The document provides a final report on the design, construction, and results of an automated irrigation system for the UHD Sustainable Garden. It details how the system uses soil moisture and temperature sensors to determine when to water different zones of the garden using a solar-powered control system. The automated irrigation system was implemented to improve crop growth and health through proper watering. Test results showed that the system successfully watered each zone according to set parameters and collected data on soil conditions, with the goal of supporting the community garden's production of vegetables for those in need.
Livingwater Causeative SolvLED Rockne Center in South Bend IndianaSteve Durkee
SolvLED and Causeative propose converting former industrial buildings in South Bend, Indiana into a sustainable indoor food production facility using automated aquaponics systems. The modular design allows incremental expansion across five buildings, producing over 1 million pounds of produce and 100,000 pounds of fish annually. The project will adaptively reuse existing infrastructure, provide jobs, and be a model for other rust belt communities to restore economic and social well-being through local food production.
Soil-based agriculture is now facing major challenges due to urbanization, industrialization and environmental degradation etc. Among different problems, the most important one is the decline in per capita land availability. With 6 billion people on earth, the per capita land availability is currently 0.25 hectares and by 2050 it will be 0.16 hectares. Climate change along with urbanization and industrialization magnifies this negative Impact. To counteract these threats, hydroponics has emerged as a viable option which is currently gaining popularity around the world due to its efficient resource management. Hydroponic farms offer a viable solution towards a more sustainable food production while avoiding hazardous chemicals due to controlled environments and strict certification laws. Far from being a dream, hydroponic farming is already integrated into sustainable agriculture in order to meet rising global food demand.
Climate Resilient Agriculture an Approach to Reduce the Ill-Effect of Climate...UditDebangshi
Climate resilient agriculture (CRA) is a sustainable
approach for converting and reorienting agricultural systems to
support food security under the new realities of climate change
through different adaptation and mitigation mechanisms.
Agricultural systems are extremely vulnerable to climate change, given their sensitivity to variations in different threats like temperature, precipitation and incidence of natural events and disasters such as droughts and floods with this on an average the extreme weather patterns can impact farm incomes in the range of 15-18 %. Threats can be reduced by increasing the adaptive capacity of farmers as well as increasing resilience and resource use efficiency in agricultural production systems. CRA promotes synchronized actions by farmers, government, scientist, private sector, and policy-makers through three main action areas: (1) Building the capacity to identify the threats; (2) Curing the threats through adaptation and mitigation process (3) Sustain their adaptive mechanisms over a long time. The vulnerability of existing conditions of poverty, malnutrition and increasing populations puts intense pressure on finite natural resources, especially land, water and energy – all of which are integral to agricultural systems. In this context, it becomes imperative to adopt Climate-Resilient Agriculture (CRA) measures at cooperative scale to address the impending impact of climate change on agriculture.
Technology for Rural Sector by Green YatraGreen Yatra
Green technology can benefit rural sectors by increasing farm profitability while reducing environmental degradation. It operates in areas like renewable energy and sustainable agriculture. Examples discussed include solar power, wind energy, biofuels, biogas, and organic farming. Green technologies ensure potential for sustainable agricultural growth but require effort to replace conventional practices. They provide clean, renewable alternatives to fossil fuels and reduce maintenance costs and pollution. While green tech is suitable for rural income generation, its adoption faces challenges and requires supportive policies.
This document discusses the role of industrial biotechnology in addressing climate change. It notes that industrial biotechnology can significantly reduce CO2 emissions by using renewable resources rather than fossil fuels. The document examines current and emerging industrial biotechnology applications, such as biofuels, biobased chemicals and bioplastics. It argues that industrial biotechnology has the potential to avoid billions of tons of CO2 emissions annually by 2030. However, it faces challenges around feedstock availability and competition, and will require further research, dedicated policies and standards to fully realize this potential.
This study examined factors influencing farmer interest and participation in Great Lakes Restoration Initiative agricultural incentive programs. The researchers surveyed over 600 farmers across four watersheds. They found farmer interest in programs was highest among younger, more educated farmers with larger farms who believed conservation practices had beneficial impacts. However, barriers like lack of program flexibility and information reduced the effect of interest on actual participation. Program structures needed to address small farm disadvantages and promote demonstrated success to increase adoption.
Regenerative Landscape Green Schools Summit PresentationMIG
The document discusses the benefits of regenerative landscapes over conventional landscape management. Regenerative landscapes reduce costs through lower water, fertilizer and pesticide use, while providing environmental benefits like improved water quality, flood control and carbon sequestration. They also offer educational opportunities in areas like ecology, soil science and habitat restoration. Implementing regenerative landscapes can help meet state mandates on sustainability, water efficiency and climate action plans.
Large scale industrial food production has some risks like susceptibility to disease and natural disasters wiping out entire crops due to monoculture. However, it allows for cheap, abundant food production. Small scale urban rooftop gardens can grow food with less carbon emissions from transportation and utilize otherwise unused space, but have lower overall production. The benefits of local food production must be weighed against the costs and effort required.
Livingwater Causeative SolvLED Rockne Center in South Bend IndianaSteve Durkee
SolvLED and Causeative propose converting former industrial buildings in South Bend, Indiana into a sustainable indoor food production facility using automated aquaponics systems. The modular design allows incremental expansion across five buildings, producing over 1 million pounds of produce and 100,000 pounds of fish annually. The project will adaptively reuse existing infrastructure, provide jobs, and be a model for other rust belt communities to restore economic and social well-being through local food production.
Soil-based agriculture is now facing major challenges due to urbanization, industrialization and environmental degradation etc. Among different problems, the most important one is the decline in per capita land availability. With 6 billion people on earth, the per capita land availability is currently 0.25 hectares and by 2050 it will be 0.16 hectares. Climate change along with urbanization and industrialization magnifies this negative Impact. To counteract these threats, hydroponics has emerged as a viable option which is currently gaining popularity around the world due to its efficient resource management. Hydroponic farms offer a viable solution towards a more sustainable food production while avoiding hazardous chemicals due to controlled environments and strict certification laws. Far from being a dream, hydroponic farming is already integrated into sustainable agriculture in order to meet rising global food demand.
Climate Resilient Agriculture an Approach to Reduce the Ill-Effect of Climate...UditDebangshi
Climate resilient agriculture (CRA) is a sustainable
approach for converting and reorienting agricultural systems to
support food security under the new realities of climate change
through different adaptation and mitigation mechanisms.
Agricultural systems are extremely vulnerable to climate change, given their sensitivity to variations in different threats like temperature, precipitation and incidence of natural events and disasters such as droughts and floods with this on an average the extreme weather patterns can impact farm incomes in the range of 15-18 %. Threats can be reduced by increasing the adaptive capacity of farmers as well as increasing resilience and resource use efficiency in agricultural production systems. CRA promotes synchronized actions by farmers, government, scientist, private sector, and policy-makers through three main action areas: (1) Building the capacity to identify the threats; (2) Curing the threats through adaptation and mitigation process (3) Sustain their adaptive mechanisms over a long time. The vulnerability of existing conditions of poverty, malnutrition and increasing populations puts intense pressure on finite natural resources, especially land, water and energy – all of which are integral to agricultural systems. In this context, it becomes imperative to adopt Climate-Resilient Agriculture (CRA) measures at cooperative scale to address the impending impact of climate change on agriculture.
Technology for Rural Sector by Green YatraGreen Yatra
Green technology can benefit rural sectors by increasing farm profitability while reducing environmental degradation. It operates in areas like renewable energy and sustainable agriculture. Examples discussed include solar power, wind energy, biofuels, biogas, and organic farming. Green technologies ensure potential for sustainable agricultural growth but require effort to replace conventional practices. They provide clean, renewable alternatives to fossil fuels and reduce maintenance costs and pollution. While green tech is suitable for rural income generation, its adoption faces challenges and requires supportive policies.
This document discusses the role of industrial biotechnology in addressing climate change. It notes that industrial biotechnology can significantly reduce CO2 emissions by using renewable resources rather than fossil fuels. The document examines current and emerging industrial biotechnology applications, such as biofuels, biobased chemicals and bioplastics. It argues that industrial biotechnology has the potential to avoid billions of tons of CO2 emissions annually by 2030. However, it faces challenges around feedstock availability and competition, and will require further research, dedicated policies and standards to fully realize this potential.
This study examined factors influencing farmer interest and participation in Great Lakes Restoration Initiative agricultural incentive programs. The researchers surveyed over 600 farmers across four watersheds. They found farmer interest in programs was highest among younger, more educated farmers with larger farms who believed conservation practices had beneficial impacts. However, barriers like lack of program flexibility and information reduced the effect of interest on actual participation. Program structures needed to address small farm disadvantages and promote demonstrated success to increase adoption.
