Wat(t)er FabLab – 3D impression in Operations
Summary
Several structures and equipment in the public water supply network on the public highway are made of ferrous materials and are therefore subject to frequent vandalism and their own natural corrosion and deterioration. In this regard, the aim of this project is to remedy these anomalies through the manufacture and installation of 3D bioplastic parts by Águas e Energia do Porto, E.M., thus solving the problems on the public highway and preventing falls and pedestrian accidents, which are more frequent among older people.
The path to the creation of the Wat(t)er FabLab followed the same pattern as many innovation projects: it emerged from the need to address two scenarios: the frequent theft of water supply caps in the city and the desire to reuse plastic waste from construction sites. Thus, the first pieces were born, or rather, printed, which today make the work of Águas e Energia do Porto faster, less expensive and increasingly environmentally friendly.
The idea dates back to 2020 and the “attempts to reuse recycled material to make the mold for the so-called ‘movable roofs'” of the supply channels, small metal caps that, having some value, end up being stolen.
Website: https://www.aguasdoporto.pt/
Key facts
Main target group: Both younger and older people (i.e. intergenerational)
Sector(s): Urban development
Desired outcome for older people:
Be mobile