Cities today are constantly under pressure to accommodate a growing urban population and their increasing demand for various resources, such as energy, water, waste management, transportation, and food. Some of these resources are basic living requirements, and the most important of those being food. According to the current practices, food demand is mostly met by food grown on farmland away from the cities. This creates a bigger carbon footprint due to transportation, farming energy usage as well as environmental damage through agricultural contaminants, etc. Additionally, traditional farming often encounters climate extremes and disasters making it more difficult for farmers to survive. Hence there is a need to explore alternative techniques which can address issues concerned with traditional farming practices, one of such techniques is vertical farming. It is essentially a combination of variety of technologies, placed in an urban setting to help reduce most of the issues related to urban food demands and be environmentally less damaging at the same time.

1. TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS!
Stacking up urban farms
in a controlled indoor
environment could provide
food to cities and reduce
carbon footprint
Meera Vaidya
Science of Sustainability
M.S. Sustainable Environmental Systems
December 02, 2014
Illustration showing vertical farming in concept, created with a mix of images
Wacots.org (n.d.) Retrieved November 21, 2014, from http://wacots.org/nailhed/GrahamPaigeDeSoto/content/bin/images/large/IMG_8818.jpg
123rf.com (n.d.) Retrieved November 21, 2014, from http://us.123rf.com/450wm/majivecka/majivecka1403/majivecka140301514/27169708-vector-silhouette-of-a-
gardener-on-white-background.jpg
Colourbox.com(n.d.) Retrieved November 21, 2014, from https://www.colourbox.com/preview/2761000-151094-collection-of-different-garden-vector-silhouettes-
of-plants.jpg

2. TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya
Introduction
Today
Population apx. 7 billion: >50% urban
apx. 842 million: chronic hunger
2050
Population apx. 8.3-10.9 billion: >70% urban
apx. ???? million: chronic hunger
Population Division, Department of Economics and Social Affairs, United
Nations (2014, August) “Our Urbanizing World”, Population Facts, 2014(3):1-2.
World population overview Today & Future

3. TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya
Wfp.org (n.d.) “Who are the hungry”, Retrieved November 22, 2014,
from http://www.wfp.org/hunger/who-are
50%
20%
10%
20%
Smallholder farming communities
Landless farming families
Herding, fishing or forest resources
Urban poor
World Hunger Distribution: TODAY
to feed growing population
reduce environmental effects
reduce burden on rural farmers
HOW
Balance between supply
and demand while
managing the resources
FIND
Solutions for urban
hunger problems with
built environment
PROVIDE
Introduction
Research questions

4. TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya
Stacking up farms
Stacking up farms
Stacking up farms
Stacking up farms
Stacking up farms
Urban setting
Urban setting
Components of Vertical Farming
Introduction

5. TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya
1915 GREENHOUSE TODAY
Bailey G. (1915) “Vertical Farming”,
Wilmington, Del.: E. I. duPont de
Nemours Powder Co.
Vogel, G. (2008, February 8) “Upending
the Traditional Farm”, Science, 319:752-
753.
Verticalfarm (n.d.) “The Vertical Farm”,
Retrieved November 12, 2014, from
http://www.verticalfarm.com/
Introduction
Vertical Farming: History

6. TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya
Greenhousegrower.com. (n.d.) Retrieved December
01,2014 from http://files.greenhousegrower.com/wp-
content/uploads/2013/11/rooftop_greenhouse.jpeg
earthlyissues.com. (n.d.) Retrieved December 01,2014 from
http://www.earthlyissues.com/images/greenhouse.jpg
Green Infrastructure
Recreational Fruits & Vegetables
Methods
Rooftop Farming

7. TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya
Hydroponics Aeroponics
shtfpreparedness.com. (n.d.) Retrieved December 01,2014 from
http://www.shtfpreparedness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/nft.gif
greendesert.org. (n.d.) Retrieved December 01,2014 from
http://www.greendesert.org/images/Aeroponic-System.png
Discovermagazine (n.d.) Retrieved November 29, 2014, from
http://discovermagazine.com/~/media/Images/Zen%20Photo/V/vertical%20
farms/1148.jpg?mw=738
agrihouse.com (n.d.) Retrieved November 29, 2014, from
http://www.agrihouse.com/images/AgriHouse_Aeroponics.jpg
Methods
Hydroponics & Aeroponics
Absence of soil
Essential nutrients provided Computer based control & monitoring

8. TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya
Despommier D. (2009) “The Rise of Vertical Farms”,
Scientific American, 80-87, November
Fischetti, M. (2007) “Growing Vertical”,
Scientific American Earth 3.0, 74-79.
Fischetti, M. (2007) “Growing Vertical”,
Scientific American Earth 3.0, 74-79.
Methods
Skyscraper farms
Vegetables, fruits, chicken & fish
Mixed use structures
Recycle & reuse of resources

9. TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya
Greenhouse based technology
World’s first low carbon, hydraulic
driven vertical farm
Tropical leafy vegetables
Sky Greens (2011) “A-Go-GoVertical Farming”, Retrieved November 11, 2014, from http://skygreens.appsfly.com/Media
Aluminum frame growing troughs
Irrigation with flooding methodology
Commercial use
Examples and Proposals
SkyGreens, Singapore

10. TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya
Mixed use structure
3995 square meters of green space out
of 19,974 square meters of total space
spoon-tamago.com (2013, September 12) “urban farming and corporate culture collide in this Tokyo office building”, Retrieved November 25, 2014, from http://www.spoon-
tamago.com/2013/09/12/urban-farming-and-corporate-culture-collide-in-this-tokyo-office-building/
Double skin green façade
Balconies with flowers & orange plants
Used by employees
Examples and Proposals
Pasona headquarters, Tokyo, Japan

11. TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya
Industrial facility
Controlled environment and use of
renewable energy
Fruits & vegetables
Greenspiritsfarms (n.d.) “Green Spirits Farms”, Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.greenspiritfarms.com/
Hydroponics technology
Locally grown fresh food
Commercial use
Examples and Proposals
Green Spirits Farms, Michigan, USA

12. TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya
Mixed use skyscraper
Controlled environment and use of
renewable energy
Vegetables, fruits, chicken & fish
Kurasek B. (2008, May) “The Living Skyscraper : Farming the Urban Skyline”, Retrieved November 21, 2014, from
http://www.blakekurasek.com/thelivingskyscraper.html
Mix of Hydroponics & others
Recycle & reuse of resources
Thesis Proposal
Examples and Proposals
The Living Skyscraper, USA

13. TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya
Pros ConsCons
Discussion
Reducing farmland
Deforestation reduced
Possibilities of reforestation by incentives
Renewable energy & Recycle
Reduced agricultural contamination
Reduced stress on farming
Controlled environment: Better quality
Climate extremes have no/less effect
Reduced transportation
Less pressure on rural farms
Feeding growing urban population Expensive techniques: Urban poor?
Survival issues for rural farmers
Locally grown fresh produce Limitations on type of produce
Social acceptance as a challenge
Vertical farms: too modified or too industrialized

14. TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya
Discussion
Technological
advancement
Global co-operation
Social & planners
awareness
Future

15. TALL, GREEN AND DELICIOUS Meera Vaidya
Illustration showing vertical farming in concept, created with a mix of images
Wacots.org (n.d.) Retrieved November 21, 2014, from http://wacots.org/nailhed/GrahamPaigeDeSoto/content/bin/images/large/IMG_8818.jpg
123rf.com (n.d.) Retrieved November 21, 2014, from http://us.123rf.com/450wm/majivecka/majivecka1403/majivecka140301514/27169708-vector-silhouette-of-a-gardener-
on-white-background.jpg
Colourbox.com(n.d.) Retrieved November 21, 2014, from https://www.colourbox.com/preview/2761000-151094-collection-of-different-garden-vector-silhouettes-of-
plants.jpg
“Growing crops in city skyscrapers
would use less water and fossil fuel
than outdoor farming, eliminate
agricultural runoff and provide
fresh food”
- Dickson Despommier
Despommier D. (2009) “The Rise of Vertical Farms”,
Scientific American, 80-87, November.
Thank You