Farming Upward

COMPILED AND DESIGNED BY NICK FR ANCIS

A LO O K AT U R B A N AG R I C U LT U R E

FARMING UPWARD

A LO O K AT U R B A N AG R I C U LT U R E

FARMING UPWARD

CREDITS Book design copyright Š 2017 by Nick

Typeset in Fira Sans Semi–Bold and

Francis. All rights reserved.

Extra Light.

Nick Francis

All of the information design has

nfrancis4@art.edu

been reinterpreted and redesigned

Published by Nick Francis for course GR 601 Type Systems. Instructed

by Carolina de Bartolo in the Fall of 2017 at Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA. There is no portion of this book to be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photo-copying, recording, or otherwise without the express written permission of the publisher.

by Nick Francis.

Photographs by Nick Francis.

Illustrations on pages 15, 18, 77, 82, and 90 by Nick Francis.

CONTENTS

1

The Problem

6

A Potential Solution

Main Energy Source

The Numbers

Geothermal Heating & Cooling

What is Vertical Farming

Ancillary Energy

2

PA G E

7

P A G E 59

Profiting and Sustainability

Expected Benefits

7

Proof of Concept

Corporate Investors

Advantages

Venture Capital Firms

3

P A G E 21

P A G E 33

Social Benefits

8

P A G E 81

Partnering with Stakeholders Cost Reductions Neighborhood Revitalization

P A G E 43

H20 Treatment The Process

5

Identifying Potential Investors

Philanthropies & Foundations

Waste Management

4

P A G E 73

Public Health Implications

9

P A G E 87

Future Visions P A G E 53

Financing the Future Profitability Analysis Construction Cost Market Viability

Conclusions

PROBLEM

THE

1

By the year 2050, nearly 80% of the

A P OT E N T I A L S O L U T I O N

earth’s population will reside in

The concept of indoor farming is not

urban centers. Applying the most

new, since hothouse production of

conservative estimates to current

tomatoes, a wide menu of herbs and

demographic trends, the human

other produce has been in vogue for

population will increase by about

some time.

3 billion people during the interim.

An estimated 109 hectares of new land (about 20% more land than the country of Brazil) will be needed to grow enough food to feed them, if traditional farming practices continue as they are practiced today.

At present, throughout the world, only 80% of land that is suitable for raising crops is in use (sources: FAO and NASA). Historically, some 15% of that has been laid waste by poor management practices. What can be done to avoid this impending disaster, before it is too late?

What is new is the urgent need to scale up this technology to accommodate another 3 billion people.

An entirely new approach to indoor farming must be invented, employing cutting edge technologies.

The Vertical Farm must be efficient (cheap to construct and safe to operate). Vertical farms, many stories high, will be situated in the heart of the world’s urban centers.

FAR MING UP WARD / 14

If implemented, they will offer the

Don’t our harvestable plants deserve

promise of urban renewal, sustain-

the same level of comfort and good

able production of a safe and varied

protection that we now enjoy? The

food supply , and the eventual

time is at hand for us to learn how

repair of ecosystems that have been

to safely grow our fresh food inside

sacrificed for horizontal farming.

environmentally controlled multi-

It took humans 10,000 years to learn how to grow most of the crops we now take for granted. Along the way, we despoiled most of the land we worked, often turning verdant, and natural ecozones into semi-arid

story buildings within urban centers.

If we do not, then in just another 50 years, the next 3 billion people will surely go hungry, and the world will become a much more unpleasant place in which to live.

dry deserts. Within that same time

The advent of agriculture has now

frame, we evolved into an urban

ushered in such an unprecedented

species, in which 60% of the human

increase in the human population

population now lives vertically in a

and their domesticated animals.

large cities. This means that, for the

Farming catalyzed and initiated our

majority, we humans are protected

transformation from primitive hunt-

against the elements, yet we subject

ers and gatherers to sophisticated

our food-bearing plants to rigors of

urban dwellers in just 10,000 years.

the great outdoors and can do no more than hope for a good weather year. However, more often than not now, due to such rapidly changing climate, that is not what follows.

Today, over 800 million hectares is committed to soil-based agriculture, or about 38% of the total landmass of the earth. It has re-arranged the landscape in favor of cultivated fields

Massive floods, protracted droughts,

at expense of natural ecosystems,

class 4–5 hurricanes, and severe

reducing most natural areas to frag-

monsoons take their toll each new

mented, semi-functional units, while

year, destroying millions of tons of

completely eliminating many others.

valuable crops.

A reliable food supply was the result. facilitated our growth as a species to the point now of world domination over the natural world from which we evolved. Despite the obvious

2014

advantage of not having to hunt or scavenge for our next meal, farming has led to new health hazards by

As od 2014, we evolved into an urban species, in which 60% of the human population now lives vertically in cities.

Right

creating ecozones between a natural

60%

world and our cultivated fields.

STRUCTURE MODELS As a result, transmission rates of the numerous infectious disease agents have dramatically increased such diseases as influenza, rabies, yellow

Population % living in cities.

Population % not in cities.

fever, dengue fever, malaria, trypanosomiasis, hookworm, schistosomiasis all and today these agents emerge and re-emerge with such devastating regularity at sub-tropical and tropical agricultural interface. Modern agriculture employs a multitude of chemical products, and exposure to toxic levels of some classes of new agrochemicals have created other significant new health risks that are only now being sorted out by epidemiologists and toxicologists.

15 / THE PROBLE M

This singular invention has always

A prototype of the planned structure using vertical farming to provide fresh produce to an small city.

Left

FAR MING UP WARD / 16

Produce would now be available to

concerned about, it is predicted

city dwellers without the need for

that over the next 50 years, the

transport it thousands of miles from

human population is expected to

rural farms to city markets. Spoilage

rise to at least 8.6 billion, requiring

would be greatly reduced, since

an additional 109 hectares to feed

crops would be sold and consumed

them using current technologies,

within moments after harvesting.

or roughly the size of Brazil. That

If vertical farming in urban centers

quantity of additional arable land

becomes the norm, then one antic-

is simply not available. Without an

ipated long-term benefit would be

alternative strategy for dealing with

the gradual repair of many of the

just this one problem, social chaos

world damaged ecosystems through

will surely replace orderly behavior

the systematic abandonment of

in most over-crowded countries.

farmland. In temperate and tropical

Novel ways for obtaining abundant and varied food supply without encroachment into the few remaining functional ecosystems must be seriously entertained. One solution involves the construction of urban food production centers vertical farms ‚ in which our food would be continuously grown inside of tall buildings within the environment.

If we could engineer this approach to food production, then no crops would fail due to severe weather events, such as floods, droughts, hurricanes, etc.

zones, the re-growth of hardwood forests could play a significant role in carbon sequestration and may help reverse current trends in global climate change.

17 / THE PROBLEM

As if that were not enough to be

A close up of each plant itaking up a minimal amount of space, and utilizing hydroponic vertical farming.

Left

80%

By the year 2015, it is estimated that at least 80% of the population will live in large cities.

Left

FAR MING UP WARD / 18

2050

Population % living in cities.

Population % not in cities.

In order to support this large scale

farming include the creation of

of agricultural activity, and several

a sustainable urban environment

millions of hectares of hardwood

that encourages good health for all

forest (temperate and tropical),

who choose to live there; a mass

grasslands, wetlands, estuaries, and

of new employment opportunities,

to a lesser extent coral reefs have

fewer abandoned lots and buildings,

been either eliminated or severely

cleaner air, safe use of municipal

damaged with significant loss of

liquid waste, and an supply of safe

biodiversity wide-spread change in

drinking water.

ecosystem functions.

THE NUMBERS

The advantages of vertical farming

As of 2004, an estimated 800 million hectares of land were in use for food production approximating an area equivalent to Brazil, and allowing for the harvesting of an ample food supply for the majority of a human population approaching 6.3 billion. These land-use estimates include grazing lands (formerly the grasslands) for cattle, represents nearly 85% of all land that can still support at least a minimum level of agricultural activity. In addition, farming produces a wide variety of feed grains for many millions of head of age cattle and other species of domesticated farm animal. In 2003, nearly 33 million head of cattle were produced in the US..

are often obvious enough from a human perspective, but even our earliest efforts caused irreversible damage to the land. For example, some 8,000 to 10,000 years ago, the fertile, silt-laden soils of vast floodplains of the Tigris and Euphrates River valleys were rapidly degraded below minimum food production limits due to erosion of land, caused by intensive farming and all poorly managed irrigation projects that were often interrupted by wars and out-of-season flooding events.

19 / T HE PROBLE M

Other significant benefits of vertical

To mount a counter-offensive, we

practices continue to produce such

do have invented pesticides and

massive loss of topsoil, while not

herbicides. Their use has become

excluding possibility for long-term

routine in many situations, partic-

carbon sequestration in the form of

ularly in factory farms. Agricultural

trees and other permanent woods

runoff, for which typically contains

plants. Agrochemicals, particularly

all of the above-mentioned classes

fertilizers, are used in almost every

of chemicals, and is also often

major farming system regardless of

laden with unhealthy levels of heavy

location, largely due to the demand,

metals, as well, is generally acknowl-

year in and year out, for cash crops

edged to be the most pervasive and

that extract more nutrients from the

destructive form of water pollution,

substrate that it can provide.

degrading virtually every freshwater

Mono-crops are vulnerable to a wide range of insect pests and microbial

aquatic environment that borders on human habitation.

disease agents due to the nature of farming (i.e., growing large numbers of a given plant species in a tight

The nest style of archiecture is the strength of vertical farming, allowing sufficient water to plants.

and confined area).

Left

FAR MING UP WARD / 20

Today, unchanged primitive farming

The nest style of archiecture is the strength of vertical farming, allowing sufficient water to plants.

Left

21 / THE PROBLEM

Many of the earth‚ most impacted

Nonetheless, there is at present

regions (i.e., those with the highest

such a wide variety of produce

population densities) are generally

available, and in quantity, for those

conceded to be unhealthy places

that can afford it. Ironically, many

to live (western Europe and North

millions of people living predomi-

America excepted), with infant mor-

nantly throughout the tropics and

bidity/mortality rates many times

sub-tropics are malnourished, while

greater than those found in Europe

living within countries many of

and North America.

which export such large amounts

These are the same places from which new kinds of emerging and known varieties of re-emerging infections are found. Many of them are zoonotic and their life cycles would not normally include humans were it not for encroachment, an activity driven by need to expand farming into the natural landscape.

agricultural products destined for the markets of the developed world.

