Submitted

Last Updated August 1, 2017

Sustainable Urban Communities

The VMC: Vertical Multi-use Center

Team Leader

Charlie Chi

Step 2

Our Solution

Our solution's stage of development:

Pre-Seed

Our solution:

An urban center for resources, engagement, and learning. Where individuals can help impact the lives of many.

Our pitch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4T3CL6JJxQ&edit=vd

The problem:

This urban community center is a new take on the community garden. With updated technologies and best practices it will help supply the local community with fresh produce. The space will also provide opportunities for community engagement and learning, with the potential for providing translational skill migration within other industries.

Why our solution will solve the problem:

Because providing a multifaceted space to urban communities will allow the local inhabitants to grow their own food, become connected to the foods that they eat, and teach those skills to their children. A long lasting legacy of engagement and building bridges between all classes has always been beneficial.

Step 3

Our target outcomes:

Urban community drive towards becoming more efficient in the future. Bridging the gap between food and consumer so that they know where it comes from, and how it's grown.

How we will measure our progress:

Electronic login procedures - Feeding the entire local community

Electronic login procedures - Teaching the community about produce growth and prerequisite skills

The populations we will benefit initially:

Child
Adolescent
Adult
Old age
Low-income economies (< $1005 GNI)

The regions we will benefit initially:

Europe and Central Asia
US and Canada

Step 4

The technologies we employ:

Agricultural technology
Civil engineering
Environmental engineering

Why our solution is unique:

Solar panels to power the facility. Water treatment capabilities for reduced resource waste. Vertical farming practices for efficient use of space.

Why our solution is human-centered:

the low barrier to learning will allow for the entire community (people of all ages) to engage in the facility's production of food.

How people will access our solution:

By proximity of the facility to those that will use it most. We will ensure that the facilities will be within walking distance of a public transportation stop.

Technology-Readiness Level:

9 (Commercial)

Step 5

Our organization:

Non-Profit

Where we are located:

United States

How we will sustain our team financially:

The on-site brewery will provide for a sustaining revenue stream to fund the facility, its workers and all utility bills.

Solar panels and cyclic filtration systems will provide savings. Those savings will then be passed on to the consumers and patrons of the facility.

The factors limiting our success:

Lack of community engagement in the facility. Without people to help the farm will not be able to produce the food. Will need to offer incentives to local community workers.

Lack of managerial skills to ensure production cycle deadlines are met.

How long we have been working on our solution:

1 year

How long it will take to develop a pilot:

6-12 months

How long it will take to scale beyond our pilot:

12-18 months

Our expected annual budget:

250000

How much of our budget we've secured to date:

100000

Step 6

We're looking for partners in these fields:

Technology Access
Lifelong Learning
Water Treatment
Food Production
Net-zero Carbon

Why we're applying to Solve:

the community and networks necessary to bridge the required technologies and being then all under one roof

Solution Team:

Charlie Chi