An IoT-based Sharing Plant Factory System for Nature Connectedness Improvement in Built Environment

Xueting Tong and Zhanwei Wu
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Xueting Tong: School of design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Zhanwei Wu: School of design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 10, 1-18

Abstract: Under the influence of urbanization, the relationship between human and nature gradually separated, therefore it is difficult for people to obtain the benefits of nature connectedness. In this paper, an IoT-based sharing plant factory is described to improve nature connectedness of people in an indoor environment. The ecological service process of indoor environments is studied through user interviews and surveys, to understand the contact points of ecological services and the design points of sharing plant factories. Based on these points, a product prototype is realized. Finally, the nature connectedness is tested by 13 users comparing the sharing plant factory with traditional plant pots through the revised Inclusion of Nature in the Self and Connectedness to Nature Scale. The results prove that the designed sharing plant factory can effectively improve a user’s nature connectedness. In addition, the efficiency of plant maintenance is greatly improved with the help of a sharing plant factory. The introduction of nature connectedness into ecological design can guide design to pay more attention to the service effect of products. In addition, the introduction of plant factory technology indoors can help ecological service products to function better and provide new ideas for the research of indoor ecological service products.

Keywords: plant factory; sharing plant; nature connectedness; sustainable design; indoor nature (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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