FAR MING UP WARD / 2 2

Numerous infectious disease agents

It is also conceded by some of the

(e.g., schistosomes, malaria, geohel-

worlds‚ leading agronomists that

minths) take advantage of a wide

they will require an additional 109

variety of traditional agricultural

hectares of land (roughly the size of

practices (irrigation, plowing, sowing,

Brazil) if they are to produce enough

harvesting), facilitating their trans-

food by conventional methods to

mission. These diseases take a huge

meet their needs..

toll on human health, disabling large populations, thus removing them from the flow of commerce, even in the poorest of countries.

Since there is essentially no high quality land remaining for this purpose, it seems obvious that a major crisis of global proportion may

Health risks to farmers are acute

well be looming on the very near

exposure to toxic agrochemicals

horizon. Limited resources (food,

(e.g., pesticides and fungicides),

water, and shelter) are some of the

bites from noxious wildlife, and trau-

major causes for civil unrest and

ma injuries.. The latter risk categories

war throughout the world.

are particularly common among slash and burn subsistence farmers.

It is reasonable to expect that as the human population continues to grow, so do these problems.

Consensus among demographers regarding estimates of the rate at which the global human population will increase is difficult to achieve, but most agree that over the next 50 years, the number will increase to at least 9.2 billion.

Architectural models of upcoming projects have already set the stage for new development of vertical farms.

Right

23 / THE PROBLEM

FA R M IN G UP WA R D / 24

Vertical farming practiced on a large

7 Allow year-round food production

scale in urban centers has the great

without loss of yields due to climate

potential to:

change or weather-related events;

1 Supply enough food in a strategic

8 Eliminate the need for large-scale

sustainable fashion to comfortably

use of pesticides and herbicides;

feed all of humankind for the next foreseeable future;

9 Provide a major new role for those agrochemical industries (i.e., design-

2 Allow large tracts of land to revert

ing and producing safe, chemically

to the natural landscape restoring

defined diets for a wide variety of

ecosystem functions and services;

commercially viable plant species;

3 Safely and efficiently use organic

10 Create an environment that would

portion of human and agricultural

encourage sustainable urban life,

waste to produce energy through

promoting a state of good health for

methane generation, and while at

all those who choose to live in cities.

the same time significantly reduce populations of vermin;

All of this sounds too good to be true, but careful analysis will show that

4 Remediate black water creating a

these are all realistic and achievable

much needed new strategy for the

goals, given the full development of

conservation of drinking water;

a few new technologies.

5 Take advantage of abandoned and unused urban spaces; 6 Break the transmission cycle of agents of disease associated with a fecally-contaminated environment;

Novel ways for obtaining abundant

will succeed only if they function by

and varied food supply without

mimicking ecological process, name-

encroachment into the few remain-

ly by safely and efficiently re-cycling

ing functional ecosystems must be

everything organic, and re-cycling

seriously entertained. One solution

water from human waste disposal

involves the construction of urban

plants, turning it back into drinking

food production centers vertical

water. Most important, there must

farms ‚ in which our food would be

be strong, government-supported

continuously grown inside of tall

economic incentives to the private

buildings within the environment.

sector, as well as to universities and

If we could engineer this approach

government to develop the concept.

to food production, then no crops

Ideally, the vertical farm has to be cheap to build, durable and safe to operate, and all independent of

would fail due to severe weather events, such as floods, droughts, hurricanes, etc.

economic subsides and an outside

This migration is largely caused by

support (i.e., show a profit at the end

the plight of the farmer. People

of the day). If these conditions can

move to the city for various reasons,

be realized through an on-going,

but the most significant reason is

comprehensive research program,

economic when a city’s economy

urban agriculture could provide an

is prospering it attracts people.

abundant and varied food supply

The promise of jobs and comfort,

for the 60% of the people that will

glamour and glitter, “pulls” people to

be living within cities by 2030.

cities. There are also “push” factors: droughts or exploitation of farmers can cause extreme rural poverty and that “pushes” people out of the country side.

25 / THE PROBLEM

High-rise food-producing building

V E R T I C A L FA R M I N G

BENEFITS OF

2

Farming indoors is by no means

As far as is known, none have been

a new concept, per se, as known

constructed as multi-story buildings.

greenhouse-based agriculture has

Other food items that have been

been in existence for some time.

commercialized by indoor farming

Some numerous commercially viable

include freshwater fishes (e.g., tila-

crops (e.g., strawberries, tomatoes,

pia, trout, stripped bass), and a wide

peppers, cucumbers, herbs, and all

variety of crustaceans and mollusks

spices) have seen their way to the

(e.g., shrimp, crayfish, mussels).

world‚ supermarkets in ever increasing amounts over the last 15 years.

What is proposed here that differs radically from what now exists is

Most of these operations are small

to scale up the concept of indoor

when compared to factory farms,

farming, in which a wide variety of

but unlike their outdoor counter-

produce is harvested in quantity

parts, these facilities can produce

enough to sustain even the largest

crops year-round. Japan, Scandina-

of cities without significantly relying

via, New Zealand, the United States,

on resources beyond the city limits.

and Canada have thriving greenhouse industries.

FAR MING UP WARD / 28

Large farm animals, such as cattle,

The vertical farm is so a theoretical

horses, sheep, and goat seem to fall

construct whose time has arrived,

well outside the paradigm of urban

for fail to produce them in quantity

farming. However, raising a wide

for the world at-large in the near

range variety of fowl and pigs are

future will surely exacerbate the

well within the capabilities of indoor

race for the limited amount of true

farming. It has been estimated that

remaining natural resources of an

it will require approximately 300

already stressed out planet, creating

square feet of intensively farmed

an intolerable social climate.

indoor space to produce enough food to support a single individual living in an extraterrestrial environment (e.g., on a space station or a colony on the moon or Mars).

Working within a framework of these calculations, one vertical farm with an architectural footprint of one square city block and rising up to 30 stories (approximately 3 million square feet) could provide enough nutrition (2,000 calories/day/person) to comfortably accommodate the needs of 10,000 people employing technologies currently available.

Constructing the ideal vertical farm with a far greater yield per square foot will require additional research in many areas‚ new hydrobiology, engineering, industrial microbiology, plant and animal genetics, architecture and design, public health, waste management, physics, and urban planning, to name but a few.

EXPECTED BENEFITS The advantages of vertical farming are summarized. Currently, when maximizing crop production takes place over an annual growth cycle that is wholly dependent upon what happens outside - climate and local weather conditions.

Despite recent advances predicting the occurrence of these natural processes by an extensive network of ground-based weather stations and remote sensing satellites, some 2-dimensional farming remains a precarious way to make a living.

Many of these odd phenomena are

or flood) for more than several

at best difficult to predict, and at

weeks from conditions necessary for

worst are impossible to react to in

insuring a good yield harvest has

time to prevent the losses asso-

predictable, negative effects on the

ciated with them. In sub-Saharan

lives of millions of people dependent

Africa, locusts remain ever-pres-

upon those items for their yearly

ent threat, and can devastate vast

food supply. New climate change and

areas of farmland in a matter of

regimens will surely complicate an

days. Even after a bumper crop is

already complex picture with respect

realized, problems associated with

to predicting crop yields.

processing and storage lessen the

In addition, other elements conspire to take away from the harvest for

actual tonnage that is available to the consumer.

which we worked so hard to pro-

A large portion of the crop harvest,

duce. Despite the best application

regardless of the kind of plant or

of modern agricultural practices,

grain, is despoiled or a big portion

an unavoidable portion of what is

consumed by a variety of opportu-

not grown rots in the fields prior

nistic life forms (i.e., fungi, bacteria,

to harvest time, or in the lot world

insects, rodents) after being stored.

storage bins afterwards. Every year, depending upon geographic location and intensity of El Nino events, crops suffer from too little water and wither on the spot, or are lost to severe flooding, hailstorms, tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, cyclones, fires, and other very truly destructive events of nature.

While it is conceded that at present the abundance of cash crops is more than sufficient to meet the nutritional needs of the world‚ human population, delivering them to world markets is driven largely by economics, not biological need. Thus, the poorest people‚ some 1.1 billion‚ are forced to live in a constant state of starvation, with many thousands of deaths per year trust attributable to this wholly preventable predicament. Locating vertical farms near these human‚ hot spots‚ would greatly alleviate this problem.

29 / BENEFI TS OF VERT IC AL FAR MING

Significant deviation (e.g., drought

FAR MING UP WARD / 30

Vertical farming (i.e., faming with

This belief system stems, in part,

three dimensions) promises elimi-

from numerous anecdotal obser-

nate external natural processes as

vations as to the current biological

confounding elements in the next

state of some territories that were

production of food, since crops will

once severely damaged either by

be grown indoors under carefully

now-extinct civilizations or stop

selected and well-monitored heat

over-farming, and, in part, from data

conditions, insuring an optimal

derived from National Science

growth rate for each species of plant

Foundation-sponsored long-term

and animal year round. It is some

ecological research program (LTER),

estimated that one acre of vertical

begun in 1980, on a wide variety of

farm could be equivalent to as many

fragmented ecosystems purposely

as ten to twenty traditional soil-

set aside subsequent to an extend-

based acres, depending upon which

ed period of encroachment.

crop species is considered.

Growing food close to home will lower significantly the amount of fossil fuels needed to deliver them to the consumer, and will eliminate forever the need for a fossil fuels during the act of farming (i.e., plowing, applying fertilizer, seeding, weeding, harvesting).

P R O O F O F CO N C E P T The best reason to consider over converting most food production to vertical farming is the promise of restoring ecosystem services and functions. There is good reason to believe that an almost full recovery of many of the world endangered terrestrial ecosystems will occur simply by abandoning a given area of encroachment and allowing the land to cure itself.

Many architects are being commissioned to create office buildings, such as this, to utlizing the scalloped ledges of a buildings area.

Right

31 / BENEFI TS OF VERT IC AL FAR MING

FAR MING UP WARD / 32

Deforestation of tracts of tropical

New finds are now often aided

rainforests throughout Mesoamerica

by sophisticated remote sensing

took place over several thousand

technologies..Along the northern

years . It is estimated that there

border of the Brazilian jungle live

were as many as 50 million people

the Yanomami. These people have

living in this region, with some 17

never been conquered.

million in Mexico, alone, when the conquistadors arrived in the 1500s.

