The last few weeks, or even months and years, have seen seemingly freakish acts of nature tear through different parts of the world. We’ve had ten storms in ten weeks over the Atlantic; hurricanes have devastated parts of America; and there’s a volcano in Bali teetering on the edge of explosion.

Although the leader of the free world is adamant that it doesn’t exist, climate change is one of the most severe problems facing the human race, as long as you exclude said leader himself.

But there are companies who are creating products that challenge the way we both produce, and harness energy. UK-based Pavegen has developed flooring that converts the kinetic energy of footsteps into off-grid energy and data. Earlier this month, they teamed up with Google at Berlin’s Festival of Light, to create the world’s biggest energy harvesting floor.

As people walked through the interactive installation, their footsteps generated a synchronised light show on the side panels. A GIF was then generated of their unique display which could be shared across social channels.

As the world moves away from fossil fuels and towards more sustainable, renewable forms of energy, designs such as Pavegen’s will set a precedent. Non-intrusive, the panels simply harness a human-created energy that is otherwise wasted, to provide power in new forms. They, literally, pave the way for our cities to become cleaner and smarter, a necessity in a world with a climate in crisis.

Visit Pavegen's website to find out more.