Vertical farming Project

This Project was made during 2nd year of B.Tech.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT


We would like to take this opportunity to express our profound gratitude and deep regards to our
guide Dr.Sudeep Sharma for his exemplary guidance, monitoring and constant encouragement
throughout the course of this Project.
I am obliged to staff members of GDGU for the valuable information provided by them in their
respective fields. I am grateful for their cooperation during the period of my assignment.

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ABSTRACT

Vertical farming is the urban farming of fruits, vegetables, and grains, inside a building
in a city or urban centre, in which floors are designed to accommodate certain crops.
These heights will acts as the future farms land and as architects we can shape these
high-rises to sow the seeds for the future. The objective of this dissertation was to
investigate the feasibility and plausibility of the vertical farming concept in three
specific and interrelated research domains. The first research question was to
investigate whether enough energy can be generated onsite to meet the needs of the
building. The second research question was to investigate the carbon footprint of
produce grown vertically and compare that to produce grown conventionally
(greenhouse and outdoors). The final research question was to investigate how relevant
stakeholders perceive the concept of vertical farming and what they believe are current
barriers and opportunities towards uptake of the technology. The purpose of this
investigation was to determine ways to supply food to cities in an energy efficient and
sustainable manner from both a quantitative and qualitative approach.

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CHAPTER-1
INTRODUCTION


1.1 WHAT IS VERTICAL FARMING
It is predicted that the world population will reach 9 billion by 2050, of which 70%
will live in urban centres. This change, alongside a changing climate, will strain Earth‘s
resources, specifically the ability to supply food. A valuable investigation would be to
determine other ways to supply food to cities alongside current agricultural practices
in a sustainable manner.
One idea is the concept of vertical farming. Vertical farming can be defined as
farming fruits, vegetables, grains, etc. in the middle of a city inside of a building where
different floors have different purposes (one floor for a certain crop, another floor for
a vegetable, etc.) using hydroponics(water with nutrients). The concept of supplying
food in cities is not a new one as the history of urban agriculture goes back to many
ancient civilizations, including the Mayans, the city of Tenochtitlan (Mexico City
today), etc. There are many developments taking place today that apply the concept of
urban agriculture, and the concept of vertical farming is a large scale extension of
urban agriculture.
It is becoming increasingly understood that both our forms of settlement and methods
of sustenance are functionally incompatible with a planet of limited natural resources.
Modern cities exhibit decisively ―linear‖ resource metabolisms where food, fresh
water, energy, and other resource demands are imported from great distances,
consumed, and then swiftly dispensed as sewage or rubbish that the natural world
cannot easily process. Likewise, the high-yield farming methods that support our
immense population are characterized by their insatiable consumption of our limited
reserves of freshwater, fossil-fuel energy, and soil.
A glimpse of humanity‘s predictable future indicates that the way cities and agriculture
consume the Earth‘s precious natural capital will only worsen with the passage of time.
The projected addition of 2.25 billion people to the global population by 2050 and

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another 2 billion by the end of the century forces us to consider what our world will be
like with nearly twice as many consumers.
Considering humanity‘s current population is already effectively degrading the
ecological conditions we require to thrive, it appears the only way to avoid both a
global ecological tragedy and widespread famine in the next century is to significantly
transform the way cities and agriculture utilize natural resources. This dissertation
presents an argument for the implementation of an emerging building typology, the
vertical farm, as potential solution to the conflict between ecological stability and
humanity‘s persistent and economic growth.

As the world‘s population grows, so does the land required to produce the needed food.
The concept of a vertical farm was developed to remedy this crisis. A vertical farm is
farms stacked on top of one another, instead of branching out horizontally. Developed
in 1999 by Professor Dickson Despommier, the farm uses conventional farming
methods such as hydroponics and aeroponics to produce more yields faster.

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1.2 AIM

To evaluate the scope of the vertical farming concept in the building levels of the
future cities. And thereby to analyse how well this concept can integrated be into the
urban to sow the seeds for the future and to resolve the long-standing paradox of
humanity‘s inclination towards exponential demographic and economic growth while
inhabiting a planet of limited resource material means.


