Community

Urban Canopee, Curiosity Lab’s Newest Occupant, Adds Greenery to Concrete Areas – Starting with Peachtree Corners

Published

3 years ago

October 16, 2022

Peachtree Corners Magazine staff

Peachtree Corners is the first place in the United States to receive an innovative and high-tech structure intended to cool down urban areas by greening them up. Called a corolle, the modular, vegetation-covered formation is the creation of French technology company Urban Canopee (urbancanopee.com), which has chosen Curiosity Lab of Peachtree Corners as its launch pad into North America.

The company learned about Curiosity Lab through the French-American Chamber of Commerce, Atlanta-Southeast and La French Tech Atlanta, which moved operations to the Innovation Center at Curiosity Lab in 2021. La French Tech is a French network of startups, investors, decision-makers, and community builders. This is the first startup joining Curiosity Lab through La French Tech.

Curiosity Lab increasingly attracts tech startups and larger technology organizations from around the globe. Many come to test their smart city and intelligent mobility solutions in a real-world environment, and/or in the case of Urban Canopee, to gain proximity to American markets that may have use of their particularly innovative technology.

“During our worldwide expansion, we wanted to come to the United States because so many of its modern, concrete-covered cities experience the urban heat island phenomenon. We can help tackle that issue with our green technology,” said Loïs Lenhardt, technical studies engineer for Urban Canopee. “The Atlanta area seemed like a good place to start.”

Peachtree Corners’ Town Center is also now home to a Mini Corolle – also called a Mini Canopee – from Urban Canopee. This product contains a steel-covered fiberglass base sprouting a mesh cylindrical, upward-and-outward-spreading canopy overlaid with climbing plants. When the plants mature, the Mini Canopee, equipped with its own irrigation system, will provide 215 square feet of shade to help create a cool place where summers are hot and provide additional biodiversity in the Town Center.

“Urban Canopee is committed to bringing vegetation to areas of cities where you could not plant trees because of underground networks, parking decks, subways, and areas covered in concrete,” said Lenhardt, who works at the offices of the French American Chamber of Commerce, Atlanta-Southeast, at Curiosity Lab’s Innovation Center.

Creating oases of freshness in cities

Increasingly long and intense heatwave episodes, growing air pollution, loss of biodiversity, and reduced availability of water are just some of the reasons why Urban Canopee aims to spruce up streetscapes while making cities cooler, more resilient, and more environmentally sustainable. Its technology-enabled low-carbon, energy, and water-efficient solutions are the company’s way to combat the effects of climate change while improving the quality of life for urban dwellers.

The company provides a range of structures from the Mini Canopee, with a low-tech irrigation system, to its 500-square-foot Contrario and Olympe Canopee models, both of which include a high-tech irrigation system called a Sensopee. The setup of a structure takes one day or less.

Introducing a high-tech, self-contained irrigation system

Before delving into the state-of-the-art Sensopee, each structure contains a small amount of substrate that relies on water to help the plants grow. The Mini Canopee’s passive watering reserve will need to be filled with close to two gallons of water a week – but doesn’t need to connect to the city’s water system.

The larger systems use the high-tech Sensopee, a smart irrigation system within the structure relying on sensors and weather-based technology to keep moisture levels optimal. Its algorithm optimizes the best conditions and water consumption to help plant roots grow. Urban Canopee employees monitor when soil is dry, and the water reserve is empty. When either or both occur, they text the customer that it’s time to refill the water reserve – about once a month during hotter seasons and once every two or three months when temperatures cool.

In addition to the one in Peachtree Corners, Urban Canopee has installed 164 other self-standing, autonomous green structures in 63 countries in Europe, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Australia.

Expanding its line of green products for urban areas

While in the states, Lenhardt hopes to generate interest and momentum so others will consider purchasing or offering the company’s canopies to customers. Potential partners include municipalities, landscape architecture firms, or any organization dealing with engineering greenspaces. In fact, Urban Canopee relies on such partnerships for its optional maintenance plans in which a local landscape company, for instance, would weed, mulch, fertilize, stake, and prune the plant structure three times a year.

In the next couple of years, Urban Canopee plans to use the same technology comprised in its corolles to add green, vegetation-covered roofs and facades to its line of products.
“Our canopies bring movable vegetation to urban areas and add significant value and a better quality of life,” Lenhardt said. “We hope to have several more of them in North America by the end of the year.”

Keep up with our latest trips and innovations

If you are interested in learning more about Curiosity Lab’s real-world testing environment or scheduling a tour, please reach out to us here. Testing is free and open to all technology companies from startups to Fortune 500.

To stay in the know, subscribe to Curiosity Lab’s blog by entering your email address at curiositylabptc.com/contact/. You will be notified when Curiosity Labs posts content each week about smart city & intelligent mobility projects being tested at the Lab, events, announcements, and more.

Be sure to follow us on social: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

*Heat islands are found in urbanized areas that have higher temperatures than outlying areas. This is because city structures, including buildings, sidewalks, and roads, absorb and re-emit the sun’s heat more than forests, water bodies, and other natural landscapes.

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Councilmember Sadd to Hold Town Hall Meeting on November 2

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Upcoming events at The Forum

Peachtree Corners Magazine staff

City Government

The Future of Law Enforcement in Peachtree Corners: Community Meeting

Published

4 days ago

April 14, 2025

Peachtree Corners Magazine staff

Flyer for a community meeting regarding law enforcement in Peachtree Corners.

