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Welcome to Surya - the self-styled 'world's first
ecological nightclub' - where cyclists and walkers
get free admission.
The brainchild of developer Andrew Charalambous - aka
Dr. Earth - Surya boasts a dance floor so high-tech,
that it generates its own electricity whenever people
move on it.
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Surya has its own wind turbine and solar energy system and
plans to donate any surplus electricity to local residents.
When clubbers need a rest from strutting their stuff on the
dance floor, they can relieve themselves at the latest air
flush, waterless urinals and low-flush toilets, as well as
taking the opportunity to freshen up with the club's automatic
taps.
If Princes Harry and William and their aristocratic friends
- frequently spotted at hot London nightclubs - want to attend
Surya, they will have to sign a pledge to work towards curbing
climate change like all the other patrons attending the club
in north London.
"Unless we stop preaching to people and use an inclusive
philosophy, we're never going to create the revolution to
combat climate change" - Charalambous, 35, told Reuters -
explaining why he has invested $2 million in the club, which
opened just recently. "It's also about creating avenues of
thought. Imagine what you could achieve if big corporations
adopted this kind of initiative."
A qualified barrister - now worth in excess of $200 million
- Charalambous' latest business venture will recycle glass,
metal, plastic and paper products used in its bar - with the
developer promising to donate part of the club's profits to
charity.
The dance floor uses the concept of piezo-electricity, where
crystals and ceramics create a charge to generate electricity.
"We estimate that, if you had loads of clubbers dancing vigorously,
it would provide 60 percent of the club's energy needs" -
said Charalambous.
"With the wind turbines and solar power, we aim to provide
the energy needs of 14 to 20 local residents. We are the first
free energy-donating business in the world."
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