1.3 OBJECTIVE

Vertical farming is the urban farming of fruits, vegetables, and grains, inside a
building in a city or urban centre, in which floors are designed to accommodate
certain crops. The objective of this dissertation was to investigate the feasibility and
plausibility of the vertical farming concept in three specific and interrelated research
domains.

• The first research question was to investigate whether enough energy can be
generated onsite to meet the needs of the building.
• The second research question was to investigate the carbon footprint of produce
grown vertically and compare that to produce grown conventionally (greenhouse
and outdoors).
• The final research question was to investigate how relevant stakeholders perceive
the concept of vertical farming and what they believe are current barriers and
opportunities towards uptake of the technology.
• The purpose of this investigation was to determine ways to supply food to cities in
an energy efficient and sustainable manner from both a quantitative and qualitative
approach.

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1.4 METHODOLOGY

• Literature reviews to examine the current agricultural practices were exhausting our
natural resources, and whether it was sensible to explore other farming options.
• Knowing the history and overview of urban agriculture. The history of urban
agriculture was provided because it offered a sense of the history and development
of the concept, its applications in the past and today, and the advantages and
disadvantages associated.
• To quantify the energy flows in the building. Also to study how much energy can
be generated on site and how much energy will be used on site. The energy
generation source was from photovoltaics, and the energy was used to pump the
water, light the building (for indoor cultivation), and ventilate the building.
• Conduct the carbon foot print analysis for horizontal conventional and vertical
farming methods.
• Conduct life cycle analysis of leafy veggies grown vertically.
• An exploration of social perceptions of relevant stakeholders, and this includes
architects, engineers, and the general public.
• Conduct semi structured interviews to explore the concept.
• Conduct the experiments and study to find out the crop growing condition at
different levels of atmosphere.
• Detailed case study on vertical framing and bio climatic sky scrapers to know the
design process and approach.
• Comparative studies of crop cultivation and yielding in a conventional method and
vertical farming.
• Finding out solutions for the correct implementation of techniques and materials
for the same.

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1.5 SCOPE


Reduction in vehicular transport is also foreseen; there will be less demand for delivery
trucks, garbage trucks and other utilities. Overall wellness because city wastes will be
channelled directly into the farm building's recycling system, hence, less bacteria can find
its way in the environment and the atmosphere Abandoned or unused properties will be
used productively. Water can be used more efficiently in a vertical farm. The greywater

from office etc. can be used efficiently. The layers of atmosphere can be used effectively
in vertical build ups. Less CO2 emissions and pollution by decreasing reliance on coal-
burning power plants and transportation, and implementing renewable-sources of energy.
Crops will be protected from harsh weather conditions and disturbances like typhoons,
hurricanes, floods, droughts, snow and the likes. Food production as well as food transport
will not be affected. Crops will be consumed immediately upon harvest since there is no
need to transport them to far-off places. Spoilage will also be lessened.




1.6 LIMITATIONS


The initial phase will be cost intensive, and certain flaws integrated in the system
that may appear during its initial run can still dampen efforts for its full maximization.
There will be fewer varieties of foods to choose from because not all plants and vegetables
are suitable in a controlled and limited environment. The public will find it hard to
reconcile with the idea of using black water for food production. Blackwater or the
wastewater and sludge from soils, from the vertical farms need an additional costly
filtration system in order to be recycled and conservative of the water resources.
Displacement of agricultural societies, potential loss or displacement of traditional
farming job.

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1.7 CHALLENGES ON VERTICAL FARMING

Building urban vertical farms will initially need large amounts of resources for building
and construction According to VF critic George Monbiot ―Unless a new method of
solar-powered lighting is developed, light to grow crops will be very expensive-
resulting in a non-sustainable business mode. And the biggest problem, according to
Monbiot, is LIGHT ―The light required to grow the 500 grams of wheat that 1 loaf of
bread contains would cost, at current prices, $15.81. That's just lighting: no inputs,
interest, rates, rents or labor. Somehow this minor consideration – that plants need light
to grow and that they aren't going to get it except on the top story – has been overlooked
by the scheme's supporters.

