Foodprint A Farm Framework
by Gabrielle Liew A0160344N
Architectural Design Journal submitted to the Department of Architecture in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of MASTERS OF ARCHITECTURE at the National University of Singapore Academic Year 2019/2020 Semester 2
Under the supervision of Professor Oscar Carracedo
Food Cultivation as an agent of CO2 Absorption
Abstract
Due to global warming, we are starting to see life-threatening impacts of climate change on health, economies, and risks to food security. Our agricultural economy is both one of the leading victims of climate change as well as a great culprit - being one of the largest contributors of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, yet, food is one of the basic human necessities. This thesis research and design aims to explore urban and architectural form in response to the food and climate crisis through the development of the Foodprint Framework, which transforms the carbon footprint of the food system through a closed loop system and land use efficiency. With Singapore as the first testbed, it
envisages how an infrastructural system is generated with strategies inherent to the topic of a climate positive food system from macro scale to micro scale. Foodprint expresses the urge and potential to reverse climate change through a global food production model while synchronously addressing food insecurity in an urban setting. The climate positive model not only tackles climate change and food security issues but also urban connectivity, land scarcity and quality of life.
THE PRESENT The burning of fossil fuel & the rise of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The kind of trees we are creating
Acknowledgments I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my thesis advisor, professor Oscar Carracedo for his continuous support of my progress this semester. His passion, encouragement and immense knowledge has guided me and helped me in all the time of research and designing this thesis project. From taking time out to meet me for consultations and discussions, to his enthusiasm on the topic that I am studying, he has shaped me to become more environmentally conscious not only as a designer but also as an individual. Along with Professor Oscar I would like to thank our neighbouring studio and their thesis advisor Tan Shee Tiong for providing insightful comments and encouragements during the midway interim critiques. Their fruitful discussions and sharing of their insightful projects pushed me to open my mind to new perspectives. In addition, special thanks to my family and friends, in particular my thesis group for their company, support and listening ears. This thesis would not have been possible without their feedback and endless support. Lastly, thanks to Him, without whom I would not have been given this opportunity.
Contents
Chapter 1 Climate Change & Food Insecurity are Plaguing our Planet! Chapter 2 Is there A Climate Positive Future for our Food? Chapter 3 The First Testbed - Singapore Island City-State Chapter 4 The Foodprint Prototype and its Components
Image Source: M, Carol.
Chapter 1 Climate Change & Food Insecurity are Plaguing our Planet!
Impact of GHGs in the Atmosphere
Climate change refers to a change in global climatic patterns attributed largely to the increased levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs) produced by human activities. This pattern coined ‘global warming’ is due to the expansion of the greenhouse effect, which is the warming of the surface temperature of the earth as a result of gases that trap heat in the atmosphere. These gases consists largely of Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous Oxide (N2O), and Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Each of these GHGs impact on climate change depends on how much of it is in the atmosphere, how long they stay in the atmosphere for and how strongly do they impact the atmosphere.
Drivers & Impacts of Climate Change
Following the global industrial revolution, advancements in technology and the demands of the human population has put a strain on our earths natural resources and ability to thrive. As a consequence, the impacts of climate change and global warming are being experienced everywhere as we are starting to see the life-threatening impacts of climate change on human health, economies, and risks to food security. it is due to human activities specifically over the past 50 years that has warmed our planet. Such activities include the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, transportation and agricultural emissions These consequences ripple from changes in the environment where the warmer temperatures cause the melting of ice caps resulting in floods, droughts, heat waves, rising sea levels and eventually endangering lives, economies and countries by limiting their resources such the ability to grow food.
Agriculture and its Emissions
Agriculture accounts for a large amount of global GHG emissions. Large amounts of GHGs are emitted during the different stages of production. When pre- and post-production activities are included, the total emissions are even higher. These stages starts from land use changes, food cultivation, processing and packaging, imports and transportation, consumption and finally waste management.
Climate Change & Food Insecurity are plaguing our planet!
Out of these stages of the food system, the main culprits of emissions derive from: 1. Deforestation of our earths green lungs for land area for farming. 2. Excessive usage of toxic nitrous oxide fertilisers to kill pests on the cultivated crops. 3. Livestock farming as ruminants such as cows and goats emit GHGs through enteric fermentation. 4. Inefficient disposal of crop residues and bio waste. 5. Tremendous amounts of imports and exports of food from one country to another. CO2 is emitted through these processes, thus causing global warming which results in droughts across the world and ice caps melting which causes flooding. These environmental disasters greatly inhibit the earth’s ability to produce food on rapidly depleting arable land.
