On July 10, Club4 Climate, an environmental group founded by British real estate mogul Andrew Charalambous, opened what it touts as the world’s first eco-club. The London party spot features a dance floor designed to harness the energy of dancers. This is based on a principle called piezoelectricity. This approach uses crystals or other materials that, when compressed, give off a small amount of voltage. So as people dance on the spring-lined floor, the crystals underneath acquire a charge and generate a current that can charge nearby batteries.
Charalambous claims that the dance floor energy will generate about 60% of the energy the club consumes. The remainder of energy consumption is being culled from solar panels and wind turbines. Other sustainable strategies include using rainwater to flush toilets.
Dubbed “Dr. Earth” Charalambous offers the Club4Climate mission statement:
It’s our vision that you will club for the climate. The profits from the club go to Friends of the Earth.
Other locations that Club4Climate is looking to open eco-clubs are New York City, Cape Town, and Rio de Janeiro.