1.8 GOALS
 Supply sustainable food sources for urban centers.
 Allow agro Land to revert to natural landscape.
 Sustainable organic farming techniques.
 Black/grey water remediation.
 Appropriate unused and abandoned urban spaces.
 End food contamination.
 Year round food production.
 End reliance on pesticides, herbicides and petro based fertilizers.
 Create sustainable urban space.

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CHAPTER-2
IMPACT OF VERTICAL FARMING

 Reduction of energy costs in transportation.
 Year-round crop production preparation protection from weather.
 Crops are then sold within the same infrastructure (reduction of crop waste).
 Elimination of crop machinery fossil fuel emissions.
 Growth of enough food to replace lost productivity as farmland is urbanized.
 5 acres of land in traditional farming would produce the same amount of crops.


















2.1 WHY VERTICAL FARMING?

 2050- 80% of world population will be around Urban Centers + 3 Billion more People.
 70% of all Fresh water is used in irrigation for traditional agriculture.
 Unsustainable factory farming techniques.
 Approximately 800 million hectares of land being used for farming = area of Brazil.

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CHAPTER -3
WORK AND DESIGN

3.1 HOW IS IT DESIGNED?

Multi-storied buildings growing different crops at each floor.
 Integrated assembly line including: seed sorting facilities, distribution.
 Continuous planting system including monitoring growth and harvesting
 All creating a 'miniature eco-system' that acts to enable the urban population to
manufacture and produce food locally.
 The architecture itself requires innovative design concept & architectural knowledge.

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3.2 SYSTEMS USED IN VERTICAL FARMING

 Hydroponics-Cultivation of plant life through continuous flow of oxygenated, nutrient rich
water.
 Nutrient-flow technique.
 Network of narrow channels of recycled nutrient rich water.
 Float Stem- rectangular reservoirs filled with water.
 Aquaponics - combine hydroponics and aquaculture. One system, fish waste as nutrient for
plants.
 Drip/container culture- Soil less indoor growing- media bags
 Aeroponics- exposes roots, nutrient rich mist pumped into air chamber 100%

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CHAPTER-4
ADVANTAGES OF VERTICAL FARMING

4.1 RELIABLE HARVESTS
Vertical Farm Systems growing cycles are consistent and reliable, allowing commercial growers
to confidently commit to delivery schedules and supply contracts. In a well-managed Vertical
Farm System there are no such things as 'seasonal crops' and there are no crop losses. Vertical
Farm Systems are fully enclosed and climate controlled, completely removing external
environment factors such as disease, pest or predator attacks. It also means our farms are not
dependent on fertile arable land and can be established in any climatic region globally irrespective
of seasonal daylight hours and extremes in temperature.

4.2 MINIMUM OVERHEADS
Production overheads in Vertical Farm Systems installations are commercially competitive and
predictable. In some cases profitability of over 30% has been demonstrated even after deducting
full amortization of capital equipment over a 10 year period. Minimum overheads and grow costs
are maintained through:

4.3 LOW ENERGY USAGE
The use of high efficiency LED lighting technology ensures minimum power usage for maximum
plant growth. Computer management of photosynthetic wavelengths in harmony with phase of
crop growth further minimizes energy use while ensuring optimized crop yields.
1. Greatly reduced energy usage for climate control is the direct result of not requiring
sunlight inside the growing area which enables the use of high thermal efficiency buildings
rather than poly greenhouses, and the vertical design of our systems means that for the
same growing area the total air volume of a Vertical Farm Systems building is around 88%
less than the air volume of single level growing systems.
2. The potential for use of green energy and the elimination of fossil fuel powered tractors,
irrigation pumps and other horticultural equipment, Vertical Farm Systems can be
structured as carbon emissions competitive.

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4.4 LOW LABOUR COST
Vertical Farm Systems are fully automated growing systems with automatic SMS text
messaging for any faults. Manual labour is only required on-site for planting, harvesting
and packaging of crops - and the required skill levels are very low.

