Let us spark full spectrum thinkers today. Where did your cereal box, milk carton, and soggy cereal go after you threw it out this morning? Do you know? Did they grow new food? Did you put it on your roof? No, is likely the answer. They probably traveled in a dump truck to a landill, contributing to millions of tons of food waste.
Below is a rooftop farm, but not just any. This one works in cohesion with the rest of the building below to function and grow. What makes this building’s ecosystem particularly special is that it encourages human interaction with all its living systems. It directly links consumers to producers, thereby increasing agriculture literacy. Further creating a locally organized system of
We can create a systems-based-design approach as an inclusive, civic model, whose parts reinforce the perceptions of food waste, along with energy and water waste. Within our whole building ecosystems we can help solve the problem of excess food waste.
food production that is bound together by place will educate all who visit in an immersive civic experience.
To help you wrap your head around this, let us start by exploring a small gem within a giant city mine.
compost
food for fuel Since this building is systems based, it thrives off of an ecological chain reaction of inputs to close its life cycle loops and reduce waste.
A special composting method called “Vermicompost”uses worms and insects for decomposing waste into plant-available nutrients, further aiding in an integrated and educational waste-removal system.
Below the rooftop farm is a coffee shop that encourages zero waste practices by eliminating use of non-recyclable/compostable cups, napkins, silverware, straws, lids, and packaging. They motivate a mindset to re-use their own coffee mugs and thermoses as a way to eliminate landfill waste. Woohoo!
Therefore, taking the building’s food waste and composting it onsite to plant more food can supports the building’s businesses. Systems interaction sets up a foundation for closed-loop processes of sustainment.
coffee shop
They bring their used coffee grounds directly up to the rooftop farm which eliminates transportation emissions & cost of waste disposal.
comapred to ordinary soil, worm castings are extra high in phosphorous, potassium & nitrogen the amount of worms needed is determined by the amount of kitchen food waste generated everyday
castings
used cofee grounds improve soil structure, is a free compost material for the farm & keeps a valuable resource out of landfills
THOUSANDS of to-go cups are thrown out every day because they are not recycable due to plastic lining
kitchen waste
compost re-use
a 9 vs
food waste fed to worms for compost includes a variety of vegetables & fruits!
worm castings improve soil quality, nutrient density, & ability to absorb excess CO2 in the atmosphere
no leftover trash
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LAND FILLS
water store
energy store The sun’s heat is stored within solar panels which lowers electricity dependency for the building heating & cooling system. The trapped heat within the greenhouse is partly transferred to a biodigester that is able to anaerobically break down waste into methane, which can light the stoves of the restaurant and coffee shop. That broken-down waste is plant available for compost, which further improves soil quality to grow nutrient dense plants and vegetables without the use of chemical fertilizers.
Various techniques for on-site collecting, filtering and storing, all contribute to less water waste within the building system, while providing users with an engaging and realistic water conservation approach to daily tasks. Water conservation reduces excess municiple water use and high water bills as well.
burried
irrigation
reduces evaporation & conserves more water to encourage deeper plant growth
compost
rainwater system lessens our impact on the environment without having to deplete nearby ground water sources provides a source of direct irrigation for the rooftop farm & garden can replace up to
80%
of daily municiple water use
energy saving
fresh food supplies the restaurant below
a rooftop garden insulates the building below by keeping it warm in the winter and cool in the summer
panels
minimizing electrical dependency while reducing energy bills
can replace up to
90
%
of daily electrical energy use
solar heat exchanger in greenhouse
water tank
kitchen waste
The most beautiful piece to this interconnected puzzle of system engagement is the fact that the individual building functions work together as a closed loop. The innovative, on-site ways to manage waste inputs ends up supporting the life cycle outputs of other systems.
compost
seasonal.local.farm to table
fresh food
This model has the potential to be incorporated into a variety of building types without the need for new building construction. Who knows, this system could even be included within your own home or school!
radiant floor heating
pick your mug
v
closed loop water system
waste
grounds
center
grey water storage tank
filter pump
coffee
Civic engagement fosters a problem-solving perspective centered around awareness of our daily actions and impacts. The potential for producers and consumers to come together to solidify community bonds within an educational, inspiring, and transparent setting, sets up the opportunity to meet a wider set of needs while actively understanding the beauty of life’s gift to us all. Most importantly, teaching you where your food comes from, where its waste goes, and how the environment is affected by our impacts and actions, will make a better world for generations to come.