1. Vertical Farming
By Sam Keegan

2. Background Human overpopulation = Over 9 Billion by 2050
Rapid Urbanization
10,000 years ago, move from hunting and gathering to agriculture
Green Revolution
1960’s
Technological advancements  Mass agricultural production

3. Problems with Traditional Agriculture
Solution to increase food production to cater to the growing population:
Expansion and Intensification
Expansion:
Intensification:
land degradation
destruction of natural habitats
deforestation
genetically modified crops
increasing irrigation
increasing fertilization

4. Problems with Putting Traditional Farms in Urban Areas
Obstacles
Difficulty acquiring large amounts of land
Insecurity of land tenure
Difficulty installing proper farming infrastructure such as hoop houses, storage sheds, and irrigation systems
Difficulty finding enough sunlight/quality soil in urban areas

5. Vertical Agriculture; The cultivation of crops using hydroponic and aeroponic technologies, organized in vertically stacked layers such as a skyscraper or multiple story building.

6. Hydroponics

7. Aeroponics

8. Environmental Benefits
Irrigation Systems
-uses 8% of the water used on conventional farms
-water is recycled in vertical farms
-potential to use municipal waste water

9. Environmental Benefits
(2) Renewable Energy
-Photovoltaic cells on roof and surrounding buildings
-Geothermal Energy
-Wind Energy
-Incinerated Waste (Plant and Human)

10. Environmental Benefits
(3) Reduce Pollution
-Fertilizers would remain inside the building
-Prevents water pollution of pesticides, herbicides, and silt
-Reduces amount of CO2 and Nitrous Oxide in the atmosphere
(4) Bioremediation
-By moving agriculture from the country and into the city, abandoned farmland could be preserved and left untouched in hopes of restoring biodiversity
-Could aid in the effort to slow down climate change

11. Environmental Benefits
(5) Increased Production
-Year-round farming allows for maximum production
-Controlled environment eliminates factors such as unpredictable weather, pests, weeds, and diseases
(6) Food Sovereignty
-Vertical Farms tend to the demands of the surrounding population rather than the demand of the market
-More sustainable because there is less overproduction of goods, therefore lessoning the disposal of unused produce

12. Why No Large Scale Farms?
Obstacles:
-Lack of experienced farmers familiar with this technology
-Economic viability of providing enough water and energy to a large scale farm
- “Food from Chemicals”
-Requires a collective effort of indoor agronomists, businessmen, engineers, architects, politicians, ect.

13. Vertical Farm in Singapore.

14. Design for Vertical Farm in NYC.

15. Works Cited
Al-Chalabi M Vertical farming: Skyscraper sustainability? Sustainable Cities and Society 18: DOI: /j.scs
Aubry C, Rananibjisoa J, Dababt M, Rakotoarisoa, Rakotondraibe J, Rabeharisoa Urban agriculture and land use in cities: An approach with the multi-functionality and sustainability concepts in the case of Antananarivo (Madagascar). Land Use Policy 29: DOI: /j.landusepol
 De Lorenzo V, Marliere P, Sole R Bioremediation at a global scale: from the test tube to planet Earth. Microbial Biotechnology 9: DOI: /
Despommier D The Rise of Vertical Farms. The Scientific American 301: 80-
 Despommier D Farming up the city: the rise of urban vertical farms. Trends in Biotechnology 31: DOI: /j.tibtech
 Epting S Participatory budgeting and vertical agriculture: A thought experiment in food system reform. Journal of Agricultural & Environmental Ethics 29: DOI: /s x
 Germer J, Sauerborn J, Asch F, de Boer J, Schreiber J, Weber G, Muller J Skyfarming: An ecological innovation to enhance global food security. Journal of Consumer Protection and Food Safety 6: DOI: /s
Han B, Ouyang Z, Liu H, Cui Z, Lu Z, Crittenden J Courtyard integrated ecological system: An ecological engineering practice in China and its economic-environmental benefit. Journal of Cleaner Production 133: DOI: /j.jclepro
 Henle K, Alard D, Clitherow J, Cobb P, Firbank L, Kull T, McCracken D, Moritz R, Niemela J, Rebane M, Wascher D, Watt D, Young J Identifying and managing the conflicts between agriculture and biodiversity conservation in Europe. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 124: DOI: /j.agree
Pfeiffer A, Silva E, Colquhoun J Innovation in urban agricultural practices: Responding to diverse production environments. Renewable Agriculture & Food Systems 30: DOI: /S
 Schnitzler W Urban hydroponics for green and clean cities and for food security. International Symposium on Soilless Cultivation: DOI: /ActaHortic