Reservoir silt transformed into Taiwan's "Happy Soil"! Anti-damp-wall building materials plus flower vessels and tea trays in minimalist style

The 96 reservoirs nationwide hold 2.84 billion tons of water, but in reality one third of that capacity is filled with sand and gravel, and the siltation volume increases by one reservoir's capacity each year. The dredged silt has nowhere to go. Taiwan's largest silt storage site, at Shimen Reservoir, holds 3 million tons and is already at full capacity. When heavy rain comes, the silt flows back into the rivers with the water, seriously affecting the reservoirs' water storage function.

The seemingly useless silt actually has enormous potential. A team from National Cheng Kung University innovatively modified and utilized the silt, developing it into an innovative building material that can prevent damp walls and waterproof surfaces. It can also be used in planters, tea tray decorations and other lifestyle decorations. This innovation obtained a patent and was named "Happy Soil," successfully transforming the fate of "waste soil."

The reservoir crisis became the origin of the patent research and development

Taiwan's geology is young, with high mountains and rushing waters, and steep river gradients. Its rainfall is three times the world average, yet not much water is retained. Torrential rain washes down large amounts of sand and gravel, becoming a nightmare for water conservancy agencies.

In 2004, Typhoon Aere struck northern Taiwan. Soil and rock erosion caused turbidity in Shimen Reservoir to soar, and the water treatment plant could not operate. Taoyuan was forced to go without water for 18 days, and residents carried washbasins and buckets everywhere to collect water. The major water outage left water conservancy agencies humiliated and dealt a heavy blow to the myth of water management, while the massive amount of silt further affected the reservoir's lifespan.

In 2009, Typhoon Morakot brought nearly 100 million tons of silt, leaving the largest reservoir in the south, Zengwen Reservoir, with only 40 percent of its water storage capacity. The sand and gravel and stones dredged from reservoirs are valuable materials and are quickly hauled away. But materials with no value, such as silt, are water-laden clay that is difficult to transport by vehicle and can only be piled in the open around the reservoirs, with nowhere to go. When heavy rain comes, the silt flows back into the reservoirs with the water.

Reservoir sludge modification produces a nano waterproofing effect, winning a national patent

After the major water outage in Taoyuan, various agencies tried to find ways to dispose of reservoir silt. At that time, the Council for Economic Planning and Development (now reorganized as the National Development Council) commissioned Professor Huang Zhongxin of the Department of Civil Engineering at National Cheng Kung University to conduct "reservoir silt application research," developing the feasibility of disposing of reservoir silt and creating usable value to get rid of it.

The research team found that ordinary river silt contains many impurities and is difficult to handle, while reservoir silt is relatively clean and simple and easy to process, giving it application potential. The silt originates from shale that has been eroded by rivers over tens of millions of years. Its particles are fine and its viscosity is high. After a special process changes its physical properties, it can produce a waterproofing effect similar to nano materials. Compared with traditional nano materials, which are expensive, modified silt can greatly reduce material costs and create commercial application value.

How does silt with "high viscosity and small particles" become something with "nano-like" properties? Huang Zhongxin gives an example: mud is slippery after absorbing water because water gets into the gaps between particles. After special chemical treatment and "modification," the water is separated off and sliding no longer occurs.

This silt modification technology has successfully obtained a national patent. Huang Zhongxin says this is a local building material developed by integrating Taiwan's natural conditions and reversing the difficulties of water management, and it is something the people of Taiwan can be proud of.

From waste soil to Happy Soil, developing the market through consumers

Guo Wenyi is Huang Zhongxin's student and participated in the entire process from research on silt modification to technology transfer. In order to give the silt application value in industry, Guo Wenyi, through authorization from the National Cheng Kung University Technology Transfer Center, founded "NCKU Changhong," the university's first "spin-off company." He handles everything from production and branding to market development, focusing on promoting the use of modified silt.