4.5 LOW WATER USAGE
Being a totally closed growing system with controlled transpiration losses, Vertical Farm
Systems use only around 10% of the water required for traditional open field farming and
around 20% less than conventional hydroponics. Water from transpiration is harvested and
re-used and spent nutrient water is also processed for re-use.

4.6 REDUCED WASHING AND PROCESSING
Vertical Farm Systems growing environments are fitted with strong bio-security
procedures to eliminate pest and disease attacks. Total elimination of the need for foliar
sprays, pesticides and herbicides in cropping systems results in produce that does not
require holding times or expensive and product damaging washing or post-harvest
processing.


4.7 INCREASED GROWING AREA AND SPACE SAVING

For the same floor area, Vertical Farm Systems multi-level design provides nearly 8 times
more growing area than single level hydroponic or greenhouse systems. This compact
design enables cost-effective farming installations in industrial estates, urban warehouses
and other low cost and typically under-utilized environments not previously associated
with high-quality high-margin agricultural activities. It is estimated that every acre used
for vertical farming is equivalent to 4 acres of horizontal farming.
 Year-round crop production
 Eliminates agricultural runoff
 Significantly reduces use of fossil fuels (farm machines and transport of crops)
 Makes use of abandoned or unused properties

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 No weather related crop failures
 Offers the possibility of sustainability for urban centers
 Converts black and gray water to drinking water
 Adds energy back to the grid via methane generation
 Creates new urban employment opportunities
 Reduces the risk of infection from agents transmitted at the agricultural interface
 Returns farmland to nature, helping to restore ecosystem functions and services
 Controls vermin by using restaurant waste for methane generation

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CHAPTER-5
SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT OF VERTICAL FARMING
Sustainable agriculture is the act of farming using principles of ecology, the study of
relationships between organisms and their environment. It has been defined as "an integrated
system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will last
over the long term", for example:
 Satisfy human food and fibre needs.
 Enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural
economy depends
 Make the most efficient use of non- renewable resource and on-farm resources and integrate,
where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls
 Sustain the economic viability of farm operations
 Enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole

5.1 FARMING AND NATURAL RESOURCES
Sustainable agriculture can be understood as an ecosystem approach to agriculture. Practices that
can cause long-term damage to soil include excessive tilling of the soil(leading to erosion)
and irrigation without adequate drainage (leading to salinization). Long-term experiments have
provided some of the best data on how various practices affect soil properties essential to
sustainability.
The most important factors for an individual site are sun, air, soil, nutrients, and water. Of the five,
water and soil quality and quantity are most amenable to human intervention through time and
labor.
Although air and sunlight are available everywhere on Earth, crops also depend
on soil nutrients and the availability of water. When farmers grow and harvest crops, they remove
some of these nutrients from the soil. Without replenishment, land suffers from nutrient depletion
and becomes either unusable or suffers from reduced yields. Sustainable agriculture depends on
replenishing the soil while minimizing the use or need of non-renewable resources, such as natural

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gas (used in converting atmospheric nitrogen into synthetic fertilizer), or mineral ores (e.g.,
phosphate). Possible sources of nitrogen that would, in principle, be available indefinitely, include:
1. recycling crop waste and livestock or treated human manure
2. growing legume crops and forages such as peanuts or alfalfa that form symbioses
with nitrogen-fixing bacteria called rhizobia
3. industrial production of nitrogen by the Haber process uses hydrogen, which is currently
derived from natural gas, (but this hydrogen could instead be made by electrolysis of water
using electricity (perhaps from solar cells or windmills)) or
4. Genetically engineering (non-legume) crops to form nitrogen-fixing symbioses or fix
nitrogen without microbial symbionts.