Regenerative Landscape Green Schools Summit PresentationMIG
The document discusses the benefits of regenerative landscapes over conventional landscape management. Regenerative landscapes reduce costs through lower water, fertilizer and pesticide use, while providing environmental benefits like improved water quality, flood control and carbon sequestration. They also offer educational opportunities in areas like ecology, soil science and habitat restoration. Implementing regenerative landscapes can help meet state mandates on sustainability, water efficiency and climate action plans.
Large scale industrial food production has some risks like susceptibility to disease and natural disasters wiping out entire crops due to monoculture. However, it allows for cheap, abundant food production. Small scale urban rooftop gardens can grow food with less carbon emissions from transportation and utilize otherwise unused space, but have lower overall production. The benefits of local food production must be weighed against the costs and effort required.
Agriculture has been and continues to be the most important sector in Indian economy. Climate change is one of the most important environmental issues facing the world today. The impact of climate change is a reality and it cuts across all climates sensitive sectors including the Agriculture sector. In this situation this seminar focuses on the climate smart agriculture. CSA brings together practices, policies and institutions that are not necessarily new but are used in the context of climatic changes which is prime requirement in arena of climate change. Farmers possessed low level of knowledge regarding climate change, and they adopted traditional methods to mitigate the impact of climate change. Small land holdings, poor extension services and non availability of stress tolerant verities were the major problems faced by the farmers in adoption to climate change. Extension functionaries were having medium level awareness about impact of climate change on agriculture. They used electronic media, training and conferences and seminars as major sources of information for climate change. They need training on climate smart agriculture aspects. Based on the above facts this presentation focuses on analyzing the opportunities and challenges of climate smart agriculture.
This presentation discusses climate smart agriculture. It defines key concepts like weather, climate, and the greenhouse effect. It explains how climate change is impacting Nepal's agriculture sector through increased temperatures, more extreme weather, and reduced crop yields. The presentation outlines the objectives of climate smart agriculture to develop practices that help farming adapt to climate change by being more resilient, productive, and low-carbon. Specific climate smart agriculture strategies discussed include conservation tillage, agroforestry, water management techniques, and ensuring gender inclusion in climate adaptation efforts.
IRJET- Green Energy Recovery for Sustainable DevelopmentIRJET Journal
This document discusses green energy recovery from waste for sustainable development. It describes how waste can be used to generate green energy through various thermo-chemical and bio-chemical conversion processes like combustion, gasification, pyrolysis, anaerobic digestion, and ethanol fermentation. These conversion processes transform biomass and organic waste into useful forms of energy like electricity, heat, biofuels and prevent waste from occupying landfills. The document also outlines different biomass resources that can be used, including agricultural/forest residues, energy crops, urban/municipal waste, and aquatic plants. Overall, green energy recovery from waste has benefits like reducing dependence on fossil fuels, producing renewable energy, and enabling more sustainable waste management.
Resource conservation, tools for screening climate smart practices and public...Prabhakar SVRK
Natural resources continue to play an important role in livelihood and wellbeing of millions. Over exploitation and degradation of natural resource base have led to declining factor productivity in rural areas and dwindling farm profits coupled with debilitating impact on human health. This necessitates promoting technologies that can help producing food keeping pace with the growing population while conserving natural resource base and be profitable. Achieving this conflicting target though appears to be challenging but is possible with the currently available technologies. This lecture will provide insights into a gamut of resource conserving technologies, the role of communities in promoting them and tools that can help in identifying suitable technologies for adoption. The lecture will heavily borrow sustainable agriculture cases from the Asia Pacific region.
Outline
• Natural resource dependency and rural development
o Trends in resource depletion and impact on food production
o Farm profitability trends and input use
o Trends in factor productivity
• Resource conserving technologies and climate smart agriculture
o What are they?
o Similarities and differences
o Costs and benefits of pursuing them
• Tools for identifying resource conserving and climate smart agriculture technologies
o Factor productivity
o Benefit cost ratios
o Marginal abatement costs
• Role of communities
o Communities as entry point
o Benefits of community participation
• Concluding thoughts
o How to scale up resource conservation?
Sustainable Intensification of biodiversity in agroecosystem through conserva...Subodh Khanal
1) Conservation agriculture aims to sustainably intensify biodiversity in agroecosystems through techniques like conservation of crop residues, no-till farming, and intercropping.
2) Traditional agriculture can damage the environment by causing soil degradation, greenhouse gas emissions, and loss of biodiversity. Conservation agriculture addresses these issues through practices like zero-tillage, crop rotations, cover crops, and mulching to improve soil health and water retention.
3) Conservation agriculture has benefits for yields, costs, soil, water, and the environment. However, challenges include the need to change mindsets, manage crop residues, and address issues like initial soil compaction. It requires adapting techniques to local conditions and supporting policies
Vertical farming is the practice of growing produce in vertically stacked layers.
Vertical farms come in different shapes and sizes, from simple two-level or wall-mounted
systems to large warehouses several stories tall.
Vertical farming typically uses a mix of natural light and artificial light. Artificial lighting is often LED-based and may be driven by a renewable power source such as solar power or wind turbines.
Ghayas Haider Sajid presented on the topic of the effect of climate change on agriculture for the department of soil science at Gomal University. The presentation covered definitions of weather and climate, factors affecting climate change, how agriculture contributes to and is impacted by climate change, and potential adaptations and solutions for agriculture under climate change.
An efficient irrigation system for plasticulture of strawberry in bangladeshAlexander Decker
This document summarizes a study that developed an efficient and low-cost irrigation system for strawberry cultivation using plasticulture techniques in Bangladesh. The researchers tested a micro-drip irrigation system compared to conventional irrigation. Statistical analysis showed the plasticulture system with micro-drip irrigation significantly improved plant growth parameters and reduced production costs compared to conventional techniques, making it a viable option for rural farmers in Bangladesh.
Climate change impacts on agriculture and rural development in the Pacific Re...Euforic Services
The document discusses the impacts of climate change on agriculture and rural development in Pacific island countries. It notes that rising sea levels and changes in rainfall patterns from climate change threaten coconut trees, an important food and cash crop. On Maiana Island in Kiribati, decreases in rainfall are reducing food and copra production, potentially exacerbating effects of sea level rise such as land loss. Climate change also poses challenges for rural energy development projects in Kiribati by reducing incomes from copra that communities rely on to purchase and maintain new energy systems. Adaptation will require financial resources, developing resilient cash crops, and gender-sensitive policies.
The document is a project report that studied the water required to grow a stem of a rose flower in a greenhouse. It monitored 40 randomly selected rose plants from budding to harvest over 52 days on average. Weather data like temperature, humidity and solar radiation were recorded daily. The plants took on average 7.5 weeks and used 63cm of water to mature. Water meters tracked the humidification water used, while irrigation amounts were kept constant. The results provide the water needs at different growth stages to efficiently manage irrigation in the greenhouses.
The document discusses various forms of urban agriculture including rooftop gardens, vertical farming, aquaponics, hydroponics, community gardens, and peri-urban farming. Rooftop gardens provide environmental and economic benefits but have high initial costs. Vertical farming uses multi-story buildings to maximize crop yields within urban footprints. Aquaponics combines hydroponics with aquaculture in a symbiotic system. Urban agriculture helps address issues of food security, environmental sustainability, and social well-being in cities.
This study evaluated people's perceptions of pine tree plantations and food security in the Kigezi Highlands region of Uganda. A mixed-methods approach was used, including questionnaires and group discussions with 384 participants.
The findings indicate that most respondents had a negative perception of pine tree plantations, believing they contributed to issues like land degradation, loss of biodiversity, and competition with crops. However, some benefits were also acknowledged, such as increased income and fuel wood. Overall, the study found that pine tree plantations had a negative effect on food security in the region due to the amount of land occupied. The null hypothesis that pine tree plantations had no significant effect on food security was rejected. The study recommends adopting ag
This document summarizes the impacts of climate change on agriculture in India. It discusses how climate change can negatively affect crop yields and production through increased temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and more frequent extreme weather events. It provides examples of studies that project declines in the production of crops like rice, wheat and sorghum in different parts of India due to climate change. The document also discusses how climate change may reduce milk production in India. It identifies adaptation strategies like altered cropping practices and integrated farming as ways for agriculture to build resilience against climate impacts.
Presentation by Sonja Vermeulen, Head of Research and Vanessa Meadu, Communications and Knowledge Manager, CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). Delivered to private sector representatives in London on 11 July 2013.
Principles and approaches of converting conventional farms into sustainable f...Rajiv Khanal
Sustainable agriculture is one that produces abundant food without depleting the earth’s resources or polluting its environment. It is agriculture that follows the principles of nature to develop systems for raising crops and livestock that are, like nature, self-sustaining. Sustainable agriculture is also the agriculture of social values, one whose success is indistinguishable from vibrant rural communities, rich lives for families on the farms, and wholesome food for everyone. But in the first decade of the 21st Century, sustainable agriculture, as a set of commonly accepted practices or a model farm economy, is still in its infancy—more than an idea, but only just.