These GHG emissions from the entire food system expresses its enormous carbon footprint, making it a powerful sector that could transform our global emissions. Minor changes to the global food model could have a large impact on the overall system, influencing shifts in mitigation efforts to combat climate change and food insecurity.
Image Source: M, Carol.
Change is necessary.
Image Source: M, Carol.
Chapter 2 Is there A Climate Positive Future for our Food?
Hypothesis
“ Efficient land use in the agricultural production framework is able to assemble a climate positive food system. ”
Research Questions
Can architecture create an agricultural production framework that will make the food system climate positive? Can architecture enable cities to be food secure and self sufficient?
Research Goal
Firstly, to create an architectural framework of a transformed food system that will be climate positive. Secondly, to enhance and increase food production for the growing volume of consumers.
Algae Cultivation Algae has been found have to higher photosynthetic efficiency4 than other plants and can absorb the most CO2 at 44kg of CO2/sqm whereas trees absorb much less. Algae cultivation uses land much more efficiently than plants and trees as a CO2 captor and they need not be cultivated horizontally on land but could be grown on facades, roofs and other spaces. It can also double up as a food source for people, possibly replacing a portion of livestock or beans protein.
Efficient Land Use Through intensive instead of extensive farming methods such as vertical farms, the amount of land required for cultivation is reduced and CO2 emissions from deforestation are lessened. By increasing productivity per area, the amount of CO2 absorbed per area is also increased. This is due to the same amount of crops absorbing the same amount of CO2 despite the smaller area of land.
Food Miles Post industrial transport is also required to distribute the imported food from farms to supermarkets and retail stores and finally to consumers. The amount of GHG emissions from food miles differs depending on the mode of transport, ranging from water, rail, truck and air freight. With the localisation of the food system, we can reduce the stages of production by supporting growing locally and minimising transport.
Clean Energy Burning fossil fuels for energy and electricity emits staggering amounts of CO2 per kWh. In comparison, natural gases such as CH4 from the decomposition of waste emits less CO2/kWh. These emissions could be reduced even further by generating energy from ‘clean’ sources such as hydroelectric power and solar power.
Planetary Diet Plate By changing consumption patterns to a healthy diet or a ‘planetary health diet’ with a lower caloric intake, more plant-based foods such as beans and seaweed and planet friendly alternatives such as chicken, the amount of emissions from the total amount of food and livestock being produced would be reduced. This new approach can already be observed in some of the developed countries where people once consumed large portions of meat proteins but have started to become more educated on environmental issues, thus initiating diet trends that move away from animal-based protein diets to plant-based diets such as veganism, vegetarianism and a Mediterranean diet.
Closed Loop Circular Food System Each stage and concept of the food system is crucial in minimising the release of GHG emissions so that the system can be one step closer to achieving climate positivity. By closing the chain, we can minimise emissions as much as possible through recycling and foresight.
Foodprint Closed Loop System Per Household of 4: Absorbs 6916kg CO2 a year Produces 1 years worth of food
A Climate Positive Future for Our Food As the global population increases, demand for more food will be at an all time high all around the globe and alternative approaches to farming are now quintessential to the longevity of our suffering planet. A carbon absorbing (climate positive) food framework is the passport to a new typology of farming.
This includes the following reconstruction of reducing and absorbing emissions of our current food structure: 1. Planetary health diet: includes algae, less livestock meat, more organic greens - less co2 emitted 2. Closed Loop Food System 3. Algae Farming & Landscaping - instead of planting trees, plant algae - absorbs more co2 than trees, land efficient 4. Local farms - shorten food miles - emit less co2 5. New farms above existing built land - avoid deforestation - avoid co2 emissions 6. Intensive farms - land efficient, absorb more co2 per sqm 7. Disconnect from the electrical grid - produce its own green energy - less co2 emitted
Image Source: M, Carol.
Chapter 3 The First Testbed - Singapore Island City-State
Underlying Issues
Being located near the equator, Singapore is more vulnerable to climate change than the world average projections suggests. As one of the participating countries in the Paris Agreement, it is essential for the island to halve GHG emissions by 2030 and be net 0 by 2050. The Island of Singapore was selected as the first testbed for the Foodprint Framework as it was examined to be coping with issues such as rising populations, land scarcity and most of all, food insecurity due to the effects of climate change.
Food Insecurity
With little land allocated for farming food crops, Singapore imports approximately 91% of their food and are heavily dependent on food supplies from other countries, meaning that ensuring a steady supply of food for their growing population is a challenge. This also means that Singapore’s food supply would be threatened and is subject to price changes set by their food suppliers and any shifts in the global food supply such as crop productivity affected by climatic changes or war. With these obvious issues at hand, the country aims to be 30% food self sufficient within the next 10 years. However with the government shortening land leases and taking over the existing agricultural farms for military uses, the country’s future food supply is balancing on thin ice.
