The Silva Cell is a modular, underground bioretention system that utilizes the proven capacity of soils for stormwater management and healthy tree growth to bring green infrastructure to the built environment.
The large quantities of healthy soil housed within the Silva Cell serves two important functions: growing large trees and treating rainwater onsite. The integration of green utilities like soil, trees and water into our urban areas dramatically enhances their design sustainability and helps alleviate some of our most pressing ecological challenges, including poor air quality, rising temperatures, and flooding and pollution from daily rainfall events.
The soil volumes provided by the Silva Cell are typically unavailable in urban areas, causing street trees to die an average of 13 years of planting, and overlooking a simple and ecological solution to reduce the flooding and non-point source pollution that can be caused by even small rainfall events. Healthy trees – nourished and supported by sufficient quantities of high-quality soil – help scrub the air and absorb significant amounts of rainfall. They increase home and business values. And perhaps first and foremost, they make our cities and towns more beautiful and livable. The Silva Cell helps make these goals possible.