The City of Peachtree Corners will hold an important public meeting on May 8 to discuss the future of law enforcement in our community — including the potential creation of a city police department.

This meeting will feature a presentation by City Manager Brian Johnson on the findings of a comprehensive Police Analysis & Staffing Study that evaluated the feasibility and projected costs of forming a city police department based on current workload, crime levels and community demographics.

The presentation will also include budgetary considerations, comparative models and the advantages and disadvantages of a county vs. city police department.

Following the presentation, there will be time for a Q&A and open dialogue.

In-person attendance is limited to 300. First come, first served. A livestream option will be available for those who can’t attend in person.

After the meeting, a follow-up survey will be available on the city’s project page.

Meeting details

The Future of Law Enforcement in Peachtree Corners

Date/Time: May 8, 2025 at 7 p.m.

Location: Christ the King Lutheran Church (5775 Peachtree Parkway)

For more information, visit peachtreecornersga.gov.

Community

Registration Now Open for Light Up the Corners 2025

Published

1 week ago

April 9, 2025

Peachtree Corners Magazine staff

The starting line of a community race with green, inflatable start archway and dozens of racers and specators.

It’s time to sign up for the best (and only) Glow Run and Twilight Trot in Peachtree Corners!

Registration is now open to participate in this year’s Light Up the Corners race, scheduled for Saturday, August 16 at The Forum. The 1k Twilight Trot will start at 8 p.m., and the four-mile Glow Run begins at 8:30 p.m. Once the runners have done their thing, a fun post-race party will follow.

This annual event is not only an exciting community tradition, but also a fundraiser for the Why It Matters campaign at the Fowler Family YMCA.

All proceeds from registration goes directly to helping struggling families and children in the community benefit from the life-changing programs and services offered at the YMCA.

Individual registration is $40 through July 31; $45 if you register between August 1–14; and $50 if you wait to sign up on August 15 or 16. Those registering as a team of four or more will save $5–$10 per registration.

Sponsorships available

In addition to individual and team registrations, organizers also rely on the generosity and support of local businesses to make each year’s fundraising event successful. And this year is no different. If you’d like to support their efforts through a sponsorship, information can be found on the Light Up the Corners 2025 website.

T-shirt logo contest

Another way to take part is to enter the t-shirt logo design contest. Artwork and entry forms are due by May 16, and judges will be looking for one dynamic image to represent the Light Up the Corners Glow Run on the race banner, t-shirts and all multi-media.

The winning artist will receive a $1000 check, presented during the event. An entry form and additional details can be found here.

City of Peachtree Corners

Our Growing Deer Population: What to Do?

Published

2 weeks ago

April 2, 2025

Mayor Mike Mason

I want to take a moment to address an issue that has been increasingly affecting our community — the growing deer population.

Over the past few years, we have observed a significant increase in the number of deer within Peachtree Corners, leading to heightened concerns about public safety, property damage and ecological impacts. I want to share what we are doing to address these challenges and how you can be part of the solution.

The surge in the deer population poses several threats to our community:

1. Landscape damage: Deer feeding on ornamental plants, shrubs and trees results in significant property damage and costly repairs for homeowners.

2. Increased risk of deer-vehicle collisions: Frequent road crossings, often under low-visibility conditions, pose serious safety risks to drivers and passengers.

3. Adverse ecological impacts: Excessive browsing by deer diminishes plant diversity, impacting the availability of food for other wildlife.

4. Public health concerns: High deer densities contribute to an increase in ticks, elevating the risk of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.

To address these challenges, the City of Peachtree Corners is collaborating with wildlife officials from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) Urban Wildlife Program and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services.

These partnerships are vital, as GADNR holds primary authority over wildlife management, and USDA brings extensive experience in urban wildlife management. By working together, we aim to develop a comprehensive approach tailored to our community’s unique needs.

Based on recommendations from our partners, the City is actively developing a comprehensive deer management plan. The plan aims to mitigate the public safety, property damage, ecological and public health impacts caused by the growing deer population.

Here’s what we are doing:

1. Population surveys: Utilizing advanced tools like trail cameras and thermal imaging to accurately assess deer numbers.

2. Habitat assessments: Evaluating the impact of the deer population on local vegetation and biodiversity.

3. Community involvement: Updating the “PTC Report It” app to allow residents to report deer-related concerns and submit photographs.

4. Data analysis: Collaborating with federal and state partners to analyze data and determine a sustainable deer population for our community.

Once the assessment phase is complete, the city will adopt a deer management plan. Since many deer reside on private property, the plan will offer property owners city-supported options for managing deer. This includes educational programs, habitat modification techniques and access to targeted population reduction initiatives.

Our goal is to facilitate relationships between wildlife officials and residents to ensure a balanced approach that protects public safety, preserves property and maintains ecological integrity.

Here are a few ways you can help:

• Complete the Deer Impact Survey: Available online. Your input will help us gather valuable data on deer population densities and their impact.

• Report concerns: Use the “PTC Report It” app or go online to report deer-related issues and share photos.

• Stay informed: Follow our updates and participate in any upcoming GADNR workshops to stay informed about deer management efforts.

I truly appreciate your support and cooperation as we work together to address these challenges and protect the quality of life in Peachtree Corners. Thank you for being engaged and committed to our community.