TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS!

Stacking up urban farms

in a controlled indoor

environment could provide

food to cities and reduce

carbon footprint

Meera VaidyaScience of Sustainability

M.S. Sustainable Environmental Systems

December 02, 2014

Illustration showing vertical farming in concept, created with a mix of imagesWacots.org (n.d.) Retrieved November 21, 2014, from http://wacots.org/nailhed/GrahamPaigeDeSoto/content/bin/images/large/IMG_8818.jpg123rf.com (n.d.) Retrieved November 21, 2014, from http://us.123rf.com/450wm/majivecka/majivecka1403/majivecka140301514/27169708-vector-silhouette-of-a-gardener-on-white-background.jpgColourbox.com(n.d.) Retrieved November 21, 2014, from https://www.colourbox.com/preview/2761000-151094-collection-of-different-garden-vector-silhouettes-of-plants.jpg

TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya

Introduction

TodayPopulation apx. 7 billion: >50% urban

apx. 842 million: chronic hunger

2050Population apx. 8.3-10.9 billion: >70% urban

apx. ???? million: chronic hunger

Population Division, Department of Economics and Social Affairs, United Nations (2014, August) “Our Urbanizing World”, Population Facts, 2014(3):1-2.

World population overview Today & Future

TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya

Wfp.org (n.d.) “Who are the hungry”, Retrieved November 22, 2014, from http://www.wfp.org/hunger/who-are

50%

20%

10%

20%

Smallholder farming communities

Landless farming families

Herding, fishing or forest resources

Urban poor

World Hunger Distribution: TODAY

to feed growing population

reduce environmental effects

reduce burden on rural farmersHOW

Balance between supply

and demand while

managing the resourcesFIND

Solutions for urban

hunger problems with

built environmentPROVIDE

Introduction

Research questions

TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya

Stacking up farms

Stacking up farms

Stacking up farms

Stacking up farms

Stacking up farms

Urban setting

Urban setting

Components of Vertical Farming

Introduction

TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya

1915 GREENHOUSE TODAY

Bailey G. (1915) “Vertical Farming”, Wilmington, Del.: E. I. duPont de

Nemours Powder Co.

Vogel, G. (2008, February 8) “Upending the Traditional Farm”, Science, 319:752-

753.

Verticalfarm (n.d.) “The Vertical Farm”, Retrieved November 12, 2014, from

http://www.verticalfarm.com/

Introduction

Vertical Farming: History

TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya

Greenhousegrower.com. (n.d.) Retrieved December 01,2014 from http://files.greenhousegrower.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/rooftop_greenhouse.jpeg

earthlyissues.com. (n.d.) Retrieved December 01,2014 from http://www.earthlyissues.com/images/greenhouse.jpg

Green Infrastructure

Recreational Fruits & Vegetables

Methods

Rooftop Farming

TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya

Hydroponics Aeroponicsshtfpreparedness.com. (n.d.) Retrieved December 01,2014 from

http://www.shtfpreparedness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/nft.gifgreendesert.org. (n.d.) Retrieved December 01,2014 from

http://www.greendesert.org/images/Aeroponic-System.png

Discovermagazine (n.d.) Retrieved November 29, 2014, from http://discovermagazine.com/~/media/Images/Zen%20Photo/V/vertical%20

farms/1148.jpg?mw=738

agrihouse.com (n.d.) Retrieved November 29, 2014, from http://www.agrihouse.com/images/AgriHouse_Aeroponics.jpg

Methods

Hydroponics & Aeroponics

Absence of soil

Essential nutrients provided Computer based control & monitoring

TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya

Despommier D. (2009) “The Rise of Vertical Farms”, Scientific American, 80-87, November

Fischetti, M. (2007) “Growing Vertical”, Scientific American Earth 3.0, 74-79.

Fischetti, M. (2007) “Growing Vertical”, Scientific American Earth 3.0, 74-79.

Methods

Skyscraper farms

Vegetables, fruits, chicken & fish

Mixed use structures

Recycle & reuse of resources

TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya

Greenhouse based technology

World’s first low carbon, hydraulic

driven vertical farm

Tropical leafy vegetables

Sky Greens (2011) “A-Go-GoVertical Farming”, Retrieved November 11, 2014, from http://skygreens.appsfly.com/Media

Aluminum frame growing troughs

Irrigation with flooding methodology

Commercial use

Examples and Proposals

SkyGreens, Singapore

TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya

Mixed use structure

3995 square meters of green space out

of 19,974 square meters of total space

spoon-tamago.com (2013, September 12) “urban farming and corporate culture collide in this Tokyo office building”, Retrieved November 25, 2014, from http://www.spoon-tamago.com/2013/09/12/urban-farming-and-corporate-culture-collide-in-this-tokyo-office-building/

Double skin green façade

Balconies with flowers & orange plants

Used by employees

Examples and Proposals

Pasona headquarters, Tokyo, Japan

TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya

Industrial facility

Controlled environment and use of

renewable energy

Fruits & vegetables

Greenspiritsfarms (n.d.) “Green Spirits Farms”, Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.greenspiritfarms.com/

Hydroponics technology

Locally grown fresh food

Commercial use

Examples and Proposals

Green Spirits Farms, Michigan, USA

TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya

Mixed use skyscraper

Controlled environment and use of

renewable energy

Vegetables, fruits, chicken & fish

Kurasek B. (2008, May) “The Living Skyscraper : Farming the Urban Skyline”, Retrieved November 21, 2014, from http://www.blakekurasek.com/thelivingskyscraper.html

Mix of Hydroponics & others

Recycle & reuse of resources

Thesis Proposal

Examples and Proposals

The Living Skyscraper, USA

TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya

Pros ConsCons

Discussion

Reducing farmlandDeforestation reduced

Possibilities of reforestation by incentives

Renewable energy & Recycle

Reduced agricultural contamination

Reduced stress on farmingControlled environment: Better quality

Climate extremes have no/less effect

Reduced transportation

Less pressure on rural farms

Feeding growing urban population Expensive techniques: Urban poor?

Survival issues for rural farmers

Locally grown fresh produce Limitations on type of produce

Social acceptance as a challengeVertical farms: too modified or too industrialized

TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya

Discussion

Technological advancement

Global co-operation

Social & planners awareness

Future

TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya

Illustration showing vertical farming in concept, created with a mix of imagesWacots.org (n.d.) Retrieved November 21, 2014, from http://wacots.org/nailhed/GrahamPaigeDeSoto/content/bin/images/large/IMG_8818.jpg123rf.com (n.d.) Retrieved November 21, 2014, from http://us.123rf.com/450wm/majivecka/majivecka1403/majivecka140301514/27169708-vector-silhouette-of-a-gardener-on-white-background.jpgColourbox.com(n.d.) Retrieved November 21, 2014, from https://www.colourbox.com/preview/2761000-151094-collection-of-different-garden-vector-silhouettes-of-plants.jpg

“Growing crops in city skyscrapers

would use less water and fossil fuel

than outdoor farming, eliminate

agricultural runoff and provide

fresh food”

- Dickson DespommierDespommier D. (2009) “The Rise of Vertical Farms”,

Scientific American, 80-87, November.

Thank You