Case Study
RATISBONA x Hula Earth
Europe's first cradle-to-cradle supermarket demonstrates ecological net gain
With Hula, RATISBONA continuously tracks ecological development at its LOOP markets in Haimhausen and Wört and compares the project areas with ecologically similar reference areas.
Before Hula
A unique building, an unproven promise
With LOOP Markt Haimhausen, RATISBONA developed Europe's first supermarket designed according to cradle-to-cradle principles, built largely from materials that can be dismantled and returned to material cycles. But the architectural concept alone was not enough for RATISBONA. The company also wanted to show that the building is nature-positive, with the goal of establishing more species on its own grounds than had originally been found there. Until now, there had been no practical, resource-efficient way to track progress continuously across multiple sites.
The Hula solution
Sensors integrated from the outset
RATISBONA launched a project with Hula at two locations, Haimhausen and Wört, to track the ecological development of the sites in real time. Ecologically similar reference areas provide the context needed to assess impact.
- BioT sensors across both project areas, including ecologically significant points and tree stands
- Additional sensors on ecologically similar reference areas
- Real-time tracking of biological activity and on-site microclimate data
- Automated analysis with human-in-the-loop quality control
Outlook
The evidence is being generated live
RATISBONA continuously compares project and reference areas to show whether biodiversity is developing at each location and by how much – substantiating the result rather than merely claiming it. Hula's sensors also record microclimate data directly on site. This enables RATISBONA to measure the actual cooling and insulation effects of the green areas instead of relying on general studies.
Automated monitoring across locations also replaces the effort that would traditionally be required for a part-time role dedicated to data collection and reporting. Covering this work manually with half a position per site would cost an average of approximately €49,000 per year – costs that automated monitoring eliminates.
"For us, one thing is clear: sustainability must be verifiable. Hula Earth delivers exactly that – a solution that makes biodiversity and microclimate measurable and therefore manageable."
Julia Vesenjak, Innovation & Sustainability, RATISBONA