Charlotte is breaking barriers when it comes to sustainability with the Innovation Barn! Located at 932 Seigle Ave, the Innovation Barn is a former horse barn transformed into a functional building adorned with art made from repurposed trash. Inside, there are shelves filled with plants alongside a giant fish tank, a closed room filled with black soldier flies, and vertical herb gardens. The Innovation Barn is a Charlotte government initiative for a circular economy. This model utilizes reuse, local consumption/production, and recycling to keep materials and products in circulation for as long as possible, thereby minimizing excessive manufacturing and the waste associated with it. The ultimate goal of a circular economy is to not use new materials; instead, preexisting materials are constantly recycled, terminating the need for the production of new items and creating a zero-waste city.
So what is the Innovation Barn, and how does it strive to implement this model in Charlotte? Envision Charlotte, which is the non-profit organization that established the Innovation Barn, says on its website that the Innovation Barn is “a combination of entrepreneurial businesses, zero-waste initiatives, and a space to convene groups in order to learn more about and implement circular projects.” They currently have many of these projects running.
For one, they have an aquaponics lab. Aquaponics is a great example of circular production; it involves raising fish in a closed environment—using flies as food and producing nutrient-rich water—and the growing of plants. The nutrient-rich water is used to water the plants, causing faster germination. Further, the food grown from this aquaponics lab is then used in their kitchen—where they hold lessons on meal planning and how to cook sustainably—and their cafe—which is zero waste and uses locally sourced ingredients.
The flies used to feed the fish are part of another project at the barn— an experiment that uses black soldier flies to compost. This experiment intends to repurpose local food waste and uses any remaining food scraps from their kitchen in the process. The Innovation Barn raises the fly larvae, which break down the compost. These flies are also used to feed the fish, providing them with nutrients and continuing the process of a circular economy. The carbon dioxide generated by the flies is also used by the plants to stimulate growth.
The Innovation Barn also recycles many types of plastic that are not accepted by Charlotte recycling. They accept plastic donations in bins outside of their building. The plastics are grinded down and upcycled, contributing to local recycling efforts and efficiency.
Beyond these exciting projects, the Innovation Barn is home to several local sustainability businesses. One such business is called Urban Lumber, which uses trees from the Charlotte biodiversity to create furniture. Their slogan is “reducing waste by repurposing local Carolina trees to their upcycled prime,” and they have diverted 7,785,000 pounds of wood from landfills according to their website. They have a showroom at the Innovation Barn, where they can promote their products to local environmentalists and consumers.
Another goal of the Innovation Barn is to serve as an educational center. Tours are easily accessible and are offered twice a week (Tuesdays at 1:30 P.M. and Fridays at 10:30 A.M.). They also offer group tours to schools and corporate groups. Every Saturday from 1-4 P.M., they host a special event: the Market at the Innovation Barn, which partners with the Uptown Farmers Market to bring fresh, local produce to Charlotte environmentalists. The goal is to “allow vendors at Uptown Market more time to sell their products should they have excess”, according to their website, the ultimate aim being to reduce food wastage.
Between the projects and businesses available, the Innovation Barn is a must-see for all sustainability lovers in Charlotte, and a commendable first step towards a zero-waste city!