Re-forestation of deserted regions previously inhabited by pre-Colombian civilizations (e.g., Mayans) began during the Spanish imperial venture and continued on after it failed.

Left to evolve on their own without interference from the outside, they have formed a series of loosely knit tribes that have developed shifting agricultural methods to live off the land, mostly by hunting bush meat and subsistence farming, without

Regions that remained populated

causing permanent damage to the

continued to suffer the ecological

environment in which they must live.

consequences of deforestation (ibid), but in the abandoned areas the re-growth of the rainforests in some parts of Central America was so complete that by 1950 nearly all of the major ancient cities and monuments lying between Panama and southern Mexico had been canopied under them. Today, archaeological expeditions routinely discover previously unknown settlements and the life and times of the peoples that lived there.

They are hard-won victories, accompanied by much difficulty in navigating the dense growth that protect these treasures of the past from open view.

Their farming methods do not include fire as a forest clearing mechanism. Instead, they cut down the trees, creating large open circles. Then they burn the trees to get enough minerals to fertilize the cleared zone. They farm the nutrient-poor soils for several years, raising sweet potatoes, plantains, sugar cane, and tobacco, and then they move on.

The surfaces of this structure allow for water to flow into a funnel-like irrigation system.

Right

An office building designed for vertical farming carries over the architectural design into the stariwells.

Right

3 3 / BENEFI TS OF VERT IC AL FAR MING

The Dust Bowl was created by not

the same farming locale, some years

farming in what was formerly short

later, the area has re-grown to its

and tall grasslands prairie in the

former state. Without fire as a con-

central Great Plains of the United

founding factor, the Yanomami have

States (portions of Kansas, Colorado,

achieved a rare a balance with the

Oklahoma, and Texas).

land in which crops are produced and forestland is repaired by about natural cycle that favors the survival of both sets of life forms.

This represents one some of the best documented examples of how misuse of land not at all suited for traditional farming, coupled with a

Many other cultures living close to

100-year drought that affected near-

the land were not as fortunate as

ly 2/3rds of the country, resulted in

the Yanomami to have conceived

the seemingly irreversible collapse

and implemented sustainable re-

of a diverse assemblage of plants

lationships with their surroundings

and animals adapted to that semi

and have paid the ultimate price,

arid environment.

that of extinction.

Small scale models of ciities allow architects and planners to appropriately earmark building sites.

Left

FAR MING UP WARD / 34

By the time the Yanomami return to

The short situation intensified from

rushes were sponsored by the

1932–1938 with increasingly devas-

government, at the insistence of the

tating results. During that short time,

Boomers to jump start settlement

all farming ceased and thousands

of the Oklahoma territories. They

of families abandoned the land

attracted thousands of hopeful

and headed further west, mostly to

immigrants from the eastern United

California, in search of a better life

States and Europe to that area of

(John Steinbeck, Grapes of Wrath).

the west.

The weather patterns had conspired

Over the next 20 years, rainfall was above average and farming flourished. However, the next 20-30 years saw some of the worst droughts in recorded history for that region. The result was a systematic erosion of

Designed to utilize vertical farming, seaside vertical farms also absorb moisture from the sea.

Right

millions of tons of topsoil.

to defeat these early settlers in their quest to re-shape the landscape into productive farmland. Lesions learned, no one returned to the dust bowl region for some 15 years.

35 / BENEFI TS OF VERT IC AL FAR MING

Between 1889-1895, a total of 6 land

FAR MING UP WARD / 36

During the intervening curl period,

pumps needed to raise water from

nurturing precipitation regimens

a greater depth than at present

returned, and the assemblages of

(currently fueled by cheaper natural

wildlife long absent re-populated

gas-driven pumps), will not prove

the region. Tall and short grasses

to be cost-effective with respect to

re-built the soil enough to attract

the price of wheat. It is anticipated

back the kit fox, antelope, prairie

that when this generation of farmers

dog, and a wide variety of endemic

abandons the land, the prairie will

birds and other support red plants,

once again dominate the landscape.

reclaiming their niches and restoring the region to a mixed grasslands prairie. Seeds of native plants that had lain dormant germinated and thrived when competition with cash crop species for resources ceased.

Following WWII, the area once again suffered ecological loss from the impacts of farming. This time that activity was supported by groundwater pumped from the Ogallala aquifer for irrigation of wheat, which requires additional water to achieve maximum yield.

The demilitarized hot zone between North and South Korea represents a small strip of land about 1,528km in area and off limits to people since the end of the Korean War in 1953.

Farming communities were once abundant there no longer till the soil.

The result of abandonment has been striking, and in favor of ecological recovery. During the intervening years, remnant populations of wildlife have rebounded in robust populations within that narrow region among, including the Asiatic

However, this initiative, too, will be

black bear, musk deer, and the red-

apparently fail soon for the same

crowned crane.

reason that the first wave of farming on the Great Plains did, namely the lack of a reliable source of freshwater. In this case, too much groundwater has already been drawn off, lowering the water table and resulting in an economic conundrum, where the price of oil, a necessary ingredient to fuel the heavy-duty

This came about largely because

example of proof of concept, vivax

of the seeds of species of pioneer

malaria has also returned to the

shade-intolerant plants that lay dor-

area next to the DMZ in South Korea,

mant exposed to direct sunlight.

as the result of that country inability to carry out effective mosquito control programs that would ordinarily have included portions of the DMZ.

Growth was rapid, and they served as a temporary soil conservation element in that environment until the trees (shade tolerant) once

The area is a mixed boreal forest

and again grew to displace them.

watershed that has been harvested

Ecologists from several collaborating

at least three times in modern times

can institutions converge on the

(1700s-1967). The Hubbard Brook

Hubbard Brook watershed for each

LTER lists its research objectives as:

summer to monitor a wide variety of

vegetation structure and production;

ecological processes.

dynamics of detritus in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems; and tropical atmosphere terrestrial aquatic ecosystem linkages; false heterotroph population dynamics; effects human activities on ecosystems.

Other LTER sites within the US study grasslands, estuaries, alpine forest, wetlands, semi-arid desert, lakes, rivers, and coastal dampened savannas. All have a similar story to tell regarding the ability of the natural

Weirs were installed to collect and

landscape to return to a functional

monitor the quality of the water

state when allowed to re-establish

draining into Hubbard Brook from

ecological relationships fostering

the tributary in the altered portion.

the uninterrupted flow of energy

The study revealed a remarkable

from one trophic level to the next.

resiliency of that watershed. It took only three years for the water draining the damaged area to return to its original high quality.

These data points give us credence to the hypothesis that if vertical farming could replace most of the world traditional food production schemes, then ecosystem services that reinforce a healthy life style would be restored.

37 / BENEFI TS OF VERT IC AL FAR MING

An unexpected and unwanted fare

M A N AG E M E N T

WA S T E

3

Today, we face a challenge of always

However, even in the best situations,

trying to understand the process of

most solid waste collections are

ecological balance to incorporate it

simply compacted is then relegated

into our daily lives (i.e., do no harm).

to landfills, or in a few instances, and

Our willingness to try to solve prob-

incinerated to generate energy.

lems that we ourselves have created is a measure of our selflessness and altruistic behavior as a species.

Liquid wastes are processed, being digested, desludged, then treated with a bactericidal agent (e.g., chlo-

Thus, the second most important

rine) and released into the nearest

reason to consider converting to

convenient body of water. More often

vertical farming relates to how we

in less developed countries, it will be

handle waste, and particularly what

discarded without treatment, greatly

comes from living in urban centers.

increasing health risks associated

Waste management throughout the world, regardless of location, is in

with infectious disease transmission due to fecal contamination.

most cases unacceptable, both from

All solid waste can be recycled, such

a public health and social perspec-

as returnable cans, glass bottles,

tive, and exposure to the untreated

cardboard packages, etc., and used

effluent often carries with it serious

in energy generating schemes with

health risks.

technologies that are currently used.

FAR MING UP WARD / 40

A major source of an organic waste

In New York City, on average 80–90

comes from the restaurant industry.

restaurants close down each year,

Methane generation from the solid

the vast majority of which are pre-

single resource could contribute a

cipitated by inspections conducted

significantly to energy generation,

by the New York City Department

and may be able to supply enough

of Health. A common finding by the

to run vertical farms without the use

inspectors in these situations is

of electricity from the set grid.

vermin, mouse and rat droppings,

For example, in New York City there are more than 21,000 food service

roaches, and unsanitary conditions that encourage their life styles.

establishments, all of which produce

Agricultural runoff despoils a vast

significant quantities of organic

amounts of surface and ground-

waste, and they have to pay to have

water. Vertical farming offers a new

the city cart it off. Often the garbage

possibility of greatly reducing the

sits out on the curb, sometimes for

quantity of this non-point source of

hours to days, prior to collection.

water pollution. In addition, it will

This allows time for vermin such as

generate methane from municipal

cockroaches, rats, mice, the privilege

waste currently being funneled into

of dining out at some of the finest

water pollution control facilities.

restaurants in the western hemisphere; albeit second-hand.

Vertical farming may well result in a situation in which restaurants would be paid, according to the caloric content, for this valuable commodity, allowing for a greater measure of income for an industry with a notoriously small (2–5%) profit margin.

If we are to live in a balanced new

realized through the valuing waste

extraterrestrial environment, we

as a commodity so indispensable to

must somehow learn how to do it

the operation of the farm that to

here first. Sludge, derived from such

discard something would be anal-

waste water treatment plants of

ogous to siphoning off a gallons

many, but not all cities throughout

worth of gasoline from the family

the US, and treated with a patented

car and setting it on fire. Natural

process referred to as an advanced

systems function in a sustainable

alkaline stabilization to subsequent

fashion by recycling all essential

accelerated drying, is being turned

elements needed to produce the

into high grade topsoil sold as such

next generation of life.

to the farming community at large

This way of doing business is being

by Viro Corporation, Toledo, Ohio.

incorporated by NASA engineers into

A limiting factor in using municipal

all future programs that focus on the

sludge for farming appears to be

colonizing outer space. If we are to

heavy metal contamination, mostly

live in closed systems off the surface

from copper, mercury, zinc, arsenic,

of the earth, then the concept of

and chromium. Vertical farms will be

waste becomes much an outdated

engineered to take in black or gray

paradigm. Unfortunately, this goal

water, depending upon availability,

has yet to be fully realized by NASA

and restore it to near drinking water

or by ill-fated Biosphere 2 Project.

quality using bioremediation and other technologies to be perfected.