5.2 WATER
In some areas sufficient rainfall is available for crop growth, but many other areas require
irrigation. For irrigation systems to be sustainable, they require proper management (to avoid
salinization) and must not use more water from their source than is naturally replenishable.
Otherwise, the water source effectively becomes a non-renewable resource. Improvements in
water well drilling technology and submersible pumps , combined with the development of drip
irrigation and low pressure pivots, have made it possible to regularly achieve high crop yields in
areas where reliance on rainfall alone had previously made successful agriculture unpredictable.
However, this progress has come at a price. In many areas, such as the ogallala Aquifer, the water
is being used faster than it can be replenished.
Several steps must be taken to develop drought-resistant farming systems even in "normal" years
with average rainfall. These measures include both policy and management actions: 1) improving
water conservation and storage measures, 2) providing incentives for selection of drought-tolerant
crop species, 3) using reduced-volume irrigation systems, 4) managing crops to reduce water loss,
or 5) not planting crops at all.

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INDICATORS FOR SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCE DEVEL OPMENT ARE:
 Internal renewable water resources. This is the average annual flow of rivers and
groundwater generated from endogenous precipitation, after ensuring that there is no double
counting. It represents the maximum amount of water resource produced within the
boundaries of a country. This value, which is expressed as an average on a yearly basis, is
invariant in time (except in the case of proved climate change). The indicator can be
expressed in three different units: in absolute terms (km3/yr), in mm/yr (it is a measure of the
humidity of the country), and as a function of population (m3/person per yr).
 Global renewable water resources. This is the sum of internal renewable water resources and
incoming flow originating outside the country. Unlike internal resources, this value can vary
with time if upstream development reduces water availability at the border. Treaties ensuring
a specific flow to be reserved from upstream to downstream countries may be taken into
account in the computation of global water resources in both countries.
 Dependency ratio. This is the proportion of the global renewable water resources originating
outside the country, expressed in percentage. It is an expression of the level to which the
water resources of a country depend on neighbouring countries.
 Water withdrawal. In view of the limitations described above, only gross water withdrawal
can be computed systematically on a country basis as a measure of water use. Absolute or
per-person value of yearly water withdrawal gives a measure of the importance of water in
the country's economy. When expressed in percentage of water resources, it shows the
degree of pressure on water resources. A rough estimate shows that if water withdrawal
exceeds a quarter of global renewable water resources of a country, water can be considered
a limiting factor to development and, reciprocally, the pressure on water resources can have a
direct impact on all sectors, from agriculture to environment and fisheries.

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6.3 SOIL

Soil erosion is fast becoming one of the world greatest problems. It is estimated that "more
than a thousand million tonnes of southern Africa's soil are eroded every year. Experts
predict that crop yields will be halved within thirty to fifty years if erosion continues at
present rates.’’ Soil erosion is not unique to Africa but is occurring worldwide. The
phenomenon is being called Peak Soil as present large scale factory farming techniques
are jeopardizing humanity's ability to grow food in the present and in the future. Without
efforts to improve soil management practices, the availability of arable soil will become
increasingly problematic.
SOME SOIL MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES
1. No-till farming
2. Keyline design
3. Growing wind breaks to hold the soil
4. Incorporating organic matter back into fields
5. Stop using chemical fertilizers (which contain salt)
6. Protecting soil from water run off(soil erosion)

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CHAPTER -6
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS

Imagining a future where urban vertical farming becomes an important driver of the food
production industry, the consequences on a social and political level would be difficult to predict,
but they would be substantial.
Major shifts in food distribution networks would ensue and therefore changes in political trade
balances between nations and regions. Urban farms would compete and most likely gain the upper
hand in the production of the majority of food in urban regions, leaving agricultural land to be used
for more specialized uses, or to be returned to a natural state. Of course the production of food
crops on land will quite likely remain financially beneficial as its primary investments are low, but
as oil and energy prices rise, the transportation of these crops will gain an increasing share in the
cost of traditionally cultivated food.
On a sociological level people in dense urban environments would be partially reconnected with
the cycle of resources that exists in the natural world. Waste would be locally treated and used to
grow nutrients that are then consumed locally. The requirements of the vertical farms in terms of
labor and maintenance would mingle a modern agrarian work force with that of more typical urban
dwellers, which might prove for an interesting cultural interchange.
It might serve to re-establish a certain respect and understanding for natural processes in the
educational system as farms and schools can be co-located and other functions are integrated as
well. It would not be a large stretch of the imagination to envision the merger of public places and
food production, after all if Chinese gardens did it in ways we admire now, why not apply it to a
new urban development? For developing worlds the farms could be a center for development, and
substituting some high technology solutions with labor intensive solutions provide for employment
for a substantial number of people.
For developing areas it would mean a more reliable source of food, a more solid infrastructural
foundation to build a society upon and a basis for a more solid economy. In addition it would likely
reduce the amount of food related traffic within the city, although that is difficult to quantify. The
quality of food could be regulated better and the water filtration properties of a vertical farm are
paramount to healthy future development, this being a major issue in many developing areas. It
could assist in providing employment for women in countries where women have lower