Joy Jacqueline Pereira presented on climate change impacts from the IPCC's 5th and upcoming 6th assessment reports. The presentation highlighted the widespread observed impacts of climate change already occurring, with increasing magnitudes of warming increasing risks. Continued high emissions increase risks including increased heat mortality, drought, food insecurity, and water shortages in Asia. Adaptation efforts are helping but greater ambition is needed to limit global warming to 1.5°C versus 2°C to reduce severe impacts on people, ecosystems, food production and biodiversity. The IPCC's 6th assessment will expand coverage of Central Asia.
1. The document discusses the impacts of climate change on Indian agriculture. It is expected to affect agricultural productivity and shift crop patterns due to factors like increasing temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and more frequent extreme weather events.
2. Studies have shown that increases in temperature could reduce yields of crops like rice and wheat. Climate change may also lead to a change in suitable areas for growing certain crops. Rain-fed agriculture is expected to be more severely impacted than irrigated agriculture.
3. The impacts of climate change on agriculture could have wide-ranging implications for issues like food security, trade, livelihoods, and water conservation in India given the country's dependence on agriculture. Adaptation and mitigation strategies will
In the culminating course for Sustainability Studies minors at Muhlenberg College in the Spring of 2014, I worked on a semester long research proposal that was used to help install a hydroponic herb garden in the Wood Dining Commons. The attached proposal includes the research process, discussion about how the system will be disseminated and implemented, marketing and educational components of the garden, and explanation of how a hydroponics system benefits Muhlenberg within the context of sustainability.
El documento presenta un mapa conceptual sobre el latifundio, dividiéndolo en sus características principales como la concentración de grandes extensiones de tierra en pocas manos, la explotación de los campesinos y la falta de modernización agrícola.
Each nation taking an interest in ISO/TS 16949 Certification gives the organizations that demonstrate their capacity to stay with the standards with proper authentications. Organizations get authorized after a formal quality framework check is performed by an evaluating group known as a Registrar.TS 16949 Certification by URS get in all over India.
Agriculture has been and continues to be the most important sector in Indian economy. Climate change is one of the most important environmental issues facing the world today. The impact of climate change is a reality and it cuts across all climates sensitive sectors including the Agriculture sector. In this situation this seminar focuses on the climate smart agriculture. CSA brings together practices, policies and institutions that are not necessarily new but are used in the context of climatic changes which is prime requirement in arena of climate change. Farmers possessed low level of knowledge regarding climate change, and they adopted traditional methods to mitigate the impact of climate change. Small land holdings, poor extension services and non availability of stress tolerant verities were the major problems faced by the farmers in adoption to climate change. Extension functionaries were having medium level awareness about impact of climate change on agriculture. They used electronic media, training and conferences and seminars as major sources of information for climate change. They need training on climate smart agriculture aspects. Based on the above facts this presentation focuses on analyzing the opportunities and challenges of climate smart agriculture.
This presentation discusses climate smart agriculture. It defines key concepts like weather, climate, and the greenhouse effect. It explains how climate change is impacting Nepal's agriculture sector through increased temperatures, more extreme weather, and reduced crop yields. The presentation outlines the objectives of climate smart agriculture to develop practices that help farming adapt to climate change by being more resilient, productive, and low-carbon. Specific climate smart agriculture strategies discussed include conservation tillage, agroforestry, water management techniques, and ensuring gender inclusion in climate adaptation efforts.
IRJET- Green Energy Recovery for Sustainable DevelopmentIRJET Journal
This document discusses green energy recovery from waste for sustainable development. It describes how waste can be used to generate green energy through various thermo-chemical and bio-chemical conversion processes like combustion, gasification, pyrolysis, anaerobic digestion, and ethanol fermentation. These conversion processes transform biomass and organic waste into useful forms of energy like electricity, heat, biofuels and prevent waste from occupying landfills. The document also outlines different biomass resources that can be used, including agricultural/forest residues, energy crops, urban/municipal waste, and aquatic plants. Overall, green energy recovery from waste has benefits like reducing dependence on fossil fuels, producing renewable energy, and enabling more sustainable waste management.
Resource conservation, tools for screening climate smart practices and public...Prabhakar SVRK
Natural resources continue to play an important role in livelihood and wellbeing of millions. Over exploitation and degradation of natural resource base have led to declining factor productivity in rural areas and dwindling farm profits coupled with debilitating impact on human health. This necessitates promoting technologies that can help producing food keeping pace with the growing population while conserving natural resource base and be profitable. Achieving this conflicting target though appears to be challenging but is possible with the currently available technologies. This lecture will provide insights into a gamut of resource conserving technologies, the role of communities in promoting them and tools that can help in identifying suitable technologies for adoption. The lecture will heavily borrow sustainable agriculture cases from the Asia Pacific region.
Outline
• Natural resource dependency and rural development
o Trends in resource depletion and impact on food production
o Farm profitability trends and input use
o Trends in factor productivity
• Resource conserving technologies and climate smart agriculture
o What are they?
o Similarities and differences
o Costs and benefits of pursuing them
• Tools for identifying resource conserving and climate smart agriculture technologies
o Factor productivity
o Benefit cost ratios
o Marginal abatement costs
• Role of communities
o Communities as entry point
o Benefits of community participation
• Concluding thoughts
o How to scale up resource conservation?
Sustainable Intensification of biodiversity in agroecosystem through conserva...Subodh Khanal
1) Conservation agriculture aims to sustainably intensify biodiversity in agroecosystems through techniques like conservation of crop residues, no-till farming, and intercropping.
2) Traditional agriculture can damage the environment by causing soil degradation, greenhouse gas emissions, and loss of biodiversity. Conservation agriculture addresses these issues through practices like zero-tillage, crop rotations, cover crops, and mulching to improve soil health and water retention.
3) Conservation agriculture has benefits for yields, costs, soil, water, and the environment. However, challenges include the need to change mindsets, manage crop residues, and address issues like initial soil compaction. It requires adapting techniques to local conditions and supporting policies
Vertical farming is the practice of growing produce in vertically stacked layers.
Vertical farms come in different shapes and sizes, from simple two-level or wall-mounted
systems to large warehouses several stories tall.
Vertical farming typically uses a mix of natural light and artificial light. Artificial lighting is often LED-based and may be driven by a renewable power source such as solar power or wind turbines.
Ghayas Haider Sajid presented on the topic of the effect of climate change on agriculture for the department of soil science at Gomal University. The presentation covered definitions of weather and climate, factors affecting climate change, how agriculture contributes to and is impacted by climate change, and potential adaptations and solutions for agriculture under climate change.
An efficient irrigation system for plasticulture of strawberry in bangladeshAlexander Decker
This document summarizes a study that developed an efficient and low-cost irrigation system for strawberry cultivation using plasticulture techniques in Bangladesh. The researchers tested a micro-drip irrigation system compared to conventional irrigation. Statistical analysis showed the plasticulture system with micro-drip irrigation significantly improved plant growth parameters and reduced production costs compared to conventional techniques, making it a viable option for rural farmers in Bangladesh.
Climate change impacts on agriculture and rural development in the Pacific Re...Euforic Services
The document discusses the impacts of climate change on agriculture and rural development in Pacific island countries. It notes that rising sea levels and changes in rainfall patterns from climate change threaten coconut trees, an important food and cash crop. On Maiana Island in Kiribati, decreases in rainfall are reducing food and copra production, potentially exacerbating effects of sea level rise such as land loss. Climate change also poses challenges for rural energy development projects in Kiribati by reducing incomes from copra that communities rely on to purchase and maintain new energy systems. Adaptation will require financial resources, developing resilient cash crops, and gender-sensitive policies.
The document is a project report that studied the water required to grow a stem of a rose flower in a greenhouse. It monitored 40 randomly selected rose plants from budding to harvest over 52 days on average. Weather data like temperature, humidity and solar radiation were recorded daily. The plants took on average 7.5 weeks and used 63cm of water to mature. Water meters tracked the humidification water used, while irrigation amounts were kept constant. The results provide the water needs at different growth stages to efficiently manage irrigation in the greenhouses.
The document discusses various forms of urban agriculture including rooftop gardens, vertical farming, aquaponics, hydroponics, community gardens, and peri-urban farming. Rooftop gardens provide environmental and economic benefits but have high initial costs. Vertical farming uses multi-story buildings to maximize crop yields within urban footprints. Aquaponics combines hydroponics with aquaculture in a symbiotic system. Urban agriculture helps address issues of food security, environmental sustainability, and social well-being in cities.