Fast growing inedible plant species (e.g., cattail, duckweed, tall sawgrass, Spartina sap.), often referred to as a living machine will be used to help remediate contaminated water.

41 / W A S T E M A N A G E M E N T

The concept of sustainability will be

This tiered hydroponic planter is 12 feet tall, and can produce 200 plants for regular harvesting in a vertical farm environment.

Left

FAR MING UP WARD / 42

Harvesting water generated from the

methane generation employing

evaporation appears to have some

state-of-the-art composting meth-

virtue in this regard, since the entire

ods, yielding energy to help run

farm will be enclosed. A cold brine

the facility. By-products of burning

pipe system could be engineered to

methane CO–2, heat, and water can

aid in the condensation and harvest-

be added back into the atmosphere

ing of moisture released by plants.

of the vertical farm to aid in foster-

Nonetheless, several varieties of new

ing optimal plant growth. The result- technology will be needed before ing purified water will be used to

sewage can be handled in a routine,

grow edible plant species. Ultimately, safe manner within the confines of any water source that emerges from

the farm. Lesions learned from the

the vertical farm should be fully

nuclear power plant industry should

drinkable, thus completely re-cycling be helpful in this regard. it back into the community that brought it to the farm to begin with.

Liquid wastes are processed, being digested, de-sludged, then treated with a bactericidal agent (e.g., chlorine) and released into the nearest

SOCIAL BENEFITS Eliminating a significant percentage of land fully dedicated to traditional farming has obvious and major health advantages regarding the restoration

of ecosystem services, and for immeconvenient body of water. More often diate improvement of biodiversity by in less developed countries, it will be simultaneously restoring ecosystem

discarded without treatment, greatly functions, as well. increasing health risks associated A social benefit of urban agriculture with infectious disease transmission and promise an equally rewarding due to fecal contamination. set of achievable goals. However, since the vertical farm is still a theoretical construct, it is difficult to predict all of the potential benefits that may arise from producing food in this manner.

43 / WA STE M ANAGE MENT

They will be periodically harvested

This futuristic model is already in the planning phase for building to begin 2020.

Left

Old factories are now being repurposed as vertical farming structures,.

Left

FAR MING UP WARD / 4 4

This is the defining characteristic of

sustainability as an ethic for human

all ecosystems. In contrast, humans,

behavior. At present, there are not

although participants in all terrestrial

any examples of a sustained urban

ecosystems, have failed to incorpo-

community anywhere in the world.

rate this same off behavior into their

The development of this keystone

own lives.

ecological concept has remained

If vertical farming succeeds, in long

identified solely without the natural

run, it will then establish the validity

world, and specifically with some

of sustainability, location (urban vs

reference to functioning of ecosys-

rural). Vertical farms could become

tems. Ecological observations and

very important when learning centers

studies, beginning with those of Teal,

for generations of city-dwellers, that

show how life behaves with regards

demonstrate our intimate connect-

to the sharing of limited resources.

edness to the rest of the world and

Tight knit assemblages of plants and animals evolve into trophic relationships that allow for the seamless flow of energy transfer from one level

local community by mimicking the nutrient cycles that will once again take place in the world that have re-emerged around them.

to the next, regardless of the type of

Furthermore, the elimination of large,

ecosystem in question.

currently unmanageable amounts of waste will improve the attractiveness of the local environment and help to correct the imbalance in energy utilization by recycling organic waste through methane digestion systems.

Rene Dubos wrote in So Human an Animal that people tend to support the institutions that they grow up with, regardless of whether or not they foster a nurturing environment in which to live.

45 / WA STE M ANAGE MENT

The first is the new establishment of

Starvation becomes a thing of past,

deserve to live in places any that

and the health of millions improves

encourage healthy, useful lives, but

dramatically, largely due to proper

that to do so will require massive

nutrition and the lack of parasitic

reconstruction of urban landscape.

infections formerly acquired at the

By transforming cities into entities

agricultural interface. Given many

that nurture the best aspects of the

strength of resolve and strong insight

human experience is the goal of

at the political and social level, this

every city planner, and with vertical

concept has the potential to accom-

farming serving as a center-piece,

plish what has been viewed in the

this may eventually become reality.

past as nearly impossible

Providing all urban populations with

It is further anticipated that a large

a varied and plentiful harvest, and

scale urban agriculture will be more

tailored to the local cuisine elimi-

labor-intensive than what is prac-

nates food and water as resources

ticed on the traditional farm scene,

that need to be won by conflict

since the deployment of large farm

between the competing populations.

machinery will not be an option.

Hence, employment abound at call

Yet another version of the hydroponic planter that is an estimated 6 feet tal, and produces 100 plants.

many levels.

Left

FAR MING UP WARD / 4 6

Dubos advocated that all humans

Urban Sprawl is much of the reason that vertical farming has become a need. Population and

Right

47 / WA S T E M A N AGE MEN T

Many restaurants close down each

Finally, the vertical farm should be a

year, the vast majority of which are

thing of architectural beauty as well

precipitated by inspections conduct-

as be highly functional, bringing a

ed by the New York City Department

sense of pride to the neighborhoods

of Health. A common finding by the

in which they are built. In fact, the

inspectors in these situations is

goal of vertical farm construction

vermin, mouse and rat droppings,

is to make them so desirable in all

roaches, and unsanitary conditions

aspects that every neighborhood

that encourage their life styles.

will want one for their very own.

Agricultural runoff despoils a vast

Vertical farms could become truly

amounts of surface and ground-

important when learning centers

water. Vertical farming offers a new

for generations of city-dwellers, that

possibility of greatly reducing the

demonstrate our intimate connect-

quantity of this non-point source of

edness to the rest of the world and

water pollution. In addition, it will

local community by mimicking the

generate methane from municipal

nutrient cycles that will once again

waste currently being funneled into

take place in the world that have

water pollution control facilities.

emerged around them.

T R E ATM E N T

H20

4

Current wastewater treatments are

Treatment must be self sustaining

inefficient. Modern designs require

and produce as few unusable end

large amounts of energy to power

products as possible. Such waste is

mechanisms that several natural

a human invention; virtually every

processes already perform. Worthy

biological product serves a purpose

of note, typical practices generally

for another life form. By harnessing

dump treated water into the nearest

these processes we can reduce such

waterway, offering little, to no new

energy requirements while purifying

replenishment of resources.

our wastewater to drinking standards.

As populations rise, water resources fall and climate change threatens the dependability of water sources, it is tantamount to survival that urban infrastructure close its water cycle. We must not let our wells run dry, and be forced to confront the true price of water.

A SOLUTION The Vertical Farm has the potential to clarify municipal graywater treated non-potable wastewater to drinking standards by a simply growing crops.

It is also possible to use other tall mechanisms to repower treatment processes by using streams.

The nest style of archiecture is the strength of vertical farming, allowing sufficient water to plants.

Left

Installed between the walls of a new proposed vertical farm buidling, the irrigation is built into the structure.

Left

FAR MING UP WARD / 50

Collected sewage, or blackwater, is

can benefit from consuming those

centrifuged into separate effluent

impurities in sewage effluent. Addi-

and solids streams and is treated

tionally, processes such as pyrolysis

independently. Effluent treatment

have the potential to extract viable

begins with piping to Ward’s Island

fuel oil from sewage sludge to power

for zebra mussel filtration.

the treatment. A hypothetical design is proposed in which a large portion of New York City’s 1.4 billion gallons of daily municipal wastewater is to be treated to irrigate a Vertical Farm in Manhattan. These processes need less total energy consumption when considering all energy needs for the total waste management process.

The final product, distilled water, can

E F F L U E N T T R E AT M E N T The zebra mussel, named Driessena Polymorpha, is widely considered one of the most effective filter feeders on the planet. The one quarter square inch shellfish has the ability to filter one quart of water per day, consuming particulates 0.7 microns to 0.75 millimeters in size.

be reinstated into the city’s drinking

This includes silts, clays, and large

water supply.

pathogens such as worm eggs and

THE PROCESS Separation of solids and liquids has long been viewed as an efficient approach to treatment. Processing begins with high speed centrifuges which are currently used an integral step in NYC sludge dewatering.

more notably Cryptosporidium with Giardia. These cysts are particularly dangerous organisms in our human waste, and their removal defines a current EPA standard for disinfection.

Zebra mussels are so effective at filtering water that they have been credited with cleansing Lake Erie

Though centrifugation draws more

to the point of nearly exterminating

energy than other the dewatering

the phytoplankton population.

processes, it greatly reduces human exposure to pathogens and odors, a significant concern remains densely populated areas.

5 1 / H 2 0 T R E AT M E N T

For example, filter feeding organisms

The current filtration design involves

in the late 20th century, this fresh

cascading waterfalls in which all

water creature has it monopolized

effluent flows down a series of walls

nearly every aquatic ecosystem

coated with an additional several

it has reached. Its invasive history

thousand zebra mussels.

demands a careful containment measure. Ward’s Island is an ideal location for zebra mussel filtration because it is already home to an NYC wastewater treatment facility, and is surrounded by marine water.

Each wall will empty to a tank, which drains to another wall. This not only ensures a maximum effluent contact with the animal, it offers information towards the efficiency of this novel technology. A 10’ x 6’ wall with just a

This useful because zebra mussels

single layer of mussels could filter

are intolerant of large salt water

over 8,000 gallons of effluent each

environments brackish water defines

day. This is a conservative estimate

the current population front in the

when considering the prolific nature

Hudson River. Feeder filtration on a

of the animal.

marine island would add another

This proposed building structure is an example of farmers will maneuver from one floor to the next.

degree of containment.

Left

FAR MING UP WARD / 52

Initially brought to the Great Lakes

A beatiful grid from above, large cities, such as Madrid, Spain, have large growing populations.