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(agricultural) social status and provide for a framework of reintegration of these classes and an
emancipation of this status.

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CHAPTER 7
MAKING OF VERTICAL FARM (MODEL)



Aim: to make a vertical farm.

Equipment’s used: angles, iron pipe, PVC pipes, wall, plastic tubs, soil, manure, rotating tyers,
paint.

Tools used: hammer, chipping hammer, tong, welding machine, drilling machine, grinding
machine, file

Procedure:
1. At first we design the structure for the vertical farm.
2. Then drill holes in tub.
3. Mix manure and soil.
4. Fill tubs with mixture of manure and soil.
5. Then we divide this mixture into 3 rows.
6. Then we sprinkle seeds into soil 1 inch deep, it takes almost 2 weeks to grown up.
7. Plumbing work.
8. Then we test it with water.


Precautions:
1. Proper sunlight, air and water.
2. Care from birds (they eat seeds )
3. Handle tubs with care.

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7.1CHALLENGES IN AUTOMATION FOR VERTICAL FARMING SYSTEMS
 Making return on investment attractive
 Systems optimization by proper integration of Automation, Plant Culture, and
Environment
 Balancing fixed automation and flexible automation (i.e. Identifying appropriate level of
necessary machine intelligence)
 Multiple use of machine or parts of machine.
 Limited market demand and acceptance Concern for safety in operation
 Continuous improvement of research and development capabilities.

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CHAPTER-8
CONCLUSION

The implications of vertical farming in an urban ecology
This dissertation will conclude by examining how vertical farming can encourage a more resilient,
cyclical resource metabolism to emerge in the microcosm of human society, the city.
Large scale urban farming, in the shape of vertical farms, can thoroughly affect the way we provide
for our daily necessities. Its potential is enormous, positively affecting transportation, food quality,
the economy of cities, skyline and the sociological landscape of urban areas. However, it depends
on its level of implementation how influential it can be.
Also as a long vision future is urban totally. And here the vertical farming concepts can really act
as an emerging trend for resource (oil, land, water etc.) management. The impact of urban
agriculture, vertical or not, could range from large to small. The range spans from a nice and
functional addition to the agricultural services providing some places with a percentage of their
food contribution in highly developed countries, to revolutionary development in food production
that shifts the balance from rural to urban and empowers developing countries in economic,
political and social ways as not seen before.
In the case of architecture it really helps the city to shape its skyline and sociological landscape of
urban areas .As architects it is necessary to continue to push for experimentation and exploration
of this realm. The challenge of architects for this vertical farm is to maximize sunlight penetration
and provide facilities for the public and commercial sectors. The crops areas should place on top
and envisaged to the south, to take advantage of the southern sun. Scaffold framed structures and
meshes can be used to keep farm area light. The technologies are known, but they've hardly been
used in such a way before. Also, the economical characteristics are not entirely known. Without
test sites and further research into the implementation of vertical farms into the fabric of the city
it will remain guess work.
What is certain is that vertical farms provide an enormous potential for changing the functional
operations of cities the world over, and that whoever manages to harness them in an economically
and ecologically sound way has a bright future ahead of them. International cooperation to achieve
the first few plants would be a good start, and a number of experimental vertical farms the next