This study evaluated people's perceptions of pine tree plantations and food security in the Kigezi Highlands region of Uganda. A mixed-methods approach was used, including questionnaires and group discussions with 384 participants.
The findings indicate that most respondents had a negative perception of pine tree plantations, believing they contributed to issues like land degradation, loss of biodiversity, and competition with crops. However, some benefits were also acknowledged, such as increased income and fuel wood. Overall, the study found that pine tree plantations had a negative effect on food security in the region due to the amount of land occupied. The null hypothesis that pine tree plantations had no significant effect on food security was rejected. The study recommends adopting ag
This document summarizes the impacts of climate change on agriculture in India. It discusses how climate change can negatively affect crop yields and production through increased temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and more frequent extreme weather events. It provides examples of studies that project declines in the production of crops like rice, wheat and sorghum in different parts of India due to climate change. The document also discusses how climate change may reduce milk production in India. It identifies adaptation strategies like altered cropping practices and integrated farming as ways for agriculture to build resilience against climate impacts.
Presentation by Sonja Vermeulen, Head of Research and Vanessa Meadu, Communications and Knowledge Manager, CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). Delivered to private sector representatives in London on 11 July 2013.
Principles and approaches of converting conventional farms into sustainable f...Rajiv Khanal
Sustainable agriculture is one that produces abundant food without depleting the earth’s resources or polluting its environment. It is agriculture that follows the principles of nature to develop systems for raising crops and livestock that are, like nature, self-sustaining. Sustainable agriculture is also the agriculture of social values, one whose success is indistinguishable from vibrant rural communities, rich lives for families on the farms, and wholesome food for everyone. But in the first decade of the 21st Century, sustainable agriculture, as a set of commonly accepted practices or a model farm economy, is still in its infancy—more than an idea, but only just.
Joy Jacqueline Pereira presented on climate change impacts from the IPCC's 5th and upcoming 6th assessment reports. The presentation highlighted the widespread observed impacts of climate change already occurring, with increasing magnitudes of warming increasing risks. Continued high emissions increase risks including increased heat mortality, drought, food insecurity, and water shortages in Asia. Adaptation efforts are helping but greater ambition is needed to limit global warming to 1.5°C versus 2°C to reduce severe impacts on people, ecosystems, food production and biodiversity. The IPCC's 6th assessment will expand coverage of Central Asia.
1. The document discusses the impacts of climate change on Indian agriculture. It is expected to affect agricultural productivity and shift crop patterns due to factors like increasing temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and more frequent extreme weather events.
2. Studies have shown that increases in temperature could reduce yields of crops like rice and wheat. Climate change may also lead to a change in suitable areas for growing certain crops. Rain-fed agriculture is expected to be more severely impacted than irrigated agriculture.
3. The impacts of climate change on agriculture could have wide-ranging implications for issues like food security, trade, livelihoods, and water conservation in India given the country's dependence on agriculture. Adaptation and mitigation strategies will
In the culminating course for Sustainability Studies minors at Muhlenberg College in the Spring of 2014, I worked on a semester long research proposal that was used to help install a hydroponic herb garden in the Wood Dining Commons. The attached proposal includes the research process, discussion about how the system will be disseminated and implemented, marketing and educational components of the garden, and explanation of how a hydroponics system benefits Muhlenberg within the context of sustainability.
El documento presenta un mapa conceptual sobre el latifundio, dividiéndolo en sus características principales como la concentración de grandes extensiones de tierra en pocas manos, la explotación de los campesinos y la falta de modernización agrícola.
Each nation taking an interest in ISO/TS 16949 Certification gives the organizations that demonstrate their capacity to stay with the standards with proper authentications. Organizations get authorized after a formal quality framework check is performed by an evaluating group known as a Registrar.TS 16949 Certification by URS get in all over India.
Ana Paula Junqueira defende soluções para garantir direitos básicos como moradia, educação e trabalho para todos os brasileiros, além de investimentos em saúde, meio ambiente e cultura de paz. Ela apoia projetos sobre assistência a dependentes químicos e idosos, além de incentivos fiscais para doações ambientais.
The document discusses popular forms of entertainment in America such as social media, video games, TV shows, movies, music artists, and songs. It notes that social media allows communication without being together in person and lists platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. For video games, it mentions that Call of Duty and Minecraft are very popular in America and that PC gaming is becoming more common. Popular TV genres include drama, comedy, and cooking, while recommended shows listed are The Walking Dead, Arrow, and Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Common movie genres are named as comedy, horror, drama, animated, and sci-fi/fantasy, with
The document discusses a technology program called "The Mars colonization" that the group has been working on this semester. It divides the work into 5 points: the application, formulas, lexicon, travelled distance, and self-assessment. The application section describes creating an app that investigates communication, energy and material bases from the internet and formats it for the app. The formulas section involves calculating essential formulas for the project. The lexicon section is translating words into Spanish, Catalan and English. The travelled distance section includes filling out a table with total distances traveled and completing missions. The self-assessment section involves sending a review email to the teacher with group and individual marks.
El tenis de mesa es un deporte olímpico practicado por más de 40 millones de personas en todo el mundo y regulado por la Federación Internacional de Tenis de Mesa. Aunque se asocia con Asia, el tenis de mesa se originó en Inglaterra a finales del siglo XIX como una variación del tenis y se convirtió en deporte olímpico en los Juegos de Seúl 1988.
El documento trata sobre el problema agrario en Venezuela y su evolución a través del tiempo. Se divide en tres grandes grupos: 1) El capitalismo trajo maquinarias y fertilizantes que convirtieron la tierra en un valor económico de gran importancia; 2) En Venezuela, el primer código agrario data de la época colonial y existían contratos especiales llamados "colonatos", aunque en el siglo XIX no hubo cambios estructurales; 3) Se produjeron varias leyes de reforma agraria desde 1945 hasta 2005 con el objetivo de resolver democr
Este documento describe las características del lenguaje jurídico. Explica que el lenguaje jurídico tiene su propia terminología y sintaxis que puede ser difícil de entender para los no expertos. También cubre temas como el razonamiento jurídico, la argumentación jurídica y los posibles vicios en la argumentación. Resalta que el lenguaje jurídico se ha desarrollado a partir de las bases del sistema romano-canónico y ha incorporado términos del latín y griego.
IRJET- A Novel Approach to Smart FarmingIRJET Journal
1) The document presents a novel approach for smart farming using data analytics and IoT technologies. It aims to help farmers overcome agricultural challenges by predicting crop success/failure ratios using analytical techniques.
2) It reviews related works that use sensors and decision support systems to facilitate irrigation management, integrate smart agriculture and clean energy systems, and estimate phenotyping variables using optical sensors.
3) It also discusses using a UAV+UGV system to estimate soil nitrogen levels across a farm to help reduce fertilizer usage and the challenges of large-scale IoT implementations in agriculture.
IRJET- A Novel Approach to Smart FarmingIRJET Journal
1) The document presents a novel approach for smart farming using data analytics and IoT technologies. It aims to help farmers overcome agricultural challenges by predicting the success or failure ratio of crop cultivation.
2) Data from soil sensors and environmental sensors would be analyzed to determine the natural resources in the soil and predict which crops are best suited to a particular land area.
3) This approach provides farmers with smart agricultural practices to improve yields and helps address issues from a lack of knowledge about soil resources and challenges in choosing suitable crops.
Real Time Multi Parameter Monitoring in Smart Aquaponic IoTIRJET Journal
This document describes a smart aquaponic system that uses Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to monitor and control parameters for fish, chickens, and soilless plant cultivation. The system uses sensors to monitor temperature, humidity, pH, dissolved oxygen, and water levels. It aims to provide organic food production from fish, chickens, and plants with minimal water and fertilizer use. The system is controlled by an Arduino microcontroller and sensors send data to a mobile app and LCD display. This allows for automated control and remote monitoring of the aquaponic farm.
This document describes a smart aeroponics system using IoT. Aeroponics is a method of growing plants without soil, instead using air and mist. The system presented uses sensors to monitor pH, temperature, and humidity, and components like pumps and fans to automate control of these factors. A microcontroller and WiFi module send sensor data to an online platform and app for remote monitoring. This allows for unattended operation and improves on previous aeroponics systems that lacked monitoring and automation. The goal is to develop a prototype that maintains optimal growing conditions without manual intervention through IoT technologies.
The WVSU Extension Service has been conducting various workshops and programs over the last two years related to climate change, including planting more than 250 trees, constructing over 50 rain barrels and 80 cold frames, and using solar and wind technologies. These programs aim to educate homeowners, local producers and governments on techniques for carbon sequestration, water and nutrient conservation, season extension, and alternative energy use in order to help adapt to climate change impacts.
