pakistan 
Lahore –
Punjab’s provincial capital
Lahore, is set to become Pakistan’s first city having smart trees, as the metropolis craves environmental benefits to combat smog and other aerial hazards.
Inventors of these smart trees believe that they can prove to be a game-changer for the environment. These vertical units are covered by lichens and moss, having a massive surface area to absorb nitrogen dioxide and ozone.
On Wednesday, the Lahore Central Business District Authority (LCBDA) decided to alter St Mary’s Park on the Gulberg Main Boulevard into a smart garden with nearly a dozen smart trees.
Each tree of this Dutch technology is said to produce oxygen equivalent to 10 big size trees to help improve the area’s environment.
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LCBDA CEO Imran Amin said these Internet-of-Things (IoT) based trees cost around $20,000 to $25,000 per unit.
So far, Norway, Macedonia, France, Germany, Belgium, and Hong Kong have installed such trees in some of their cities.
Experts believe that these trees will have the environmental benefits of a small forest right in the middle of the city and add new attractions in the city. The estimate is that a single smart tree structure equals the environmental benefits of 275 urban trees but takes up 99% less space with just 5% of the cost.
Moreover, the trees are equipped with pollution sensors and need little maintenance. And with the IoT, nutrient levels, soil humidity, and general plant health are adjusted and monitored accordingly.
Manufacturers estimate that each unit will capture about 240 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
According to media reports, the authority has decided to set up a Tech District in the coming week, and the proposal for its groundbreaking ceremony has been made. Most likely, PM Imran Khan or CM Punjab Usman Buzdar will grace the groundbreaking ceremony.
