The Vogelsanghof in Leogang, together with the designers from Do!Lab Saalfelden, developed a concept of an individually adaptable and easy-to-grow greenhouse, the “Smart Bio Geo Dome”. The dome features special fasteners and an automated sensor box for optimal temperature, ventilation, irrigation and exposure. The collaboration between SMEs and the lab was developed through the networking project Labs4SMEs.

Due to the difficult planting conditions at the recently appointed Demeterhof, a greenhouse had to be created that could adapt to the different weather conditions and often harsh and difficult conditions in higher (slope) locations. With a diameter of 4.8 meters and a height of 3 meters, the prototype has been ready for planting since autumn 2018. The hard winter served as a test for the Dome: the stability could be checked due to the numerous storms and high amount of snow through the paces. A total of 65 struts and 35 connecting elements were installed in the “Dome”. The observation of the winter and summer sun also provided interesting information: Due to the location of the Demeterhof, there is no sun for a total of 2 months in winter. In recent months, the various possibilities of digital surveillance, i.e. intelligent greenhouse remote monitoring systems (for example irrigation, temperature measurement, ventilation, solar collector, etc.) have been worked on.

In spring, old and rare seeds such as white corn, cereals and tomatoes are planted. This time will be exciting in terms of climate and plant development. Because in order to get valid empirical values here, an intensive collection of data is required. In the future, the dome will be available as a kit and can be built by laymen with simple hand tools. Thanks to its technical transparency and sensors, the SmartBioGeoDome makes it possible to produce sustainable organic food all year round, without having to be present on site all the time.

The Project Labs4SMEs

The project Labs.4.SMEs (http://www.labs4smes.eu, 2016 – 2019) promoted in the Interreg Italia-Austria aims to strengthen cooperation between small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and labs in order to improve the innovation process to be more efficient, cheaper and faster in business. In addition to the realization of a web platform “ExploreInoSpaces (https://www.exploreinnospaces.eu), which serves as a meeting place for the virtual interaction between the labs and companies, a project idea competition took place in 2018. In total, 20 submitted cooperation projects were selected by a jury, which were implemented in the period 10/2018 to 04/2019 in support of a lab. Four of these cooperation projects come from Salzburg, one of which is the project “Smart Bio Geo Dome”.

Photos: Do!Lab Saalfelden, Tammo Claassen