The document discusses technologies for smart cultivation systems, including drip irrigation, covered cultivation, smart monitoring using sensors, and advanced machinery like sprayers, cotton harvesters, planters, and tree trimmers. It focuses on how these technologies can help optimize water and resource usage, control the growing environment, remotely monitor crop and soil conditions, and automate agricultural tasks to improve productivity and sustainability. The goal of smart cultivation systems is to apply modern information and communication technologies to agriculture for more precise, efficient, and data-driven farming.
GREENHOUSE MONITORING AND AUTOMATION SYSTEMIRJET Journal
This document describes a smart greenhouse monitoring and automation system that uses IoT technologies. The system uses sensors to monitor parameters like temperature, soil moisture, and uses a Node MCU microcontroller for wireless communication. An Android application allows users to monitor sensor values remotely and control automation systems through a user-friendly interface. The system aims to automate greenhouse operations to improve crop yields while reducing manual labor requirements for farmers. It can monitor and control multiple greenhouses from a single mobile app. The system integrates modern IoT and wireless technologies to help modernize agricultural practices.
IRJET- Automated Water Quality Monitoring System for AquaponicsIRJET Journal
This document describes an automated water quality monitoring system for aquaponics using Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Aquaponics combines aquaculture and hydroponics into an integrated system where fish waste provides nutrients for plant growth and plants act as a biofilter for the water. The proposed system monitors pH, temperature, ammonia, and nitrate levels in the water without manual testing. It uses chemical reagent tests to detect ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite concentrations by analyzing the color developed, since electronic sensors for these are expensive. The whole testing procedure is automated and controlled wirelessly using WiFi. The system aims to help farmers reduce effort and maintain a balanced ecosystem by continuously monitoring key water quality parameters.
Sustainable agriculture and its effectiveness - Capstone research project MatthewBelanger10
This research paper was for the Environmental Studies 400 capstone class at Central Michigan University. In this paper, I strive to understand why industrial agriculture is so unsustainable, what is being done to reach a more sustainable system, and whether or not these strives in sustainability are effective. This research project allowed me to develop my interest in the agriculture industry and learn more about this field. Coupled with a presentation to faculty members and students of the Environmental Studies program, this project allowed me to practice my research and communication skills through a topic that deeply interested me.
1) A study was conducted to determine the effect of different organic solutions on lettuce grown in a modified hydroponic system. The organic solutions tested were a homemade concoction, commercial amino acids, inorganic fertilizer, and coconut water.
2) Results showed that lettuce grown with the homemade concoction solution had more leaves, wider leaves, and heavier weight compared to the other solutions.
3) Overall, the homemade concoction performed as well or better than the commercial organic and inorganic solutions, indicating its potential as an effective organic nutrient solution for hydroponic systems.
The document discusses an organization that provides sustainable technology solutions to address global issues related to energy, water, agriculture, and food security. Specifically, it offers (1) design and implementation of solar energy systems, water purification plants, and agricultural projects, (2) technology transfer of these solutions through a "design/build" approach with local partners, and (3) project management and consulting services to identify needs and design customized solutions. The goal is to make use of available resources and technologies to improve access to energy, water, and food in developing areas.
This document discusses an organization that provides sustainable technology solutions to address global issues related to energy, water, agriculture, and food security. Specifically, it offers:
1) Renewable energy systems like solar power to provide affordable, clean energy.
2) Water purification and wastewater treatment systems to ensure access to safe drinking water.
3) Agricultural solutions like soil remediation to enhance crop yields and global food production.
4) Turnkey project implementation services involving technology transfer, design, procurement, installation, and training.
1) The document discusses the planning of a sustainable town, including collecting data on sustainable building materials, designing the town layout and buildings in AutoCAD, creating 3D models, and building a physical model.
2) Sustainable materials proposed include precast concrete, recycled wood, steel, rigid foam insulation, and Ferrock. The town plan includes houses, parks, schools, markets, and solar parking.
3) 3D models were created in SketchUp of sample buildings. A physical model was then constructed using foam to represent the designed town.
This document summarizes research on hydroponics systems. It discusses how hydroponics can be used in urban areas with limited space to grow crops. It then reviews several hydroponics studies including using Internet of Things sensors to automatically control nutrient levels, comparing hydroponics and aquaponics systems, and analyzing how plant metabolites are affected by factors like sunlight exposure. The document concludes that hydroponics is a viable option for urban farming and that automated IoT systems and aquaponics can further improve plant growth and yields.
Smart Cultivation: An Arduino-based IoT Aeroponics System for Indoor FarmingIRJET Journal
This document describes a study that designed and implemented an Arduino-based Internet of Things (IoT) aeroponics system for indoor farming. The system uses sensors to monitor environmental conditions and actuators to control irrigation and lighting. It aims to precisely control growth factors to enable year-round production of high-quality crops. The system integrates advanced IoT technology and automation to optimize plant growth and resource usage. Experimental results showed the system achieved significant reductions in water and fertilizer usage compared to traditional farming methods, demonstrating improved sustainability and efficiency for indoor agriculture.
Rebecca Gerendasy: Designing a Sustainable Aquaponics System: An Inventor's T...headytenant380
Curt Jungwirth designed an integrated heat exchanger that improves energy and water efficiency in aquaponics systems. By capturing latent heat from dehumidified air, his system redirects heat back into fish tanks and the building. This allows the system to require a water change of only 1% per week, compared to 5-8% for typical systems. Jungwirth continues working to make his design more sustainable by adding methane digesters to power the system and use leftover organic matter to feed worms for the fish. His goal is to develop efficient, local food production methods that will be critical for addressing issues like population growth, climate change impacts on agriculture, and freshwater scarcity.
This project aims to create an advanced humidity and rainfall sensor to measure environmental conditions crucial for plant health and growth. The sensor will collect real-time soil moisture and precipitation data to better understand how these factors impact plants. Preliminary results show a significant correlation between soil moisture, rainfall, and plant vitality indicators like growth and disease resistance. The sensor assemblies allow continuous monitoring needed to adapt to climate changes and ensure sustainable agriculture. In conclusion, this sensor technology provides insights that can improve agricultural practices and resource management.
This project aims to create an advanced humidity and rainfall sensor to measure environmental conditions crucial for plant health and growth. The sensor will collect real-time soil moisture and precipitation data to better understand how these factors impact plants. Preliminary results show a significant correlation between soil moisture, rainfall, and plant vitality indicators like growth and disease resistance. The sensor assemblies allow continuous monitoring needed to adapt to climate changes and ensure sustainable agriculture. In conclusion, this sensor technology provides insights that can improve agricultural practices and resource management.
Sustainable Farming for the Future.docxKevinSims18
Sustainable farming focuses on environmentally-friendly practices like soil conservation, water management and biodiversity protection. It aims to preserve resources for future generations while producing food. Key techniques include crop rotation to improve soils, conservation tillage to reduce erosion, and agroforestry which provides shade and additional income. Sustainable livestock practices rotate grazing areas, use natural feeds and manage manure to aid soils and control pollution. These methods help mitigate climate change impacts by capturing carbon, utilizing renewable energy and conserving water. Adopting sustainable farming ensures a healthy environment and food supply for the future.
Similar to ENGR_4328_UHD_Brian Ly_ Sustainable Community Garden_ Final Report (20)
ENGR_4328_UHD_Brian Ly_ Sustainable Community Garden_ Final Report
1. UHD Sustainable Garden
Final Report
Freddy Lara, Steven Bennett, Brian Ly, Jose Vega
Fall 2015
This report is pertaining to the control system design, construction, and results of the UHD Sustainable
Garden project for our Control and Instrumentation Technology Senior Project.
2. UHD Sustainable Garden
Bennett, Lara, Ly, Vega Page 1 of 28
ExecutiveSummary
Food is a necessary component for human survival. With the growth of the population around
the world, the methods of farming and gardening have changed. We have large scale farms that
use chemicals to increase vegetable and animal growth rate. These methods also make
stronger crops and animals while allowing them to mature earlier. We use pesticides and
antibiotics to keep our products looking stronger and healthier for greater lengths of time.
However, what we consume everyday actually contains chemicals used to produce farmed
products. These methods are thought to result in high rates of allergy sensitivity, obesity,
diabetes, cancer, as well as adolescents maturing earlier. There is no indication of egg or
peanut allergies in third world countries where almost everything is grown naturally. The energy
and chemicals used in farming have long been thought to play a role in climate change.
Environmental health, as well as personal health, are the two of the main benefits of why we
should support sustainable gardens. Our very own UHD Garden Club understands the benefits
of promoting sustainable gardens and is committed to teaching community members the basics
of gardening. The UHD Garden Club is reconstructing the sustainable garden that was swept
away by a recent flood. The Control and Instrumentation Engineering Technology major
students will be installing a fully automated irrigation system that will ensure proper watering is
administered. This automated system will help with improving growth and the overall health of
the crops. We designed and constructed an automated, solar powered, irrigation system that
will water each zone in the garden according to specifications given by the garden club
community. The design will also consist of several sensors and wireless communication that will
display and store data. This data will be stored and will be accessible thru a designated
computer inside the university. This data will be available for the garden club to evaluate and
advise if any set point changes are required in the watering of the garden.