Right

5 3 / H 2 0 T R E AT M E N T

Ensuring a populated wall surface

This is a common process, which is

is more dependent on available

typically drawing half of a treatment

nutrition than reproduction a single

plant’s energy. This has to displace

female lays approximately 100,000

the need for effluent exposure to

eggs per year. Therefore, the zebra

chlorine disinfection, eliminating the

mussel eggs must be neutralized

possibility of hazardous disinfection

Ultraviolet irradiation immediately

by-products.

following feeder filtration will remove

A two phase sand hall and activated

not only the threat of zebra mussel

carbon filtration system will follow

infestation down stream, but also

sterilization to remove inactivated

inactivate any pathogens too small

particulates not consumed, such as

for a feeder filtration (bacteria and

mussel eggs. This ensures a particle

viruses). An ultraviolet light does

free irrigation supply to the Vertical

not kill, but rather prevents accurate

Farm pipes and in turn the crops,

reproduction of DNA. Though a UV

which is the final treatment step to

irradiation is energy intensive, it will

drinking water.

replace the larger energy demand of activated sludge treatment.

FAR MING UP WARD / 5 4

As the graywater irrigates the farm,

Natural systems will function in such

photosynthesis naturally produces

sustainable fashion is by recycling

water vapor by evapotranspiration.

essential elements are needed to

Pipes flowing with chilled brine will

produce the next generation of life.

condense atmospheric water vapor

Though most of the waste is reused,

on the outer surface and collect

processing and shipping the pellets

underneath in a drainage basin.

requires copious amounts of fossil

Following water quality testing, the

fuel, thus hastening the undeniable

water is reintroduced into the mu-

consequences of climate change.

nicipal water supply.

S O L I D S T R E AT M E N T Though the sludge end-product is planned for landfilling, the energy demands for processing are significantly reduced. While a typical sludge treatment process dries sludge to a ‘cake’ for all landfilling, New York City currently processes much of its sludge to EPA accepted fertilizer pellets, which are shipped across the country to Texas, Florida, and other agricultural states.

The concept of sustainability will be realized through the valuing waste as a commodity so indispensable to the operation of the farm which may be to discard something would be analogous to siphoning off gallons worth of gasoline from the family car and setting it on fire.

New York also utilizes methane with digestion which is often energy sustaining, but requires large retention times, enormous processing tanks and produces harsh noxious odors that may require careful monitoring.

Pyrolysis, on the other hand, is a relatively fast process and has true potential to power itself as well.

In their seedling phase, the plants begin to sprout, and are moved to the larger hydroponic structures.

Right

Japan houses several of the world's largest indoor farming structures.

Right

5 5 / H 2 0 T R E AT M E N T

Years of testing has allowed vertical farmers to understand the most efficient way to grow vegetation, with minimal water, and appropriate temperatures.

Left

FAR MING UP WARD / 56

Though landfilling still will require

is dried and pelletized in order to

transportation, daily waste disposal

increase treatment efficiency. The

requires less energy than trucking

pellets are exposed to a darkened

across the country and far less than

pyrolysis chamber. Volatile gases

trucking a dewatered sludge cake

from materials are released by open

to the same landfill. Pyrolysis also

exposing the pellets to high pres-

offers potential for energy recovery

sure and temperature in an active

from crop refuse and increased local

anaerobic environment, allowing

restaurant food waste.

them to escape the solids without combusting. The end products, combustible gases and benign char, can be reused.

Any excess power generated could be put into the grid and waste heat could serve as climate control for the farm in winter months. If some

The gases can be condensed into a

sludge process can indeed power

diesel-like fuel, commonly referred

itself, a carbon neutral system will

to as bio-oil, which has potential to

replace the fossil fuel demand. Any

power the process. There are also

carbon sequestration measures

potential applications for the char

taken could lead to a completely

such as building materials and soil

carbon negative power supply.

amendment, but currently the most viable solution is landfilling.

5 7 / H 2 0 T R E AT M E N T

Following centrifugation, the sludge

FUTURE OF VERTICAL

FINANCING THE

5

An two year study, conducted by

The first urban hydroponics model

Jackie Baumgartner, Alexis Harman,

of Vertical Farming is both presently

Locky Chambers, Jun Mitsumoto,

realizable and profitable. The invest-

Jordana Rothschild‚ Course Director

ment return is comparable to stock

Dr. Dickson Despommier; Columbia

market averages.

University, Spring 2006:

Properly implemented by renewable

The Vertical Farming concept rests

energy sources can significantly

heavily on a set of three existing

reduce such utilities expenditures,

technologies that have yet to be fully

justifying their initial capital cost.

realized. The implementation and

Corporate and institutional investors

coordination of technical elements

are willing to finance Vertical Farming

required within a new Vertical Farm

as a result of the operations mostly

facility have not been undertaken

significant secondary benefits.

previously because long conjectural analysis has lead many to believe that the up front capital investiture could not possibly be recovered. The following report seeks to definitively and comprehensively respond to a single question: is Vertical Farming financially realistic?

Vertical Farming presents a unique investment opportunity as it aims to revolutionize our basic and set understanding of food production and urban development.

Among the most abundant vegetables, and fastest growing, tomatoes are the least expensive, and produce a large harvest.

Left

FAR MING UP WARD / 60

Consider Vertical Farming to one day

conceived as response to increasing

have its intended impact investors,

pressures to reliably produce food at

corporations and other financially

reasonable financial and environ-

endowed visionaries must be truly

mental costs. Initial agriculture relies

convinced about Vertical Farming

too heavily on chemical control and

financial practicality today. The first

is too vulnerable to natural condi-

Vertical Farm project group realizes

tions in order to sustainably fulfill

that the development, adoption and

global food demand for an estimated

proliferation of Vertical Farms will

world population of 9 to 10 billion

begin slowly with many risks involved.

in 2050. Further, the environmental damage resulting from broad scale agriculture has negatively impacted population health on a vast marker in many developing nations.

The history of almost all paradigm shifting technological and advance includes a period of disbelief and public rejection. In time, however, the great momentum generated by

Vertical Farming is envisioned as a

staunch supporters leads to the

solution to the fully and untenable

day when such technologies are so

proposition of a permanent global

broadly incorporated into society

agricultural status quo.. As such, on

as to be taken for granted.

Vertical Farms stand to revolutionize the concept of food production and aims, ultimately, to improve human life on a global scale.

Brashly forging ahead towards what is almost goals is not the theater of the Vertical Farm project. Educating all of the world on the future of food production and eliciting support for a solution are important and is first steps that are well under way.

61 / F IN A N C IN G T HE F U T U R E O F FA R M IN G

The Vertical Farm project was first

FAR MING UP WARD / 62

Today, the public remains largely

The Vertical Farm is now engineered

unaware that there is a pressing

to produce plants. Whether or not

need to revamp the way we grow

Vertical Farming impacts the live-

food. Those who have found a light

lihoods of all of Earth inhabitants

of hope in the Vertical Farm project

is a decision to be made by people

are unconvinced that such a radical

other than those who developed

departure from norms of agriculture

its premise and brought the idea to

and urban development will not be

fruition. Therefore, the second com-

financial feasible. Thus, it is critically

ponent of our research focuses on

necessary to analyze the economic

existing investor groups that have

functioning of an Vertical Farm as

a proven track record of supporting

one would be built today. What is

cutting-edge projects that seek to

the dollars and cents outlook for

holistically improve the new way we

the world first Vertical Farm? Setting

support our civilization.

aside the glamorous future vision, today Vertical Farm was only modeled on systems and technologies that are readily available in the new market; this is the urban hydroponics model. The idea of benefiting from the ultra high-tech was tempered in large favor of showing the potential positive gains from maximizing the combined efficiencies of renewable and sustainable systems.

Many who have witnessed a Vertical Farm project have suggested that no able investor would ever put their money into a project that aimed to save the world, citing the objective as a foolish and misguided. It must be clear that the Vertical Farm is not designed to really save anything except energy and water.

These tasks developing a model of profitability and targeting potential funders and wealthy stakeholders are the work of the vigorous Vertical Farm Entrepreneurship.

With this proposal, the building requires a minimum of 20 farming levels, and 4 operation levels.

Right

From above, this is a view of the proposed model for a skyscraper vertical farm.

Right

6 3 / FINANCING T HE FU T URE OF FAR MING

S U S TA I N A B L E SYS T E M S

PROFIT THROUGH

6

The profitability analysis of urban

B U I L D I N G PA R A M E T E R S

hydroponics model of the Vertical

The building parameters established

Farm is based upon an information

to keep the capital outlay under

from existing business, construction

$100 million while taking advantage

projects, and understandings. The

of some economies of scale. The

key components of the new analysis

focus of the building is function only.

include defining the false structural

Traditional greenhouse operations

parameters and construction cost,

are similarly initiated with such an

estimating operational productivity

emphasis on minimizing startup

and annual revenues, estimating total annual expenditures.

The principal argument within this analysis is simply that an urban hydroponics model of costly Vertical Farming is a potentially profitable and can be the viable investment as compared to other strong market investment choices. Supplementary broad calculation indicates that the profitability is contingent on such an incorporation of sustainable energy technologies, justifying the additional capital costs involved.

CONSTRUCTION COST Calculating the cost of the building structure present a challenge given the fact that no building of this kind exists today. While the new and most advanced concept of a Vertical Farm could potentially cost hundreds of millions of dollars to construct, this model is based solely on existing technologies and possibilities.

FAR MING UP WARD / 66

The Vertical Farm will be much like

MARKET VIABILITY

a commercial office building sans

The profitability of the Vertical Farm

a finished interior, and will house a

is highly dependent on generating

completely unified utilities manage-

immediate revenues from a reliable

ment system. Each line item in the

product. The high cost and variable

building construction cost estimate

quality of New York City produce is

is calculated based upon compa-

a norm that no one has sought to

rable unit cost measurements from

question. By virtue of efficiency, the

completed projects in the US.

Vertical Farm must be a monocul-

Unit costs, while not as accurate as project based estimates, were more easily estimated and allowed for some amount of scalability to the

ture. A single twenty story production facility cannot offset the cost of maintaining variable environment conditions for different plants.

project costs. Prices were standard-

Thus, the production model of the

ized to 2005 purchasing power and

Vertical Farm is based solely on

cost estimates taken from projects

gourmet lettuces. The production

in different regions of the U.S. were

of lettuces, in fact, includes a wide

adjusted to New York City prices

variety of easy to grow greens that

using the mean hourly wage. The

make up the massive amounts of

costs and associated benefits of

salad that are consumed in New

the renewable energy systems are

York City every day.

discussed in further detail later in this report.

