When architect David Hertz and his wife, Laura, met Rich Groden, the inventor of the Skywater machines, they knew that they had an incredible opportunity to help create a safe and reliable water source for people around the world.
Skywater machines are atmospheric water generators that use a patented process to condense moisture in the atmosphere and filter it, resulting in fresh drinking water. This made Skywater and Groden the perfect match for Hertz, who is a pioneer in restorative architecture—where buildings are both sustainable and help repair previous damage—for over 35 years. Together, Hertz and Groden created Skysource and signed up for the Water Abundance XPRIZE.
Located in Venice Beach, Calif., the Skysource team is made up of a group of architects, engineers, entrepreneurs, university students, and non-profits, all dedicated to protecting our most valuable resource: fresh water.
“At Skysource, we believe water is a fundamental human right and should be decentralized, abundant, and democratized,” Hertz wrote in an email. “We are trying to change the relationship that our planet has with water.”
To accomplish this, they’ve been working on Skywater's patented adiabatic distillation process, which replicates and augments nature's process of condensation by simulating the dew point, allowing for water generation continuously, and using low amounts of energy.
“Manufactured in India, [our machines] build on real work experience in urban and rural conditions to make water accessible and reliable,” Hertz wrote.