3. UHD Sustainable Garden
Bennett, Lara, Ly, Vega Page 2 of 28
Table of Contents
Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................1
Introduction.......................................................................................................................................3
i. Literature Review.........................................................................................................................3
ii. Project Objectives & Description..................................................................................................4
iii. Project Significance & Impact......................................................................................................4
Methods and Materials.......................................................................................................................4
i. Alternative Approaches................................................................................................................4
ii. SelectedApproach to Solve Problem............................................................................................4
1. Materials ...............................................................................................................................4
2. Data.....................................................................................................................................12
3. Assumptions .......................................................................................................................12
4. Problem Formulation ..........................................................................................................12
5. Calculations ........................................................................................................................13
6. Experiments........................................................................................................................14
Results.............................................................................................................................................15
i. Presentation of Results...............................................................................................................15
ii. Interpretation of Results............................................................................................................22
Future Work.....................................................................................................................................22
Appendices ......................................................................................................................................23
Conclusion .......................................................................................................................................27
References.......................................................................................................................................28
4. UHD Sustainable Garden
Bennett, Lara, Ly, Vega Page 3 of 28
Introduction
i. Literature Review
Sustainable gardening is becoming a higher priority in many agricultural processes. These
methods are based on ideas that conservation and sustainability are necessary for the
continuation of efficient crop development that is safe for the environment and the consumers.
The ideas behind these efforts are based on past experiences and predicted future needs.
Water conservation and energy consumption are some of the more important issues that must
be addressed [1]
.
Water conservation and runoff control have proven to be arguably the most important
agricultural issues across the U.S., severe droughts such as the one being currently
experienced in California can happen in any state in the U.S. Massive amounts of water used
for farming in California is now showing a catastrophic environmental impact; part of California’s
Central Valley is now sinking at a rate of 1 foot per year [2]
due to the extreme soil dryness and
loss of water storage. This will have a large impact on infrastructure in the near future as well as
an economic impact that has yet to be fully exposed. Controlling the amount of water used for
gardening is essential for environmental maintenance and preservation.
Reducing the use of fossil fuel and exploring alternative power means are a key component to
sustainability. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in 2014 major energy
sources of total U.S. electricity generation are coal (39%) and natural gas (27%) [3]
. Burning
fossil fuel releases harmful gases and carbon dioxide, which are thought to cause global
warming and climate change around the world. Some viable alternative energy sources are
solar and wind power.
Managing garden waste is important to protecting the environment and ensuring the full use of
materials. Composting is a natural process to turn organic waste into very rich in nutrition soil.
Compost can be used as fertilizer and soil amendment. This is the best natural way to convert a
poor soil garden into an organic garden. Exclusive chemical fertilizers used to accelerate
vegetable growth can have certain impacts on human health as well as cause damage to the
soil.
Crop selection is an important consideration for anyone considering garden or agricultural scale
growing. Depending on time of the year, selecting the right plants is an important task for a
successful garden. The local vegetable garden planting calendar is used to select vegetables
for the right season [4]
. Placing a variety of plants in the garden is known as companion planting
and is a good way to control harmful pests. Plants are strategically placed in different places of
garden depending on their characteristic needs. Some plants need more water than others.
Some need to be in full direct sun while others need controlled sunlight.
5. UHD Sustainable Garden
Bennett, Lara, Ly, Vega Page 4 of 28
ii. Project Objectives & Description
Our objective of this project is to implement a system that can measure soil moisture and
temperature from the garden, analyze the obtained data, and apply the required amount of
water needed for plants in the garden. Our system will be self-sustained and environmentally
friendly. To achieve this, solar panels will be used to power all electronic components necessary
to control the automated watering process. We will use the Arduino platform of programmable
controllers as the control system for the UHD Sustainable Garden Project.
iii. Project Significance & Impact
The project significance and impact is to support the UHD Community Garden which will provide
vegetables and fruits that will be prioritized for UHD community members in need. This project
will allow our team the opportunity to present our knowledge gained in the courses of the CIET
Program.
Methods and Materials
i. Alternative Approaches
There is no alternative approach for this project as the scope and need for the system have
previously been defined.
ii. Selected Approach to Solve Problem
1. Materials
For this project, we must consider that the garden is situated on the top of an old railroad base
and is therefore rocky beneath the surface. The layout of the garden has to be carefully studied
and designed, thus future modification can be easily achieved. We decided to install water
control valves on each garden bed; one main water supply pipe will run along the fence with
branches out from the main pipe to supply water for each garden bed.
Our project will address the over and under watering of crops. Understanding that there will be
different plants in the garden separated into different beds, we must take into account the
watering needs of each individual bed. Our system will be able to control watering zones
separately to provide adequate soil moisture content specific to the plant. We will work directly
with the UHD Garden Club to understand the needs of the plants and ensure the proper design
of our system to meet these needs.
Typically, each student in the course preparing a senior project is provided with a budget
amount which is totaled for the team. Since this project is sponsored by the University of
Houston Downtown, the budget for this project will be funded differently. Most all of the required
parts have already been sourced for our project, arriving at a current total cost of $3,069.89.
6. UHD Sustainable Garden
Bennett, Lara, Ly, Vega Page 5 of 28
The following parts list of material (Table 1) was prepared and ordered for us in anticipation of
the project this semester. Due to the expanded scope of the project, we needed to order
additional material.
Part Name Qt Price per Unit Subtotal Sources
RENOGY® 250W Watt
Monocrystalline Black Solar
Panel UL Listed 2 $349.99 $699.98
http://www.amazon.com/RENOGY%C2
%AE-Monocrystalline-Black-Solar-
Listed/dp/B00F9HUXWO
Renogy Solar Panel Mounting
Z Bracket 4 Units 2 $13.49 $26.98
http://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Solar-
Panel-Mounting-
Bracket/dp/B00BR3KFKE/ref=pd_bxgy
_86_text_y
Islandoffer 5 Pairs of MC4
Male/ Female Solar Panel
Cable Connectors 1 $7.99 $7.99
http://www.amazon.com/Islandoffer-
Pairs-Female-Solar-
Connectors/dp/B00A8TRKJW/ref=pd_b
xgy_229_img_z
Solar Panel Cable Pv type
wire 50 Ft - Mc4 Extension-
10awg- 600/1000vdc -
Sunlight Resistant 4 $28.63 $114.52
http://www.amazon.com/Solar-Panel-
Cable-type-
wire/dp/B008JHXF4O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=U
TF8&qid=1433173881&sr=8-
1&keywords=solar+panel+cable
Tycon (TPSM-250x4-TP) Top
of Pole Mount for Two or Four
250W Solar Panels
1 $589.00 $589.00
http://www.amazon.com/Tycon-TPSM-
250x4-TP-Mount-Solar-
Panels/dp/B00WZOCLUG/ref=sr_1_37
?s=lawn-
garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1433179762&sr
=1-37&keywords=solar+panel+250w
Power Sonic PS Series
Sealed Lead Acid (12V -
100Ah) Deep Cycle - From
MOUSER: part number 547-
PS121000 1 $324.58 $324.58
http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/P
ower-Sonic/PS-
121000/?qs=UXgszm6BlbH8WYDNnX
MnWA%3D%3D&kpid=2014032&gclid=
CJ3Lm6nV78UCFQqGaQodFIcAAQ
MISOL PWM Solar regulator
50A / with LCD screen/
Charge Power Controller /
Regulator 12V / 24V 50 Amp
solar charge controller
1 $89.68 $89.68
http://www.amazon.com/MISOL-
regulator-Controller-Regulator-
controller/dp/B00A4AVAAA/ref=sr_1_4
?ie=UTF8&qid=1433202252&sr=8-
4&keywords=12V+50amp+charge+cont
roller
Arlington Industries
EB1212BPBL-1 Electronic
Equipment Enclosure Box
with Backplate (Pack of 1),
12" x 12" x 4", Black 1 $47.42 $47.42
http://www.amazon.com/Arlington-
Industries-EB1212BP-1-Electronic-Non-
Metallic/dp/B00JNBQU3I/ref=pd_sim_s
bs_60_29?ie=UTF8&refRID=0EZENSD
XYCFY171M703B
Enclosures, Boxes, & Cases
16.27 x 14.4 x 8.13 Lift Off
Cover (by Hammond
Manufacturing)
1 $129.19 $129.19
http://www.amazon.com/Enclosures-
Boxes-Cases-16-27-
Cover/dp/B005T8N67C/ref=sr_1_5?s=i
ndustrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1433205916&s
r=1-5&keywords=14x14+junction+box
Arduino Due 1 $49.95 $49.95
http://www.adafruit.com/products/1076
Arduino Mega 1 $45.95 $45.95
http://www.adafruit.com/products/191
7. UHD Sustainable Garden
Bennett, Lara, Ly, Vega Page 6 of 28
Analog Shield
1 $49.99 $49.99
https://www.digilentinc.com/Products/D
etail.cfm?NavPath=2,648,1250&Prod=T
I-ANALOG-SHIELD
GeauxRobot Arduino DUE
Enclosure Case BoxClear
2 $15.99 $31.98
http://www.amazon.com/GeauxRobot-
Arduino-Enclosure-Case-
Clear/dp/B00NNXR0DG/ref=sr_1_5?ie=
UTF8&qid=1433174472&sr=8-
5&keywords=arduino+due
Easy More 3 X 40p 2.54mm
Breadboard Jumper Wires
Male-male/female-
female/female-male 20cm 1 $4.93 $4.93
http://www.amazon.com/2-54mm-
Breadboard-Male-male-female-female-
female-
male/dp/B00E8Z3528/ref=sr_1_11?ie=
UTF8&qid=1433174570&sr=8-
11&keywords=arduino+cable
Soil Temperature/Moisture
Sensor – SHT10 5 $49.95 $249.75
http://www.adafruit.com/products/1298?