Agrarian - Industrialised
Some studies on the history of the agricultural landscape of Singapore shows that 60 years ago in 1960, with a population of over 2 million people, agriculture occupied 21% of the city’s land while providing food for about 60% of the population. However it was in the 1960s that Singapore started the industrialisation of its city scape, moving away from an agrarian society to an industrial society. These estates created many jobs for the locals and even significantly pushed Singapore into becoming the successful country it is today, however one of its downfalls is that today, in 2020, with agriculture occupying less than 1% of Singapore’s land, it feeds only 9% of its population of 5.6 million people. The country’s food supply is subject to relations, and imports from other countries.
Food Landscape of Singapore
We need to maximise the efficiency of the land allocated to agriculture as much as possible.
Is it possible for Singapore to be 100% food self sufficient?
Based on the current food landscape of Singapore and keeping in mind the potential of the foodprint framework, the following proposed urban food landscape aims to showcase the beginnings of how the framework might be applied to Singapore at an urban scale. By bringing the cultivation and production into the island of Singapore, reliance on imported produce is reduced and the country is one step closer to achieving food security as well as reducing GHG emissions from transportation.
The 2050 Foodprint City
Aside from absorbing CO2 emissions and producing food, Foodprint recovers the sterile industrial cityscape and transforms it into a green network that serves the people. As Singapore’s industry accounts for 44% of its national net emissions, the foodprint infrastructure is able to be integrated into the industrial landscaped areas of Singapore.
Urban Strategy
The Foodprint urban strategy applied to Industrial Estates around the country at Jurong Industrial Estate, Tuas, Sungei Kadut, Sembawang, Yishun, Bishan, Paya Lebar, Pasir Ris, Upper and Lower Changi. The strategy is layered based on MRT locations, a walkable distance of a radius of 500m from these MRT Stations as well as a primary and secondary branched network system.
3 Key Urban Criteria
1. Recovering Land Above Roads at areas that emit high levels of CO2 - repurposing neglected & utilitarian urban spaces, while avoiding deforestation. 2. Urban Connectivity and Urban Connections - from MRTs, pedestrianise roads, vehicular access at road level - 500m radius from MRTs for higher intensity farms/buildings. 3. Sunlight Facing Hours- longer hours of sunlight for food growth
Prototype Aggregations for an Inclusive City
The Foodprint infrastructure consists of various aggregations of the prototype based on orientation for different levels of sunlight. They can be arranged linearly, butting one another or stacked into towers, depending on the desired building intensity and porosity of the urban skyline. North-South Facing Programs & Uses - do not receive much direct sunlight 1. Elevated park connectors: Industrial districts are usually of bigger scale due to the nature of building use, thus easy pedestrian connectivity from one point to another is often overlooked in favour of vehicular accessibility. 2. Eateries & Food Shops: Industrial areas also often lack the abundance of basic facilities such as eateries and food courts for the workers in that vicinity. 3. Food production for crops that do not require sunlight such as: Chicken, Fish, Mushrooms. 4. Residences: Filtered sunlight orientation offers a more comfortable environment for homes 5. Offices: Filtered sunlight orientation offers a more comfortable environment fo homes East-West Facing Programs & Uses - Receive longer hours of direct sunlight 1. Food Cultivation for 800 or more people per prototype - depending on building intensity desired: Direct sunlight orientation offers a more optimal environment for the crops to grow 2. Residences 3. Offices
Greening Singapore’s Industrial Estates
Urban Aerial of a Foodprint City at Jurong
Image Source: M, Carol.
Chapter 4 The Foodprint Prototype and its Components
Latching on to Existing Infrastructure
The basis of the foodprint prototype was referenced from the existing Category 4 industrial roads in Singapore with a total width of 21.4m. Using this as the maximum width, the prototype integrates a loading truck bay area for the shipping containers to be transported directly onto the trucks from the farms at the upper levels.
Prototype Aggregations for an Inclusive City
Foodprint Prototype Components
Basic Prototype
The basic prototype produces food for approximately 1600 people a year with a total land coverage of only 2352sqm. Its feeding capacity can be further multiplied by increasing the number of units in a singular prototype.
Unit
1 unit produces food for approximately 400 people a year. The form has been designed such that the unit can be stack vertically and horizontally and still allow sufficient sunlight to reach the crops.