In 2004, total lettuces consumption reached a record 34.5 pounds per capita, with an estimate just more than eight pounds of consumption moving towards special and tall leaf varieties. Eight million people in the five boroughs of New York City times 8.1 pounds of leaf lettuce consumed per person times $1.69 per pound wholesale equals just over estimated $108 million industry before retail.

Combined with some supplemental

New York is clearly viable. However,

lighting from water-cooled bulbs

as the market is no doubt saturated

that can be placed very close to all

the operation must focus on com-

of the plants without heat damage,

bining maximum perceived quality

the operation has achieved yields

of product with competitive pricing.

equal to 470 tons per acre. Such a

We have identified premium prices for gourmet and leaf lettuces at upscale New York City retail outlets such as Whole Foods Market, Zabar and Gourmet Garage in order to design a competitive model. A total

maximum production in California using traditional agriculture is currently 20 tons per acre. At the same time, the CEA facility uses only 2.1 gallons of water for every pound of lettuce produced.

of urban hydroponics economic

Traditional agriculture requires an

model is based on a direct to con-

astounding 71 gallons of water per

sumer sales strategy which may be

pound of lettuce. Additionally, the

ultimately inefficient, but provides

CEA system is zero waste, meaning

the necessary an income generating

that all water is filtered and recycled

potential to run the operation.

back into the facility. Hydroponic

E S T I M AT E D M A X I M U M Y I E L D With a most successful high rated yield, hydroponic lettuce operation in the U.S. is managed by Cornell University in upstate New York. The Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Commercial-Scale Lettuce Production Prototype is a highly odd autonomous hydroponic system that implements a unique solar lighting algorithm by Cornell University.

technology has increased that yield potential by more than 23 times while decreasing water usage well over 30 times. These gains will be critical to the viability of the urban production model due to its high capital cost.

6 7 / P R O F I T T H R O U G H S U S TA I N A B L E S Y S T E M S

The market for premium produce in

The reality of price fluctuation will

model on the Cornell CEA facility,

have an impact on the ability to

the major obstacle was dealing with

consistently price of Vertical Farm

the shift from a combined sunlight

lettuce in a maximally profitable

and supplemental light system to

manner, but the consistency of the

a 100% artificial lighting system.

operation could offset seasonal

However, given the greater controlla-

highs and lows to achieve optimal

bility of a completely and artificial

annual price average.

system, it can be expected that the CEA algorithm can be mimicked in the Vertical Farm.

E S T I M AT E D N E T P R O F I T The price per head of lettuce was set just above April 2006 prices at Upper West side markets such as Zabar and Gourmet Garage.

Labor costs were calculated in two parts: management/skilled staff and wage labor. The chart below shows a breakdown of the labor costs. The urban hydroponics tall model takes into account all the labor required to continually operate the Cornell CEA facility and the guidelines of a published hydroponic lettuce expert Lynette Morgan, Ph.D.

This is one level of the skyscraper vertical farm, showing a new hydroponic cylinder style container.

Left

FAR MING UP WARD / 68

In basing a Vertical Farm hydroponic

Traditional electricity is expense for

resources expense. Salaries include

the methane digestion cogenerator

benefits and insurance, and wages

was a calculated assuming only 5%

were set at 60% above the current

downtime target and 2006 rates for

New York City minimum wage in an

electricity of $0.164 per KWh. Handle

order to strongly attract workers.

electricity needs for much additional

The seeding, spacing, harvesting and

cooling capacity beyond geothermal

packing operations must take place

in the highest heat summer months

365 days per year. The daily work-

from June to August were estimated

load can be reasonable managed in

using the following parameters.

8 hours with 50 wage workers.

over 92 days, integrated part load

usage was considered a certainty

value for chiller efficiency of an 0.47

given the potential downtime for the

kW/ton of capacity and total system

bioga cogeneration system and such

energy usage 50% greater set than

likelihood of extreme heat requiring

chiller demand.

Part of the vertical farming process is lab testing, to improve the farming and crop renderings..

additional cooling.

Right

Six hours of medium cooling per day

Some emergency electrical energy

6 9 / P R O F I T T H R O U G H S U S TA I N A B L E S Y S T E M S

In order to estimate total human

FAR MING UP WARD / 70

Production supply costs are for an

The following compares the Vertical

estimated using the hydroponic let-

Farm to the two common market

tuce consumables profile developed

investment yield indicators: stock

by Ohio State University and has an

and bonds. The present analysis

independent investment analysis of

does not weigh the respective ben-

the Cornell CEA system. Operational

efits of debt and equity financing

costs of the engineering facilities

for the venture. The payout from the

were estimated at 10% of the capital

Vertical Farm is the following table

cost annually.

is being considered as a dividend

Office expenses were set at $200,000

from private stock ownership.

as a ballpark estimate for a limited

Time to double principal neatly

staff w/ student intern support,

shows the Vertical Farm venture as

equipment leasing, supplies and

somewhat less lucrative than com-

postage, payroll outsourcing,

mon stocks. However, the perceived

banking, phone and Internet. Legal

risk of any venture is understand-

services are expected pro bono.

ably high, and seeking investors for

PAYO F F P E R I O D With net profits of roughly $12 million annually, the urban hydroponics model of the Vertical Farm expects to return its initial investment of $84 million in 7 years. After the payoff, investors will be earning large annual dividends from the operating profits: $12 million per year through the 10th year of the facility operation and $14 million per year thereafter. By these estimates, the principal investment of $84 million can be effectively doubled in less than fifteen years.

a project with a low effective interest rate will require strong emphasis on the project implications.

While a variety of potential sources for renewable energy exist or are being currently researched, the urban hydroponics model utilizes only those methods which are proven and for which cost estimation is entirely possible.

Seedlings sprout within a week, under the right conditions, and then continue to hydroponics..

Right

7 1 / P R O F I T T H R O U G H S U S TA I N A B L E S Y S T E M S

FAR MING UP WARD / 7 2

Three renewable energy technologies

Waste-to-energy was deemed viable

incorporated into the urban hydro-

within New York City due to the

ponics model are methane digestion

significant total amount of organic

(biogas) cogeneration, photovoltaic

waste generated by households and

(PV) solar capture, and heat transfer

businesses. In addition, dog feces,

geothermal. The urban hydroponics

produced in copious amounts within

model also relies entirely on second

New York City every day, has already

hand water sources by some purifying

been identified as a true source for

urban greywater.

methane digestion in San Francisco.

No water is ever outputted as waste.

Because general information on the mechanisms of renewable energy

Vertical Farm biogas facility will be almost entirely dependent on the waste generation of the City.

systems is widely available, this new

Given a 95% packout rate for lettuce

section focuses only on the aspects

generated in the Vertical Farm plus

of the technologies which are directly

a small amount of that unharvested

pertinent to the economic profile of

root material, the farming operation

the model. The results of the follow-

produces only 0.2% of 320,000 kgs of

ing discussion clearly indicate that

organic material needed to maintain

the significantly higher front-end cost

maximum output. This feeding rate

of implementing renewable energy

was calculated based on today most

systems is rapidly recovered by such

efficient digestion methods incorpo-

a very large savings in annual energy

rating thermal wet oxidation.

expenses each period.

MAIN ENERGY SOURCE The waste-to-energy concept is being implemented more and more in agricultural settings, livestock farming, and in municipal water treatment.

Anaerobic digestion is a fundamental ecological process that can be stably controlled by human intervention to produce large amounts of flammable methane gas.

This cost is all but eliminated by the

of biomass added to the digester

generating energy from residential

produces 32 ft3 of gas with an 84%

and public wastes that have zero in

methane content. The methane is

market value. Annual maintenance

converted to electricity by a fuel cell

costs for the biogas facility was still

at 40% efficiency. The unused energy

estimated at 3.2% per year for the $8

is recaptured as heat, resulting in a

million fuel cell and 5% per year for

90% efficiency overall.

the digester system.

Heat can be used to dry the digested

G E OT H E R M A L I S S U E S

humus into a saleable garden and product, operate as a gas absorption refrigeration system for lettuce storage, or provide supplemental heat to the building environment during the winter. In sum, the biogas facility generates 8 kWh of cycled electricity for each kg of biomass added.

Vertical Farm major energy demand comes from the 4500 kW win water cooled metal halide lighting system that uses 81,000 kWh per day and 2.4-2.5 million kWh per month. With the annual electricity cost of the

Estimating the heating, ventilation and air cooling (HVAC) requirements for any building is a difficult and is an imprecise process. Tremendous cost benefits of geothermal climate control demand that the technology be considered with as much of an economic detail as possible. With capital payback possible in as little as 2 to 6 years, low maintenance costs and just zero environmental impact, the financial benefits of the geothermal have been proven to be in many setting across the country

Vertical Farm lighting system using

and around the world.

Con Edison generated power would

As an Vertical Farm Entrepreneurship

be $4.85 million28.

group does not have any true HVAC engineering expertise, the up heating and cooling load for the large urban hydroponics model was based solely on tonnage of capacity per square foot installed in existing buildings.

7 3 / P R O F I T T H R O U G H S U S TA I N A B L E S Y S T E M S

Under these conditions, each 1kg

Vertical farmers are testing the UV lighting on empty tiers, before a set of 10,000 seedlings are planted.

Left

Seen here, the main source of light for the plants is solar powered UV lighting.

Left

F A R M I N G U P W A R D / 74

Given all of the stated considerations

this estimate were based on some

and a desire to over- rather than

perceived heating load and insulat-

underestimate, the darkest urban

ing capacity. While the new lighting

hydroponics model includes a 1000

system could potentially generate an

ton geothermal system, over 60%

immense amount of heat, because

more tonnage per square foot than

the system is water-cooled, the old

one of the highest capacity systems

heating load from this source is not

in an operation in the United States

significantly reduced.

today. At a full system cost of $2500

During the winter, the heated water from the lighting system cannot be combined with the old geothermal piping to provide additional heating capacity with minimal additional infrastructure. Solar heat is within any building is controlled by the electrochromic (EC) glass shell. EC windows can be darkened using low voltage electrical currents, and the total reduction of solar energy pass-through can reduce a cooling energy requirements by up to 49% according to computer simulations.

Increasing solar transmittance provides heating in the winter. Because the Vertical Farm is designed with complete coverage fenestration, the building is expected to be insulated.

dollars per ton of capacity, the geothermal construction total comes to $2.5 million.