gclid=CM_moN346cMCFZCEaQodZkc
AGQ
Electronix Express - Hook up
Wire Kit (Solid Wire Kit)
2 $22.00 $44.00
http://www.amazon.com/Electronix-
Express-Hook-Wire-
Solid/dp/B00B4ZRPEY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=
UTF8&qid=1433176876&sr=8-
1&keywords=22+awg+wire
LED 4-DigitTube Display
(D4056A) Module with Decimal
Point for Arduino
5 $5.99 $29.95
http://www.amazon.com/4-Digit-
Display-D4056A-Decimal-
Arduino/dp/B00S4PCSI0/ref=sr_1_10?i
e=UTF8&qid=1433177056&sr=8-
10&keywords=screw+for+arduino
Arduino Proto Screw Shield
2 $11.99 $23.98
http://www.amazon.com/iTead-
IM120417013-Arduino-Proto-
Shield/dp/B00HBVVKPA/ref=sr_1_2?ie
=UTF8&qid=1433177056&sr=8-
2&keywords=screw+for+arduino
300Pcs M3 Nylon Hex Spacers
Screw Nut Stand-off Plastic
Accessories Assortment
Black/White
2 $14.83 $29.66
http://www.amazon.com/Spacers-
Stand-off-Plastic-Accessories-
Assortment/dp/B00MMWDYI4/ref=sr_1
_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1433177399&sr=8-
8&keywords=m3+screw
JBtek 8 Channel DC 5V Relay
Module for Arduino Raspberry
Pi DSP AVR PIC ARM
2 $8.99 $17.98
http://www.amazon.com/JBtek-
Channel-Relay-Arduino-
Raspberry/dp/B00KTELP3I/ref=sr_1_1?
ie=UTF8&qid=1433177540&sr=8-
1&keywords=arduino+relay
SainSmart16-Channel Relay
Module
1 $22.99 $22.99
http://www.amazon.com/SainSmart-16-
CH-16-Channel-Relay-
Module/dp/B0057OC66U/ref=sr_1_8?ie
=UTF8&qid=1433177607&sr=8-
8&keywords=arduino+relay
SainSmart1602 LCD Shield
Module DisplayV3 for Arduino
UNO R3 MEGA2560 Nano DUE
1 $13.99 $13.99
http://www.amazon.com/SainSmart-
Shield-Display-Arduino-
MEGA2560/dp/B007MYZF9S/ref=sr_1_
7?ie=UTF8&qid=1433178139&sr=8-
7&keywords=arduino+shield
40W 12VDC TO 24VAC PURE
SINE INVERTER
1 $175.00 $175.00
http://www.solarpanelstore.com/solar-
power.small-
inverters.special_use_inverter.pst1224_
special_use.info.1.html
Orbit WaterMaster Underground
57202 PVC Slip Swivel Adapter,
Green 5 $2.61 $13.05
http://www.amazon.com/Orbit-
WaterMaster-Underground-57202-
Adapter/dp/B001H1NGSY/ref=pd_sim_
8. UHD Sustainable Garden
Bennett, Lara, Ly, Vega Page 7 of 28
86_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=1BMHBCQ2K7
DR3KZD250P
Orbit 53230 Valve Box Base
1 $10.46 $10.46
http://www.amazon.com/Orbit-53230-
Valve-Box-
Base/dp/B0040QUMUS/ref=pd_bxgy_8
6_text_y
(A) Orbit 57197 Manifold Cap,
Green
1 $7.19 $7.19
http://www.amazon.com/Orbit-57197-
Manifold-Cap-
Green/dp/B001H1NGRA/ref=sr_1_1?ie
=UTF8&qid=1433873255&sr=8-
1&keywords=END+cap+57197
(B) Orbit Underground 57183 3
Port Manifold Irrigation System 1 $11.33 $11.33
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Orbit-3-
Port-Manifold-57183/202206761
(B) Orbit 57181 Green 1 Port
Manifold
1 $8.72 $8.72
http://www.amazon.com/Orbit-57181-
Green-Port-
Manifold/dp/B004GGMU4I/ref=sr_1_1?i
e=UTF8&qid=1433873329&sr=8-
1&keywords=57181
(C) Orbit WaterMaster
Underground 57202 PVC Slip
Swivel Adapter, Green
1 $2.61 $2.61
http://www.amazon.com/Orbit-
WaterMaster-Underground-57202-
Adapter/dp/B001H1NGSY/ref=sr_1_2?i
e=UTF8&qid=1433873378&sr=8-
2&keywords=57202
(D) Orbit WaterMaster
Underground 57199 1-Inch
Swivel Adapter, Green 10 $2.77 $27.70
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Orbit-1-in-
MPT-Manifold-Swivel-Adapter-
57199/202206766
(F) 3/4 in. Manifold Transition
Adapter 57187
10 $1.42 $14.20
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Orbit-3-4-
in-Manifold-Transition-Adapter-
57187/202206767
(F) 1 in. Transition Adapter
57198 10 $1.33 $13.30
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Orbit-1-in-
Transition-Adapter-57198/203404583
(I) 1 in. or 3/4 in. Slip PVC
Manifold Transition Adapter
10 $3.17 $31.70
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Orbit-1-in-
or-3-4-in-Slip-PVC-Manifold-Transition-
Adapter-57191/202206768
Orbit 53213 Sprinkler System
12-Inch Standard-Shallow Valve
Box
1 $23.91 $23.91
http://www.amazon.com/Orbit-53213-
Sprinkler-12-Inch-Standard-
Shallow/dp/B000NCJRRW/ref=sr_1_7?
s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1433204388&sr=1-
7&keywords=12x12+junction+box
Orbit 3/4" In-line Female
Threaded Sprinkler Valve with
Flow Control (Made in USA) 5 $17.25 $86.25
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0040QWL
48?psc=1
TOTAL $3,069.86
Table 1: Materials list.
The following layout of the garden (Fig.1) was generated in collaboration with the UHD Garden
Club and Dr. Tzouanas. This diagram demonstrates the layout of the future sustainable garden
at the University of Houston Downtown. This layout provides a preliminary design of the beds
and the location of the garden. Following internal discussions with Dr. Tzouanas, we considered
some modifications and possible changes about the layout. We discussed about the conduit for
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cables and the location of the solar panel for our project. A preliminary layout of the irrigation
water pipes and electrical conduits is shown in (Fig.2).
Figure 1 – Garden Layout
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The image above (Fig.3) is the physical location of the designated area for the project. It is
located on the east side of the One Main Building, and south of the walking path. Below are
several figures that show the garden in its present state and the locations of the beds.
Figure 4 – The five rectangular beds are show n w ith three beds that are incomplete.
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Figure 5 – This is a view of the garden from N703 w here the PC is located for w ireless data collection.
The below diagram (Fig. 6) depicts an overview of the design of the system. This system will be
built with several technologies and integrated to operate seamlessly and reliably. The items not
shown in the drawing below are the wireless devices to communicate the data to a PC inside
the Engineering Technology department as well as the PC which will store the data.
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Figure 6 – Components layout of Control System
2. Data
The data collected for this project is visible in the specification sheets for the components in the
appendix of this report.
3. Assumptions
There are no assumptions to be made at this time. We are clarifying all questions with
responsible parties as they arise.
