Innovation Barn, at 932 Seigle Avenue, Charlotte, North Carolina, is a joint project by Envision Charlotte and the City of Charlotte, with the goal of transitioning Charlotte to a circular economy. It’s a combination of entrepreneurial businesses, zero-waste initiatives, and a space to bring groups together in order to learn more about and implement circular projects. The City of Charlotte rents the building to Envision Charlotte for $1 a year.
A circular economy has zero waste — its waste products are re-used or up-cycled, instead of going to landfills. Some of the projects at Innovation Barn are aquaponics, a mushroom garden, a plastics lab, a teaching kitchen, a cafe, and more.
For example, The Bulb gathers excess produce from stores and distributes them free of charge, to communities with food insecurity. Then The Bulb gives their leftovers to Crown Town Compost, who composts the scraps to create compost for gardens.
Innovation Barn in Newsweek
Newsweek honored Charlotte as one of five cities in the world that are “leading the way to a greener world,” because of Innovation Barn. Read the Newsweek article.
Volunteering at Innovation Barn
Individuals can drop in on Saturday afternoons to volunteer. Projects vary. Currently, volunteers are cutting up t-shirts. The strips of t-shirt material are then being woven into soundproof panels, which are then sold. Students who need volunteer hours might want to check out this opportunity. Please email engage@EnvisionCharlotte.org to check on the hours open for volunteering.
Highlights of Innovation Barn
Aquaponics
Aquaponics lab. Photo: Mace Publishing, LLC
100 Gardens maintains an indoor vertical farm and a tilapia tank that have a symbiotic environment. The waste from the fish is used as a fertilizer for the plants. When the vegetables absorb the nutrients they provide the fish with fresh, purified water. This system requires very little water, since it’s repeatedly recycled.
The greens are sold to local restaurants, and the tilapia are harvested for Refugee Services.
Plastics Lab
Plastics Lab. Photo: Mace Publishing, LLC
Innovations Barn accepts drop-offs of Number 5 Plastics, which are not recyclable in Mecklenburg County. Take-out containers are typically Number 5 Plastic. (You can drop them in the pink bins outside the plastics lab. At the plastics lab, these materials are processed into filament for 3-D printers. In addition, breweries donate their plastic beverage carriers, which are turned into shredded material that can be used in furniture and other products
Glass Lab
Photo: Mace Publishing, LLC
Photo: Mace Publishing, LLC
Photo: Mace Publishing, LLC
Glass bottles are collected from venues like Spectrum Center. Then the glass goes through a crushing machine and a screening machine. This produces sand of different coarseness, which can be used in gardening, art and other projects.
Apiary
Photo: Mace Publishing, LLC
The apiary is a relatively new addition to Innovation Barn.
Mushroom Farm
Storage container with mushroom farm inside. Photo: Mace Publishing, LLC
Inside this storage container is a mushroom farm.
Cafe
Change Please Cafe. Photo: Mace Publishing, LLC
Change Please is a nonprofit coffee shop. It trains homeless people as baristas, and then uses the proceeds of the shop to help them get housing, transportation, therapy and higher-paying jobs.
Products for sale at Innovation Barn. Photo: Mace Publishing, LLC
You can shop for some of the products of Innovation Barn at the cafe. The shopping bags on the top shelf are made from brewery’s grain bags.
Please note that Innovation Barn will be closed from December 20, 2024, to January 6, 2025.
Public Tours
Tuesdays at 1 p.m.
Fridays at 9 a.m.
Saturdays at 1 p.m.
Free (register here)
Explore the inner workings of the circular and sustainable initiatives. Advance registration is required.The tours have a limit of 20 people.There are some days when the public tour doesn’t take place. You’ll be able to see which dates are unavailable when you register.
You can also take a free, self-guided tour any time it’s open.
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