Development of a Cylindrical Hydroponics System for Vertical Farming

The study aimed to develop a vertical crop cultivation system for leafy plants based on cylindrical hydroponics and light emitting diode （LED） technology. Investigations were conducted on growing lettuce （Lactuca sativa cv. ＂Rex＂, ＂Nanda＂ and ＂Canasta＂） indoors in a rotary system and Chinese cabbage （Brassica chinensis） in a multi-tier cylindrical hydroponics system under red and blue （RB） LED lightings. Light intensity from different light sources have an influence on the yield and growth behaviour of indoor lettuce. Photosynthetically active radiation （PAR） levels at 63 μmol/m2·s produced low fresh weights （FW） and leaf areas of lettuce ＂Rex＂ and ＂Nanda＂ were grown under rotating conditions. The effect was, however, different on the better developed ＂Canasta＂. Stem etiolation was a common occurrence under such influence. Chlorosis was not observed on all plant types grown under the LEDs. Cultivating Chinese cabbage plants （FW： 28 g/plant） in cylindrical units stacked vertically above another, increased planting density by 47% when compared to the rotary system,

Architectural quality of the productive facades integrating photovoltaic and vertical farming systems: Survey among experts in Singapore

Buildings could play a critical role in energy and food production while making highdensity cities more resilient.Productive facades(PFs),as flexible and multi-functional systems integrating photovoltaic(PV)and vertical farming(VF)systems,could contribute to transforming buildings and communities from consumers to producers.This study analyses the architectural quality of the developed PF concept drawing on the findings of a web-survey conducted among experts e building professionals in Singapore.The developed design variants are compared with regards to key design aspects such as facade aesthetics,view from the inside,materialisation,ease of operation,functionality and overall architectural quality.The study also compares and discusses the results of the web-survey with the results of a previously conducted door-to-door survey among the potential users-residents of the Housing&Development Board(HDB)blocks.The findings confirm an overall acceptance of the PF concept and reveal a need for synergetic collaboration between architects/designers and other building professionals.Based on the defined PF design framework and the results of the two surveys,a series of recommendations and improved PF prototypes are proposed for further assessment and implementation in order to foster their scalability from buildings into communities and cities.

Building a Community for the Senior Citizens Using the Idea of Vertical Farms

Global population growth and urbanization have posed increasing threats to the ecological environment. In an aging society, high-density living spaces have resulted in intensifying housing concerns for urban senior citizens. Among the rapid urban development, addressing the demands of senior citizens for suitable living environments and enabling senior city dwellers to engage in diversified social interactions are concerns that necessitate public attention. This study introduced the idea of the “vertical farm” to the living environments of senior citizens. By integrating vegetation appreciation and physical labor, vertical farming allows senior citizens to experience joy and a sense of accomplishment. In addition, these farms can change the monotonous and gloomy exteriors of concrete buildings. By conducting in-depth interviews with 12 senior citizens residing in the Happiness Community in Taipei City, by building vertical farms, senior citizens can experience joy and a sense of achievement at the psychological level and communicate with families, friends and neighbors in the community at a social level. At the environmental level, comprehensive ecological communities can be achieved. We explored how promoting vertical farms in a living environment can affect senior citizens at the psychological, social and environmental levels. The results can be used to build vertical farms that accommodate the needs of senior citizen living environments.

摩天大厦型作物工厂——保障城市食物快速增长需求的作物高效生产系统

Vertical farming systems,such as sky farms,are a potential type of agricultural system for stable and effective food production.Here,we highlight the potential of the sky farm,denoted as the“skyscraper crop factory”(SCF),for cereal crop production and discuss some nascent technologies that would be applied in this production system.SCFs are ideal crop-production systems for increasing the effective arable area for crops and ensuring food security in times of crises that cause a shock in global trade.They can also provide food in urban areas to meet producers’and consumers’demands for the increased nutrition,taste,and safe production of cereal crops.Moreover,as their use can reduce greenhouse gas emissions,SCFs could be a sustainable addition to conventional agricultural crop production.

Advances in greenhouse automation and controlled environment agriculture:A transition to plant factories and urban agriculture

Greenhouse cultivation has evolved from simple covered rows of open-fields crops to highly sophisticated controlled environment agriculture(CEA)facilities that projected the image of plant factories for urban agriculture.The advances and improvements in CEA have promoted the scientific solutions for the efficient production of plants in populated cities and multi-story buildings.Successful deployment of CEA for urban agriculture requires many components and subsystems,as well as the understanding of the external influencing factors that should be systematically considered and integrated.This review is an attempt to highlight some of the most recent advances in greenhouse technology and CEA in order to raise the awareness for technology transfer and adaptation,which is necessary for a successful transition to urban agriculture.This study reviewed several aspects of a high-tech CEA system including improvements in the frame and covering materials,environment perception and data sharing,and advanced microclimate control and energy optimization models.This research highlighted urban agriculture and its derivatives,including vertical farming,rooftop greenhouses and plant factories which are the extensions of CEA and have emerged as a response to the growing population,environmental degradation,and urbanization that are threatening food security.Finally,several opportunities and challenges have been identified in implementing the integrated CEA and vertical farming for urban agriculture.