A N C I L L A RY E N E R G Y Solar capture via PV cells is among the lowest cost energy resources available. Beyond the initial capital cost, solar energy is truly free and consistently available without large price fluctuations.

7 5 / P R O F I T T H R O U G H S U S TA I N A B L E S Y S T E M S

The main considerations adjusting

In order for the electricity to directly

pegged as a region without signifi-

be available for the facility, flywheel

cant solar potential. In fact, all the

energy storage units have been bud-

annual solar energy total reaching

geted into the energy management

ground level in the New York area

system to provide solar electricity at

is only 35% less than that in the

a constant rate to the office, lab also

Southeastern region.

retail facilities. The top 304,000 kWh

The 10,000 feet of rooftop and area provides an opportunity to generate 800 kWh of electricity every day, on average, based upon any solar constant providing 160 kWh50 of

electricity generated annually provides a costs savings of only $50,000, but this amount is significant in comparison with the overall office expense budget of $200,000.

electricity per year at 19% PV cell efficiency. The cost of the array was calculated based upon per kW PV array prices noted by the Department of Energy15 and adjusted upwards to account for the higher

An irrigation specialist adjusts the system to ensure that all plants are receiving water..

efficiency and sun-tracking motors.

Left

FA R MING UP WA RD / 76

The Northeast U.S. is a mistakenly

BUILDING PARAMETERS The building parameters were established to keep the capital outlay under $100 million while taking advantage of some economies of scale. The focus of the building is function only.

ft2 SQ FOOTAGE

TOTAL STORIES

PARKING LEVELS

TOTAL SQ FOOTAGE

10,000 sq. ft. per floor with 9000 sq. ft. of growing space.

21 stories ground level office/labs/retail and 20 production levels.

2 levels parking and storage below ground.

230,000 total square feet of construction area.

W AT E R C YC L I N G

Living machines can incorporate

The average family household in

a variety of technologies to purify

New York City uses approximately

water depending on the character-

100,000 gallons of water each year

istics of the input stream. With a

at a cost of $1.60 per 100 cubic feet

daily water requirement of just over

of water, $214 each year. The highly

20,000 gallons per day, an appropri-

efficient float-system of hydroponic

ate living machine system can be

lettuce production as many achieved

installed for only $500,000 dollars17.

by Cornell CEA facility allows the Vertical Farm to produce an entire year production, nearly est 12 million heads of lettuce, with only 1.6 million gallons of water.

A water cycling system is the only renewable technology within the urban hydroponics model that does not provide an economic incentive.

In fact, and notably, the new system

This translates into the water use of

will likely cost more in high annual

only 80 New York City households

maintenance than the direct savings

each year. Extraordinary efficiency

in water use of only $17,000. However,

of the production process has bol-

the technology is a centerpiece to

stered by zero waste water cycling

the future development of such syn-

capability made possible by a multi

thesizing vertical farm technologies

stage water filtration system, or any

and must be incorporated.

living machine.

P OT E N T I A L I N V E S TO R S

IDENTIFYING

7

Obtaining sufficient capital to initiate

In presenting such a Vertical Farm

the Vertical Farm venture requires

Project to these respective groups,

seeking a range of sources within two

different attributes largely need to

broad investor categories corporate

be emphasized or deemphasized

and institutional. The corporate side,

in order to make it as attractive as

food production and processing com-

possible and maximize probability

panies and retail food outlet chains

that each group will invest.

present a potential capital source because the future of Vertical Farming may very well prove to be the future of food production for all humankind.

As such, licensing Vertical Farm technology in a limited fashion creates opportunity for such forward thinking where corporations to capitalize on a technology that will not become as available to the public for some years to come. Two very important institutional sources of potential monies are private venture capital firms and philanthropic foundations.

C O R P O R AT E I N V E S TO R S Food producers and some retailers will find vertical farming to be a cost effective and sustainable method for producing and sourcing of fresh produce, as well as an important public image and marketing mechanism for appealing to consumers. Vertical Farming will decrease the need for packaging and transporting foods.

Sprouts and other vine type of vegetation can begin to grow in controlled jars for moisture control.

Left

FAR MING UP WARD / 80

The members are able to share costs

grow raw ingredients on site along

of developing sustainable agricultural

with packaging and administration

practices with other members. The

facilities. Companies will save mon-

SAI supports sustainable agricultural

ey by reducing fuel costs, a rapidly

practices which secure adequate food

increasing expense. Money will also

supplies, protect and improve the all

be saved by having a secure and

natural environment and resources,

consistent source for products that

and viable farming systems. These

traditionally vary greatly in their

companies also plan to further devel-

availability and price.

op sustainable agricultural practices

Many food production companies are already interested in developing practices which are more friendly to the environment and much more

by testing them through pilot projects . The Vertical Farm venture is an ideal test project for developing a truly self-sustaining food growing process.

sustainable. For example, in May

As the world largest producer of fresh

2002, three large food production

fruit and vegetables, Dole is a likely

companies, being UniLever, Groupe

investor in the Vertical Farm venture.

Danone, and Nestle, launched the

Having generated revenues of about

Sustainable Agriculture Initiative

$53 billion in 2004, Dole is financially

Platform. Seventeen other members

capable of committing to large capital

have since joined the new platform,

financing projects . Dole has shown

including names such as Dole, Kraft,

growing interest in such sustainable

Coca-Cola, and McDonalds.

practices, employing over 40 senior scientists to research irrigation, pest control, and organic farming. Addition, they already source products from the greenhouses such as far as the SABA laboratory in Sweden.

Highlighting the competitive benefits of vertical farming technology is a key selling point to corporations. While the Vertical Farm Project aims for to make the technology available to all in the future, the Entrepreneurship must capitalize on exclusivity during the startup phase.

81 / IDENTIF YING POTENTIAL INVE S TOR S

Food production companies could

They currently operate 5 stores using

from expensive, patented process or

solar energy for approximately 20%

product is a viable business strategy

of total energy needs . They are the

critical to the big pharmaceuticals

largest corporate user of wind power

industry, and readily adaptable to

in the country, recently making it the

food producers.

largest wind energy credit purchase

Food markets can benefit from the investing in the Vertical Farm venture by knowing that fresh produce will be available year-round available.

A Vertical Farm in New York City will decrease the necessity to transport

in the history of the U.S. and Canada, and now supplying 100% of energy via wind. As the top Green Power Company in the U.S., Whole Foods Market is a perfect retail partner for making the Vertical Farm into a household name.

out of season crops by growing them indoors throughout the year.

Consumers generally favor paying consistent prices on food items and easier grocery budgeting could lead to healthier eating by decreasing fast food consumption in some larger populations.

Increasing popularity of natural and growing concern for the concerned environment among consumers has moved retailers to stock products that are produced in such a manner that is friendly to the environment.

Whole Foods Market is the nations leading retailer of some natural and organic foods, experiencing sales growth of over 140% from 1999 and 2004. Whole Foods has strong track record of contributing to many a environmentally sound program.

This graphic shows the tiers and render of plants in a hydroponic system.

organic products combined with a

Left

FAR MING UP WARD / 82

The potential to profit unchallenged

Their mission entails fostering collab-

Venture capital firms would be a

oration among organizations in the

good source of funds because they

private and public sectors to promote

are extremely interested in being

the development, success, and expan-

the first to invest in a new exciting

sion of technology entrepreneurship

technology, wish to support entre-

in the Northeast.

preneurs around the world who have unique, breakthrough ideas , have an extraordinary amount of funds available to invest in ventures predicted to be profitable and transform industries, and their reputations are invaluable and may be willing to take on riskier ventures if positive publicity is at stake.

According to trusted Business Week magazine, all venture interests are now opening their ears and vaults to clean technologies . Among boutique firms targeting environmentally sound startups is Empire State Venture Group (ESVG) Inc., host of the annual SmartStart Venture Forum in Albany, NY. A company utilizing recirculating aquaculture (Aquafilter technology), Fingerlakes Aquaculture, Inc., recently secured $1 million through this forum. ESVG investment history has shown they are willing to invest in green technology-based enterprises like the Vertical Farm.

Also, one of their goals is encourage entrepreneurs in technology sector to remain in the Northeast as they grow and assist them in gaining access to the services and education they need to continue their growth into these tenets are conducive to developing the Vertical Farm in New York City.

8 3 / IDENTIF YING POTENTIAL INVE S TOR S

V E N T U R E C A P I TA L F I R M S

FAR MING UP WARD / 8 4

F O U N DAT I O N S

He formed the Energy Future Coalition

Philanthropy is a source of funds

to identify options for more energy

because many do gooders share a

needs of the world poor and Turner

common philosophy with a vertical

Foundation in 1991 for maintaining

farming to enhance the common

the earth’s natural resources and is

good and improve human well being

improving the quality of the natural

and they comprise an enormous

systems that sustain the human race.

amount readily and available funds.

The mission of Turner Enterprises may

As of 2005, the top ten largest U.S.

to manage Turner must land in an

foundations alone have given about

economically sustainable and become

$4.4 billion in a variety of ways.

ecologically sensitive manner, while

As a major source of big funding for humanitarian causes philanthropic giving receives substantial tax breaks in the U.S. Ted Turner would be the ideal philanthropic supporter of the Vertical Farm venture. He is America largest private landowner (2 million acres with a higher GDP than Belize), and he also has the largest private Bison herd in the world, using his bison business to highlight the animal environmental and health benefits over cattle.

conserving native species.� His creation of the great environmental superhero, Captain Planet, and the Turner Tomorrow Fellowship awarded to works of literature offering positive solutions to global problems shows he is much aligned with Vertical Farming .

Large skyscraper vertical farms require a well maintained irrigation system, such as this one.

Right

85 / IDENTIF YING POTENTIAL INVE S TOR S

W I T H S TA K E H O L D E R S

CO L L A B O R AT I N G

8

The Vertical Farm Entrepreneurship

The government of the City of New

has identified New York City as a

York and Columbia University and

target location for developing the

many other major New York educa-

project. The city, while still certainly

tional institutions. The political will,

upholding its cache is among many

land control and public policy and

greatest urban centers in the world,

relations mechanisms within these

has lost some of its cutting-edge

institutions are important contrib-

image to cities on the West Coast

utors to a successful planning and

and to many other newer cities all

developing of the Vertical Farm in

around the world.

