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| Samit Choksi | Priya Choksi |
Samit Choksi and Priya Choksi, co-Founders of ThinkPhi, are upcoming entrepreneurs within the clean technology startup community. Their company, which builds sustainably engineered products to intelligently conserve water and energy, has conceptualized and developed Ulta Chaata (Inverted Canopy), a product that creates functional and aesthetic sustainable spaces.
By Seema Gupta
"Over 700 million people globally do not have access to clean water. While rainwater is the purest form of water, it is wasted when it comes into contact with the ground. The contaminants and chemicals on our roads and cities require high levels of filtration to make it potable. Ulta Chaata was conceptualized so that open spaces can be used for conserving this water in its purest form. Later we realized that we can integrate solar modules into the product so that it can work off the monsoon," informs Priya Choksi.
Adds Samit Choksi, "ThinkPhi is a sustainable clean technology startup. Using the principles of environmental science and sustainable design, our green products are made to be intelligent and influence user behavior to conserve earth's natural resources."
Ulta Chata, as the name indicates, comprises a flexible inverted canopy and steel unibody. It has solar cells to provide energy, clean water generation from rain (water purifier), energy storage, live lighting, active sensors, mobile controls, and a charging station. At 12 ft high and 300 sq.ft coverage area, it is also a very large shading device under which, almost 20 people can sit or two cars can be parked. In short, it creates green infrastructure in a single integrated product.
Ulta Chaata can be installed as green workstations, reception areas, cafeterias, car parking, bus stops, etc. Installation is a quick and easy process. A small foundation in the ground is made upon which the robust structure is mounted. It collects rainwater and filters the water using the patented mesh system. The water is then stored in a tank. It passes through an activated carbon and UV to kill bacteria before it is dispensed. Each unit can harvest and filter upto 1,00,000 liters during the rainy season.
Ulta Chata has been installed in the campuses and business parks of large companies like Mahindra & Mahindra and Godrej & Boyce. The product is ideal for creating a cluster of units in large factories and houses with open space, for covered parking, and residential townships where its design values would be as great as its functional values. The ideal user of Ulta Chaata are companies that require a lot of pure water, and corporates that are keen to introduce eco-friendly and sustainability solutions in their premises.
The company has received enquiries for Ulta Chaata from markets in Singapore, UK, and USA. "We see a very positive feedback. Our customers have appreciated the design and the attractive looks of the product. Ulta Chata has drawn the attention of employees and visitors towards the efforts corporates have put on sustainability and environment," says Indresh Kumar, Sustainable Development Head at ThinkPhi, and adds, "India is the 3rd largest polluting country in the world on CO2 (carbon dioxide) and in the top 10 on solid waste. Although, a lot of push has been spent towards solar, not much effort has been made on other areas of sustainability like water and waste. Government or large corporations need to realize that it can be profitable to be sustainable. He informs that the RoI can be delivered in one year or less. The company has filed multiple global patents on design and utility of Ulta Chaata.