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step. No matter how it will be done, large scale urban farming is a viable opportunity in architecture
that can play a very important role in the next century, if executed correctly.
To effectively explain vertical farming‘s impact on urban resource metabolism it is important to
address the underlying systematic behavior of cities in relation to that of their sustaining natural
ecosystems. Like ecosystems, cities are classified a ―complex adaptive systems‖; complex in that they
are diverse and composed of multiple interconnected agents, and adaptive in their capacity to evolve
in response to stimulus. Both can be described as emergent phenomena wherein their overall form and
behavior are determined not by the sum of their constituent parts, but rather the patterns that emerge
from the interactions of their constituent parts. Both are also strongly influenced by their contextual
forces: the hydrological and thermodynamic signature of a region for ecosystems and the regional
economic, demographic, and environmental forces for cities. Urban systems will expand or contract,
evolve or become stagnant over time, just like ecological communities.
The evident behavioral distinctions between cities and ecosystems can be explained primarily by the
differing levels of diversity among their respective constituent agents. It is widely understood that
ecosystems exhibit a complex cyclical metabolism. This is enabled by the heterogeneous array of
organisms that compose ecosystems, where the waste material discharged by one organism can become
the nourishment for another. This metabolic structure is astonishingly self-reliant, requiring few inputs
beyond sunlight and externalizing no material output waste.

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On the other hand, modern cities have overwhelmingly linear metabolisms distinguished by their
insatiable appetite for natural resource inputs and substantial production of waste outputs. This
simplistic resource usage pattern is a product of the homogeneity of a city‘s composition. In
contrast to the internal diversity of ecosystems, cities are largely composed of entities fulfilling
the role of heterotrophic consumption.
Urban citizens consume food, water, and other commodities, their buildings and appliances
consume electricity, and their vehicles consume fuel – the latter two also involving the
consumption of raw materials in their manufacture.
Without the complimentary metabolic functions of producers or decomposers urban agents must
obtain these resources from sources found outside the community, while also creating wastes of
little use to the community, forming the traditional input and output externalities of urban life.

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My response to this is that one must realize that vertical farming can exist at a wide range of scales
like conventional farming. Designs like Sky Farm and the OVFT should be understood as
conceptual explorations of the concept at the extremities of its potential realization, much in the
same way Frank Lloyd Wright‘s Mile High Illinois served as a provocation for super tall
skyscrapers. With the projected trends of rising food prices and the improving efficiency of grow
lights in mind, it appears the vertical farming model advocated in this dissertation can expect its
gross revenue per unit of production to rise while its major capital and operating costs will shrink.
Therefore, vertical farming will likely be an accessible venture for community-scaled businesses
in the future; a scenario that would enable vertical farming to infiltrate the food production system
of liberal economies through the phenomena of bottom-up, emergence.
Moving forward, the question of how best to facilitate this shift to a more resilient, self-contained
urban metabolism presents itself. After acknowledging the obvious necessity for the continued
advancement of the technologies that improve resource productivity, one interesting development
could see an expansion to the scope of urban planning to include the adaptive management of
urban metabolism. If armed with a thorough understanding of the science of system‘s theory and
the mechanics of industrial ecology, urban planners could introduce informed by-law amendments
and zoning changes to encourage metabolic attractors like vertical farms to gain a foothold where

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they are needed most. Through this practice we may ultimately learn that effective stewardship of
the natural environment begins with the stewardship of our own industrial ecology.

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BIBLIOGRAPHIES

1. Albright, Louis (2004) CEA: Controlled Environment Agriculture
http://www.cornellcea.com/about_CEA.htm.
2. Bourne, Joel K Jr. The End of Plenty, (2009, June). National Geographic.
3. The Ontario Greenhouse Alliance (TOGA), the Greenhouse Sector in Ontario2009 Update.
4. Graff, Gordon. (2009). A Greener Revolution: An Argument for Vertical Farming. Plan Canada,
2009 summer.
5. http://gizmodo.com/this-is-the-future-14-high-tech-farms-where-veggies-gr-513129450
6. http://www.verticalfarms.com.au/advantages-vertical-farming
7.http://www.thecultureist.com/2012/11/28/5-benefits-of-vertical-farming-the-future-of-
agriculture/
8. http://www.slideshare.net/envirock/vertical-farming-lauren-williamson
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