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Pavegen Systems is a UK technology company that developed interactive floor tiles to convert footsteps into small amounts of electrical energy, data insights, and engagement points for global brands, businesses, and governments.[1] The company was founded in 2009 by Laurence Kemball-Cook.[2]
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| Founder | Laurence Kemball-Cook |
|---|---|
Key people | Laurence Kemball-Cook (CEO) |
Pavegen Systems was founded in 2009 by Laurence Kemball-Cook. Cook, a graduate in Industrial Technology and Design from Loughborough University, took on a university placement with E.ON, and proposed using footfall as a potential power source.[3]
The development of the first prototype of the Pavegen flooring tile was funded by a Royal Society of Arts International Design Directions prize. The tile that converts kinetic energy from footsteps into electricity, while collecting data about walking traffic patterns.[4][5][6]
The first generation tile was made from recycled polymer, with the top surface made from recycled truck tires. Power is generated when a footfall compresses the slab by about 5 mm (0.2 in). The exact technology is a secret, but PaveGen officials have said it involves electromagnetic induction by copper coils and magnets.[7] Pavegen says each pedestrian generates enough to run an LED street lamp for 30 seconds.[8] The technology was developed by Pavegen founder Laurence Kemball-Cook.[9][10]
An improved tile was developed in 2016, which according to the company improved energy conversion by 'about 20 times'.[11] The amount of energy generated has been criticised, with one calculation claiming that walking for 4 hours on PaveGen paving would generate 0.02% of the average European's energy needs.[12] It has been suggested that the technology's strength rests in its ability to track volume and direction of traffic flow, thus providing useful metrics in a range of scenarios.[12]
Among other installations, the slabs have been laid at London's West Ham Underground station for the 2012 Olympic Games.[13] In April 2013, a demonstration installation with Schneider Electric harvested energy from the runners in the Paris Marathon.[14] PaveGen has also put these tiles on a public soccer field in Rio de Janeiro to allow play after sunset.[15]
A study of a central building at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, suggested that if pavers covered the 3.1% of the floor that sees the most foot traffic, it would generate an estimated 1.1 megawatt-hour per year, about 0.5% of the building's energy needs.[16]
In 2012, Pavegen raised £350,000 through London Business Angels, which helped the company create a tangible business.[17] In 2015, the company raised £1.9m through the Crowdcube platform, allowing them to gain 1500 investors and valued the company at about £17m.[18][19]
In 2015, Kemball-Cook acts as CEO of the company, For his invention, he was chosen as Businessman of the Year at the PEA Awards,[20] and presented with a Shell LiveWIREGrand Ideas Award.[21] He also was named as honorary Enterprise and Innovation Fellow by Loughborough University.[22]
Pavegen manufactures and exports in/from the United Kingdom.[23]
An article published by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers shows the image of a display out in public, which is located near a passage way which has been retrofitted with Pavegen's floor tiles. The display outputs the following message: "Your 54,267 steps have brightened up this lane by 217,068 watt seconds".[24]
The Register points out in 2015 that this device generates only "tiny, pointless amounts of energy".[12]
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