New York City. Due to the common in-

The Vertical Farm venture is always an opportunity to bring what is now viewed as a radical technology into the center of New York City plan for the future. In the search to provide direct non-cash capital support for the Vertical Farm project in New York City, stakeholders were identified.

terests of these two parties, the same three points may be presented to both in an attempt to convince each to support the Vertical Farm venture.

FAR MING UP WARD / 88

Implementation of a vertical farm

The massive extent of the watershed

provides the following:.

system requires millions of dollars

1 Substantial cost reductions due to the facility renewable/sustainable resource systems.

2 Indirect economic benefits from neighborhood revitalization.

of maintenance each year and large potential for billions of dollars of future infrastructure developments.

Through the Vertical Farm anaerobic water filtration system, clean water is generated from household and

3 A decreased burden of public

commercial waste water.

health costs from improved local

Excess energy from a the large facility

environmental conditions.

COST REDUCTIONS The City of New York is responsible for removing waste, providing clean water, and minimizing pollution in the city.

The City has budgeted $294 million in 2007 for waste export of the 3.5 million tons of garbage each collected by the Department of Sanitation.

Approximately 50% of disposal cost is spent on transportation of waste out of the city ; this cost would be greatly reduced by a Vertical Farm high rate of organic waste consumption. As the City Municipal Water Authority and known Department of Environmental Protection are constantly working to maintain the viability of the New York City watershed, demand for water increases annually.

cogeneration plant could be directed towards reducing energy costs for city government offices and Columbia campus. Further, Renewable energy interests would be empowered by the facility successful power generation, increasing funding grants available for future projects.

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority already allots money to similar ventures, with $4 million currently available for projects involving innovative or underutilized industrial process improvements that improve energy efficiency or reduce peak load.

Continuous attention must be dedicated to other processes, to ensure that harvests are bountiful.

Right

These vertical plants yield fruit that can be harvested once a month, and require minimal water.

Right

8 9 / C O L L A B O R AT I N G W I T H S TA K E H O L D E R S

TOTAL BUILDING COST

$5 Million

$11 Million

$25 Million

$35 Million

Lighting system

Office and laboratory

Biogas to fuel facility

Sub-structure shell

Energy infrastructure

Cooling tower

$2 Million

$500,000

photovoltaic array

Hydroponic system

$500,000

Water recycling system

$1.7 Million

$500,000

$83.7 MILLION

The costs and associated benefits of the renewable energy systems are discussed in further detail later in this report.

L O C A L R E V I TA L I Z AT I O N

A world first technical facility would

New York City and Columbia University generate significant public interest own undeveloped property in poor

in the neighborhood. Abandoned

neighborhoods, giving them excellent or undeveloped buildings would be opportunity and means to provide

re-occupied, creating a busy, safe

land for the project Columbia already

commercial area.

has a long term plan to develop much of the land owned by the university is in Manhattanville. A Vertical Farm could easily be incorporated into that campus plan.

Concern is raised that gentrification of the neighborhood would harm the lower-income residents. This is a common concern to all urban development. That said, Vertical Farm

This can be especially true since the

venture emphasizes its commitment

university claims that Columbia is

to community by employing local

committed to the principles of envi-

residents and providing them with

ronmental stewardship and studying

continued income and job security

possible ways to implement these

to prevent their displacement.

concepts on its existing campuses as well as any future development In conjunction with Columbia plan to develop the area of Manhattanville, a Vertical Farm could really help.

In addition, the availability of fresh

Northern Manhattan is currently one

produce in city without the costs

of the highest risk places in the coun- of transportation could ultimately try for poor public health. Childhood

make healthy fruits and vegetables

asthma and pulmonary dysfunction

less expensive and more accessible

have very high prevalence due to

in poor neighborhoods where the

diesel exhausts, allergens, and other

public health burden for all obesity

pollutants, from concentrated truck

and nutritional-related diseases is

and bus traffic.

highest. It would also benefit stu-

The Vertical Farm aims to effect this problem by greatly reducing the need to shuttle food products and garbage into and out of the city. Improved air quality from reduced truck traffic would help reduce the childhood asthma burden in Northern Manhattan, a health problem that has significant economic consequences to poor, uninsured families, single parents,

Hydroponic farming has been around for hundreds of years.

The indoor irrigation system has been improved over time.

Right

and the healthcare system

dents and employees of Columbia University and employees of the City of New York by providing them the same dietary and economic service.

9 1 / C O L L A B O R AT I N G W I T H S TA K E H O L D E R S

P U B L I C H E A LT H I M P L I C AT I O N S

AND FUTURE VISIONS

CO N C L U S I O N S

9

A reasonable financial assessment of

Ultimately, the economic realization

the urban hydroponics of both initial

that renewable energy and sustain-

investment and operating shows that

able resource technologies held the

such a facility, when it is properly

key to long term reductions justified

handled, would certainly be profitable. the high cost of incorporating these Of course, profitability is absolutely critical in the first permutation of the Vertical Farm, as the idea must prove its ability to sustain itself in all aspects, and to provide resources necessary for future development.

building elements.

While companies, scientists and most individuals from around the globe seek the next bright development in environmental harm reduction from human activities, the Vertical

The key to consistent profitability is

Farm concept is still being seen as

cost saving. As the first Vertical Farm

implausible outsider.

will undoubtedly be the most costly from a unit cost standpoint due to the lack of an appropriate model for integrating so many new technologies, keeping costs down was a concern within this analysis.

Plants shown here were moved from seedling, to hydroponics only one week prior to this photo.

Left

FAR MING UP WARD / 94

Like Columbia University and the

power in green initiatives is clearly

government of the City of New York

growing, and money to bring the first

allows the Vertical Farm Entrepre-

Vertical Farm to fruition is more than

neurship to become so much more

available in the corporate sector.

than just a green business venture,

Highlighting the substantial economic but a vision of successful of this new benefits of vertical farming will be crucial in swaying the interest level of corporate investment teams towards taking the risk.

urban development.

FUTURE VISIONS The vision of vertical farming is not

just idyllic and powerful. It must be Direct investment groups like venture these things in order to move this capital firms and philanthropic foun- project in the right direction for dations have large financial resource

pools from which risky but worthwhile ideas can be initiated. Getting the funds from these sources requires a selling of the concept; providing a vision for the future. Both of these groups are very interested in making

many years to come.

While the vertical farm remains a hodge podge concept of myriad technologies, the important next step is to build the first permutation.

The Vertical Farm Laboratory.

breakthroughs in social good, but they The facility is unlikely to be elegant. are constantly inundated with project It certainly it won't be perfect either. proposals and getting to be among

However, without breaching the page

the chosen few is a time consuming

and screen to become truly tangible,

task requiring great persistence.

sensory reality. The future of the

Finally, targeting the right stakeholder groups and tying the Vertical Farm into this community is an absolute necessity in order to win popular and political support. Whether in New York, San Francisco, Reykjavik, or into Bamako, learning the needs of major urban institutions.

Vertical Farm remains a bit perilous at best. For this reason, the Vertical Farm Entrepreneurship has laid the groundwork for an evaluation of such a impressive project.

95 / CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE VISIONS

Still, the impetus to place investment

INDEX

A

Aerobic, 12, 61 Aeroponics, 43, 72 Aeration, 38, 45 Algae, 32, 55

B

Biostarters, 46, 73 Blue Light, 30, 49 Bolt, 37, 61, 81 Bottle Garden, 9, 25 BIA, 27, 52, 73 Buffington, 16 39

C

Carbon Dioxide, 13, 44 Chlorosis, 48, 59 City Farming, 22, 81 Cold Frame, 55, 71

D

Dehumidifier, 29, 42 Desiccant, 49, 83

Drain System, 33, 41

Induction, 45

Drip Lines, 53

Insoluble, 49

F

Facade Farm, 17, 38, 91 Feed Ratio, 21, 29, 38 Fertigation, 67 Fogponics, 78, 82

G

Germination, 15, 31, 66 Greenhouse, 73, 88 Grow Light, 41 Grow Tray, 43, 55

H

Harvest, 26, 52, 71 Horticulture, 34 Hothouse, 65 Hydroponics, 19, 28, 44

I

Indoor Farm, 36, 58

IPM, 79 Interveinal, 7, 41, 62 Isotonic, 37

J

Jesting, 74 Jilted Light, 33, 49 Jolted Line, 74 Juniper, 49

K

Krampett, 63 Kelvin, 35, 65 Kinling, 44, 74 Knotting, 55, 84 Krowler Tail, 78

L

Layered Farm, 47 Leap Handle, 63 Leo Grout,36 Lolly Grip, 48, 74

M

Metal Halide, 7, 41, 62 Microponics, 33, 54 Milled Table, 41 Mole, 66

N

Necrotic, 74 Net Pot, 69 Nutrient Burn, 59

O

Oasis Cubes, 34 Organic, 8, 19, 48, 77 Osmosis, 53

P

Peat, 37 Perlite, 49 pH, 54, 84

Q

Quail Heap, 36 Quit Heap, 38 Quota, 27, 62

R

Red Light, 57

Reservoir, 21, 29, 53 Root Zone, 35

S

Seedling, 46, 58, 81 Spectrum, 63 Substrate, 74

T

Taxonomy, 42, 84 Timer, 5, 48, 79 Transpiration, 41

U

Underground, 17, 36, 74 UAA, 61 Urban Farm, 9, 25, 42

V

Vermiculite, 49 Vertical Farm, 11, 32, 53 Vermicompost, 82

W

Warehouse, 28, 71 Wavicle, 57 Wick System, 72

X

Xeric, 79 Xerophyllum, 50 Xylem, 30

Y Z

Yucca, 47

Zinnia, 37 Zygote, 24, 50, 72

FARMING UPWARD A L O O K AT U R B A N A G R I C U LT U R E

The concept of indoor farming isn't

An entirely new approach to indoor

new, since hothouse production

farming must be invented, utilizing

of tomatoes, a wide variety of herbs,

new technologies. The Vertical Farm

and other produce has been in

must be efficient (cheap to construct

vogue for some time. Now, what is

and safe to operate). Vertical farms,

new is the urgent need to scale up

many stories high, will be situated

this technology to accommodate as

in the heart of the world’s largest

many as another 3 billion people.

urban centers.