4. Problem Formulation
The root of the problem for this project is stemming from the need to create sustainable
systems. Our CIET program is enabling us to approach these issues and see clearly the
application for control systems that will promote sustainability. We followed the theory in place
as we designed and implemented the control system. The control system is comprised of a
simple multi-variable feedback control loop. This feedback loop measures soil moisture content
and reports data back to a controller. The controller analyzes the measurement data and
determines, based on the set point, whether or not watering is required for the zone. If watering
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is required, the controller signals to the solenoid valve for the zone valve to open. The soil
moisture data will be reported back continuously, showing when the moisture content of the soil
is within the desired range. The sensors that were ordered for this project provide readings of 0-
100% moisture content in the form of humidity. We will control the moisture based on stored
data and observed plant growth by the garden club. We will define a specific operating range
from the garden club once the beds are complete, however, the system will control within the
configured range until then. This control strategy will be a two position control utilizing hysteresis
or dead band to produce a range above and below set point. Below is a diagram (Fig. 7) of a
feedback loop that represents the control sequence for this project.
Figure 7 – Multi-Variable Feedback Loop
5. Calculations
The power production and consumption is handled by the solar panel output and stored by the
deep cycle battery. Shown below are basic calculations of the power produced by the
photovoltaic system and the power consumption by the control system. The calculations show
that the largest power consumption will be the solenoids on the water valves.
SOLAR PANEL SYSTEM
Watts Voltage (DC) # of Panels
Total Available
Watts by System
Total Available Current by
System (Amps) Atotal =
(Wtotal /E)
250 12 2 500 41.67
Controller Valve Process
Sensor
Hysteresis
SP
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Table 2 – System pow er calculations.
6. Experiments
For our bench testing experiment, we wanted to accomplish the simulation of the actual controls
that are going to be required for the automated irrigation system. We connected and configured
the microcontroller (Arduino Mega) and wired two moisture sensors. We downloaded basic code
to the controller and were able to obtain actual temperature and humidity readings. The Arduino
microcontroller does not have an embedded real time clock, for our automated programing
controls knowing the time and day will be essential. To overcome this obstacle, we added a
real-time clock module to our microcontroller. After some researched and programing, we were
successful in simulating actual controls of the automated irrigation system. We were able to
receive readings from the moisture sensors with a time stamp and set some parameters to
energize an output. We connected two LED’s to simulate the actuation of the water valves. On
the other hand, we are also testing the wireless communication. For the wireless
communication, we are using two XBee-Pro radio transmitters. These radio transmitters will
send data using radio frequencies. In our work bench testing, we configured the two XBee-Pro
modules to see each other using the X-CTU free software by Digi International. In order to
communicate, the two modules we needed to have the same ID number (the name of the
network), and same baud speed. In the software, we programmed one of the modules to be a
coordinator and the other to be a router. These XBee-Pro modules provide one of the best
wireless connectivity ranges between devices. According to the datasheet, these devices will
support RF line-of-sight ranges up to 28 miles (with high-gain antennas), and are ideal for
extended-range applications requiring increased data throughput.
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Once construction was complete, we were able to run some tests on the system. We
experimented with the physical system by running a solenoid test program in the Arduino. This
allowed us to confirm the zones were wired to the proper location as well as test the
functionality of the solenoid valves. Next, we tested the SHT1x moisture sensors by connecting
them one by one to verify the connections and terminations. We also tested the functionality of
the humidity control by manually raising and lowering the humidity of the sensors to ensure the
water was flowing through the pipe on the proper zones.
Results
i. Presentation of Results
The results of the project are described and outlined below in the form of screenshots and
tables. In Figures 8 thru 11, we demonstrate the results of the experimental simulation that was
conducted during our bench testing.
Figure 8 – Bench testing of Arduino boards, LEDs to simulate solenoid valves, and PC screenshots.
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Figure 9 - Time Stamp of Real Time Clock (RTC).
Figure 10 - Moisture Sensor Readings.
Figure 11 – Moisture Sensor Readings and RTC Time Stamp.
The following screenshots were captured to help describe and present the operation of the system.
Figure 12 shows a section of the Arduino code that contains the set points for the humidity control of
the zones. The cases for watering are based on humidity levels less than or greater than 75%. For the
casesof higherambientdrybulbtemperatureof the Texassummers,we use ahumiditysetpointof 80%
when the outside temperature is above 90°F.
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Figure 12 – Arduino code segment for humidity set points. There is one for each zone.
We have successfully been able to transmit the sensor data as well as date and time of the
samples wirelessly to the PC in N703. While our original intent was to bring this data into
LabVIEW, this posed several stability issues and we decided to use X-CTU as our server for
data display and storage. The X-CTU software is made by Digi, the company that produces the
XBee wireless transmitters that we used. X-CTU is also the software used to configure the
XBee modules.
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At the time that this data was collected, the sensors were hanging in ambient outside air. The
soil delivery had not been made yet to the garden club. The sensors will be buried in the soil
once the garden beds are complete. The irrigation valve control based on humidity was tested
by manually manipulating the humidity up and down to drive the solenoid valves open and
closed.
Below are screenshots of the X-CTU software displaying the readings wirelessly from the
garden as well as the signal strength in the network discovery mode.
Figure 13-This is show ing both the interpreted ASCII Hex as w ellas the raw ASCII Hex received fromthe Arduino.
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Figure 14 – A closer view of the data froma detached w indow.
The sensor data is transmitted roughly once per minute to the PC in N703. The console log
session can be saved and viewed at a later date. This is the data retention portion of our project
and an example of this being done is in the screenshot below using the Console Session Viewer
in X-CTU.
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Figure 15 – This is an example of a saved data log being displayed in the Console Session View er. These can be view ed on the PC
in N703.
Figure 16 – This is the netw orkdiscoverytab which showsthe connection strength (dBm) betw eenthe garden node and the node
connected to the PC in N703.
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The power needed for the system’s automated controls is supplied by using renewable energy,
which is produced by the solar panels. The solar panel array consists of two panels, but only
one is connected to the system. The system consists of two electrical/electronic enclosures. The
main control enclosure consists of all the components needed for the automation of the watering
system. The other enclosure houses the charge controller and the battery. The charge controller
controls the power produced by the solar panel and regulates the voltage to the battery to
assure the battery is fully charged or does not becomes overcharged. The following figures
demonstrate the equipment mentioned and its components.
Figure 17 – Solar Panel Array.
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Figure 18 – Main Control Panel . Figure 19 – Battery and Charge Controller Sub-Panel.
ii. Interpretation of Results
Due to the fact that the garden isn’t 100% complete and our system isn’t contributing to the
efficient control of soil moisture using our control strategy, our discussion of the results will be
limited to what we were able to experiment with. The system works as designed and we are
confident that once the beds are prepared, control of the irrigation system will be satisfactory.
The sensors read within their specified percentage of error relative to each other. We intend to
provide any necessary support once the garden club is ready.
We are able to discuss the power output of the solar panel and the overall function of the
sustainable power source. Initially, we connected only one of the solar panels to the charge
controller due to the measured voltage being 35VDC measured with a DMM. This provided
enough power to charge the battery for testing and troubleshooting. Connecting the second
solar panel in series will provide enough power for recharging the battery if auxiliary lighting is
added in the future. This will also support additional irrigation zones and controllers if other
functions are required.
Future Work
This project will require administration of the server data and storage of the digital logs. It will
also require set point adjustments to the zones be made periodically upon request of the garden
club. The sensors will need to be buried once the soil is placed in the beds. The solar system
will also have to be periodically checked. This system should remain relatively maintenance
free.
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Appendices
Figure 20 – Picture show ing watervalve, controlwire conduit, and site prep for in ground maintenance box.
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Figure 21 – Site w orkprogressof bed layout.
Figure 22 – Show ing the trench containing the solenoid w iring, controlpipe, and w ater pipe.
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Figure 23 – Picture show ing trenching for the conduit and w ater piping.
Figure 24 – Water valve installation below ground. Controlw ire conduit is grey colored.
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Figure 25 – Team w orking on the Main Control Panel mounting.
Figure 26 – Freddy checking component installation in the main panel.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, this project allowed the students to focus on many of the topics discussed and
practiced throughout our learning experience. This project provided challenges in all aspects of
control and instrumentation as well as project management and teamwork. Due to the fact that
there were several involved parties within our team, university, as well as outside contractors,
we were able to gain a full project experience in this course. Environmental impacts as well as a
community involvement have made this project a milestone for our team and CIET program.
The result of this project provided the university a fully functioning, self-sustaining, automated
irrigation system for the community garden. This system will control the soil moisture content for
several different zones independently and will provide viewing as well as archiving all of the
measurement data for future review and analysis. This project will continue to give back to the
university and those in its community for years to come.
Figure 27 – Our dedicated team of students. (From left to right: Steven Bennett, Jose Vega, Freddy Lara, and Brian Ly)
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