheaper to produce. Algae comes in many colours from green to purple to brown. users are able to switch out different colours to match their aesthetic while continuing to enjoy the benefits of this algae air purifier.