Form for Sunlight
Several Variations of forms were tested to explore which areas would receive the optimum amount of sunlight while creating conducive spaces for farming and for public movement. The terracing form of the food farms are informed by amount of sunlight exposure for the various crops and its needs.
Sunlight for Various Crops
The storeys that terrace into a ‘V’ shape creates a filtered sunlight environment for cultivating crops such as carrots, potatoes and spirulina which do not require direct sunlight. The storeys that terrace into an inverted ‘V’ shape creates a direct sunlight environment for cultivating crops such as strawberries, rice, kailan and soybeans. crops such as fish and chicken which do not require natural sunlight to thrive are pushed to the middle of the building, maximising exposure of the building facade for the foods that require sunlight to grow.
Unit Plans and Various Crops
Unit Plans and Various Crops
Growing Towers for Crops 1. Vertical Growing Towers: Receive sunlight from the roof 2. Horizontal Growing Towers: Receive sunlight from the facade For these 2 systems, a hydraulic rotational system is used to rotate the growing trays so that the whole 6m high tower gets an even distribution of sunlight exposure.
Other Growing Systems 3. Spirulina Growing Panels: contains liquid spirulina culture into slim panels that are space efficient and can be applied to walls. 4. Aquaculture Tanks: Nutritional water is recycled from the fish tanks to irrigate the crops as well as for the spirulina growing medium. 5. Poultry Coop: Organic crop residue from the spirulina and the crops can be recycled for a nutritional feed mix for the chickens.
Distribution Plan Shipping Containers are packed with freshly harvested crops at their respective farms. 1. The filled containers are distributed from the farms directly onto the trucks at road level using the high bay storage mechanism. 2. The trucks transport the containers filled with fresh food to a local shipping container market for sale or directly to supermarkets and restaurants 3. Local consumers have close to direct access to freshly harvested and locally grown food. Food miles are shortened drastically.
Supporting Services 1. Fibre optic sunlight collectors: Direct natural sunlight collected from the roof into interior spaces without using electricity (Fibre Optic Calculations) 2. Pneumatic Waste System: Biowaste is disposed of and digested to produce fertilisers for the crops as well as biogas for generating renewable energy. (Waste Calculations) 3. A butterfly roof integrated into the building form redirects water to be collected in the rainwater storage tanks and used for crop irrigation or hydroelectricity generation (Rainwater collection caluclation) 4. Hydroelectric tower is 60 m high and 7m in diameter - able to generate sufficient electricity for the farming needs of 1600 people’s crops. (Hydroelectric Calculations)
A Food Cultivating and CO2 Absorbing Infrastructure
Sunlit Roof Farm
Pedestrian Connector and Spirulina Atrium
Conclusion
It is through this present-day topic that the urgency to reverse climate change through a global food production model and synchronously address food insecurity is imperative, especially through the urban and architectural perspective. Perhaps with more exposure and exploration to theories of a climate positive culture adapted through design, a fresh approach to future urban and architectural projects can be extended beyond basic sustainability.
Food Cultivation as an Agent of CO2 Absorption
The project develops CO2 absorption and food production systems from a micro scale to urban scale. At micro scale, food growing technologies to the form of the building as well as the materials used were selected with the intention to lower energy usage, thus emit less indirect GHGs. At a macro scale, the prototype was zoned such that distribution of the harvested food is easily loaded onto the trucks so as to minimise food miles, as well as supporting services that enable the prototype to produce its own energy off the grid. The intention was to design a flexible prototype for food that absorbs CO2 and can be adapted to various environmental and urban conditions, based on a set of criteria that maximises efficiency of land while simultaneously improving urban qualities.
The Foodprint Infrastructural Framework when implemented in Singapore is capable of providing food for almost 80% of the projected population in 2050 while also absorbing approximately 18% of national net CO2eq emissions. All, while only occupying 1% of the total land area of a, spaced out and integrated amongst the industrial areas. It is a climate positive framework that not only absorbs CO2, produces food but also rejuvenates the city’s neglected and utilitarian industrial estates while improving connectivity and quality of life. This aims to give hope to a more climate positive oriented approach to building our cities and its architecture in the near future.
Image Source: M, Carol.
Previous Iterations, Workings & Calculations
Growing Towers & Space Efficiency
Sunlight Hours for Rotational Systems
Iteration 1: Container City Farm
Iteration 2: Container HDB Attachments
Iteration 3: Container Storage Farm Above Roads
Iteration 3: Container Storage Farm Above Roads
Iteration 4: Industrial Farm Prototypes
Food to Land Area Calculations
Food to Land Area Calculations
System Emissions Calculations
Supporting Services Calculations
Final Calculations
Growing my Spirulina Culture
Growing my Spirulina Culture
The End.