The world's first "smart street" has popped up in the centre of the capital.
The alleyway, dubbed Bird Street, off Oxford Circus, sees kinetic energy, generated by shoppers' footsteps, power the new peaceful hub, thanks to new ground-breaking technology Pavegen.
The New West End Company commissioned several eco-friendly high-tech engineering companies to transform an unnoticeable small street into a ‘smart street’ powered by sustainable energy.
Sensors connected to a mobile app will show people how much energy they are generating.
On average, one adult walking across the platform will generate five watts per footstep. That amount of energy will illuminate the LED lights and trigger bird sounds.
Alex Johnson, head of communication at Pavegen, said “We are not ever going to replace solar or wind, but it is a useful bit of off grid energy and the key thing about it is that it is really engaging.”
Oxford Street has over 25 small connecting alleys that remain unused by hundreds of thousands of people who visit the capital's busiest shopping hub every day.
Jace Tyrrell, CEO of the New West End Company, said: “The starting point of this project was to open up some of these other bits of Oxford Street that currently are not being used while bringing in better practises to reduce air pollution offering a green space off the main street.”
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