Guo Wenyi knows well that new startup technologies find it hard to break into the top of the construction industry, which is dominated by large conglomerates. It is not that no one has tried to improve materials and enter the market before, but the existing technical models and interest structures are hard to change. For this reason, a different path must be taken. He chose a difficult but longer road, entering the market from consumers at the bottom of the pyramid.

"Large enterprises are like combined fleets; they can completely close themselves off and ignore outside change. We are not the first to reuse silt. The engineering and construction industry is not easy to innovate, and the larger the conglomerate system, the harder it is to change, so we must develop the market ourselves," Guo Wenyi believes. The internet provides a new path to break through from consumers at the bottom and open up a gap in the market.

When silt becomes a lifestyle proposal

Guo Wenyi's startup team gave modified silt the playful name "Happy Soil," hoping that applications of the new material could create joy in life. To collect user feedback, Guo Wenyi's team went from running a blog to developing a Facebook community, exchanging experiences on damp walls and lifestyle applications, building a discussion community, and even shooting YouTube instructional short videos themselves to establish channels for exchange.

"It just so happens that modern people like DIY and creating their own lives, so we provide this material, and consumers share all kinds of application experiences, opening up a community model of learning together."

Guo Wenyi believes that market models in the internet age must all answer a fundamental question: "How do you provide a proposal for building a life?" In the past, technology was complex, so people relied on professionals such as plasterers. Now, through the internet, information symmetry is provided, materials can be bought online, and the technology can be simplified enough for ordinary people to pick up easily. Guo playfully shows their slogan: "No special crew needed, just follow the steps." From solving damp walls and indoor waterproof coating to making flower vessels, anyone can easily get started.

"We do not want to focus only on environmental appeals, or use 'waste reuse' as a gimmick to win sympathy. When the new material fully becomes a lifestyle proposal and is truly accepted by the market, that is the way to sustainability," Guo Wenyi says.

Interior designer: Silt building materials are minimalist and low-key, distinctive and suited to Taiwan's environment

Interior designer Zhang Jinqi, who specializes in renovating old houses, often encounters problems with damp walls and leaks. In particular, the northeast monsoon plus long winter rains make it hard to remove moisture, and damp walls and seepage are especially troublesome for people living in northern Taiwan. Zhang Jinqi found that "Happy Soil," a locally made Taiwanese coating, has a cool color, extremely strong adhesion, and although it is a thin layer, it has a dense yet smooth quality. It can be used for either decorative coating or old-house repair.

Zhang Jinqi says the "Happy Soil" material is unique and can also adapt to Taiwan's hot and humid climate. The coating itself has an earthy plaster color, and its natural simplicity is favored by many clients.

"Modern people long to return to simplicity and are tired of the white or flashy decorations of modern life. Most people, after work, just want a simple and quiet living space. This material can make people feel very relaxed and refreshed," he says.

Happy Soil's ultimate goal: find a way forward for Taiwan and create a Happy Soil for the Earth

Guo Wenyi believes that people in Taiwan worship imported materials, for example the popularity of Japanese diatomaceous earth, but they do not know that Taiwan also has media worth being proud of. So he sets a goal for himself, hoping that local materials will be recognized by the world. This cultural attitude of "Made in Taiwan" is the real ambition of "Happy Soil."

At present, the raw material for "Happy Soil" comes from the silt of Agongdian Reservoir. Its upstream is the chalk soil of Moon World, once a symbol of barrenness but now a hope for innovation. Guo Wenyi says, "Absolutely do not belittle yourself, and do not superstitiously believe that the moon is rounder abroad. I hope everyone believes that this is possible."

"A simple piece of soil contains infinitely many possibilities." Guo Wenyi believes that the value of the internet age lies in "sharing" rather than "monopoly." "Just like young people's future: although housing prices are very high and everyone cannot afford to buy, it has evolved into a trend of renovating old houses, creating a cultural atmosphere where old and new coexist. Anyone who wants to return to simplicity can apply this Happy Soil. Small and earthy, yet highly functional."