Vertigrow: Growing Towards a Greener Future
Vertigrow: Growing Towards a Greener Future
Shannon Case, Paulina Johnson, Christopher Lee, Allie McKay, Nader Nekvasil
Fundamentals of Technology – Professors Evan Barba & David Ribes
Communication, Culture & Technology
Georgetown University
Spring 2013
Vertigrow: Growing Towards a Greener Future
“Environmental awareness can grow in unison with the growth of commerce and
urban development.” –Dr. Dickson Despommier, Professor of Public Health in
Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University
Abstract
The mission of this research study is to investigate the intersection between
horticulture and urban development in order to provide an environmentally friendly and
sustainable source of agriculture, water purification, and insulation for the developed
and developing world. The Vertigrow Project examines the technical characteristics of
the folkewall, one particular structure often used in vertical farming, to better
understand the environmental, political, and social ramifications associated with its
implementation in diverse communities.
Research methods include an extensive literature review encompassing sources from a
wide spectrum of disciplines and literary forms as well as in-person interviews with
experts in urban agriculture and sustainable design. Our research exposed that vertical
farming technologies like the folkewall have numerous benefits to communities;
however, there are also sustainability concerns and political ramifications associated
with their implementation. The goal of the Vertigrow Project is to contribute to the
research community surrounding green technologies and to further the conversation
about the relationship between environmental sustainability and urban development.
Vertigrow: Growing Towards a Greener Future
Keywords: Folkewall, living wall, vertical farming, horticulture, agriculture, urban
planning, urban development, sustainable design, water purification, green
technologies, environment
Introduction
The Vertigrow Project developed as an academic research study as part of the
Fundamentals of Technology course in Georgetown University’s Communication,
Culture & Technology program. The project aims to explain the technical components
of the folkewall, a vertical farming structure, and to explore the environmental, social,
and political context of implementing the folkewall, specifically in urban communities.
This study consists of multiple components, including an online presence comprised of
a blog (www.vertigrowers.wordpress.com) and Twitter account (@vertigrowers), a
technical poster and informational brochure, a video featuring interviews with experts
in urban agriculture and sustainable design, a survey designed to gauge familiarity of
and interest in vertical farming technologies amongst urban populations, and this
research paper featuring an extensive review of popular and scholarly resources.
The remainder of this paper contains an explanation of the folkewall’s physical and
technical components, an investigation of the consequences of implementing the
folkewall and other vertical farming technologies, the research approach of the
Vertigrow: Growing Towards a Greener Future
Vertigrow study, summaries of the research components described above, and a
research rationale for the survey design.
The Folkewall: Content and Context
The folkewall, also referred to as the living wall or green wall, is a hydroponics growing
system designed to make efficient use of limited space to fulfill two purposes:
greywater purification and vertical growing. At its most basic design, the folkewall is a
wall of hollow slabs with openings on one or both sides. The hollow sections are filled
with inert materials like LECA-pebbles, gravel, vermiculite, or perlite. These hollow
sections are designed to allow water to travel over the longest path through the wall,
typically in a zig-zag formation. Plant roots grow within the inert material and absorb
nutrients from the water as it flows through the wall. Beneficial bacteria grow on the
inert material and break down organic pollutants in the greywater, then releasing
nutrients into the water to be absorbed by the plant. A container fixed at the bottom of
the wall collects the purified water, which can then be recycled for other purposes, such
as irrigation or non-potable household use (Smith, 2011).
Folkewalls have numerous benefits when implemented on both a large and small scale.
These benefits include efficient use of land and space by growing plants vertically,
simultaneous food production and water purification in one structure, and cooling
effects on buildings using the folkewall on the sides of the building with the most
exposure to the sun (Gunther, 2013). There are also some shortcomings to the
Vertigrow: Growing Towards a Greener Future
folkewall; primarily, that only leafy green plants like spinach and kale thrive in this
growing environment (Axum, 2013). The folkewall would need to be paired with other
vertical farming technologies in order to produce more robust and diverse crops.
If the folkewall is implemented on a large scale, in concurrence with other vertical
farming technologies such as green roofs and aquaponic growing techniques, it has the
potential to significantly impact the agricultural and food production system. Dickson
Despommier, lauded as the father of vertical farming, envisions vertical farms, several
stories high, in the heart of the world’s urban centers. If successfully implemented,
these vertical farms offer the promise of urban renewal, sustainable production of a
safe and varied food supply, and the eventual repair of ecosystems that have been
sacrificed for horizontal farming (Despommier, 2013). In addition to the positive
environmental effects vertical farming could have, it also has the potential to revitalize
urban communities by creating green jobs and making food more accessible to
historically underserved populations.
Research Approach
In this study, we attempted to comprehensively research all facets of vertical farming,
focusing specifically on the folkewall. Through our research we strived to unearth both
the technical aspects of the folkewall – how the structure is built, the materials needed
for its physical installation, the scientific processes involved in its implementation – and
Vertigrow: Growing Towards a Greener Future
the potential societal impacts this technology could have on urban planning, the food
system, and economic development.
To investigate these questions, we delved into a variety of literary sources, ranging
from popular literature, such as magazines and blogs, to more scholarly sources,
including academic journals and papers. Some of our sources include The Economist,
Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture, and National Public Radio (NPR). In
addition to our extensive literature review, we conducted interviews with two experts in
the field: one the Director of Urban Agriculture at the University of the District of
Columbia and a third-generation urban farmer, and the other the Executive Director of
DC Greenworks and a leader in sustainable design and architecture.
Component Summaries
Video:
Using footage from two interviews with experts in the fields of urban agriculture and
sustainable design as well as scenic shots of urban gardens around the District of
Columbia, we produced a short informational video about vertical farming and the
folkewall. The video covers a brief history of vertical farming, the technical aspects of
the folkewall, and a discussion of the broader context of implementing vertical farming
in urban communities. The video includes excerpts from interviews with Mchezaji
Axum, Director of Urban Agriculture and Gardening Education at the University of the
District of Columbia, and Peter Ensign, Executive Director of DC Greenworks.
Vertigrow: Growing Towards a Greener Future
Interviews:
As previously cited, our two in-person interviews were with Mchezaji Axum, Director of
Urban Agriculture and Gardening Education at the University of the District of
Columbia (UDC), and Peter Ensign, Executive Director of DC Greenworks. Mr. Axum is a
third-generation urban farmer from Washington, DC with substantial experience
planning and implementing urban agricultural programs. He just recently became the
Director of Urban Agriculture and Gardening Education at UDC. We conducted the
interview with Mr. Axum on a green roof at the UDC campus. He was very
knowledgeable about both urban farming technologies and the larger socioeconomical issues stemming from agricultural production systems. Peter Ensign,
Executive Director of DC Greenworks, has more than 20 years experience in
architecture and construction project management. He has led DC Greenworks to
become the preeminent green roof installer and advocate for green infrastructure in
the DC metro region (DC Greenworks, 2013). Mr. Ensign was able to provide us with a
deeper understanding of sustainable urban planning and green technology
infrastructures.
Vertigrow: Growing Towards a Greener Future
Online
To share our research and connect with others interested in vertical farming, we
established a blog (www.vertigrowers.wordpress.com) on the Wordpress platform. On
this blog, we posted our project deliverables, including an annotated bibliography and
project proposal, along with relevant articles, videos, and podcasts. This blog allowed
us to share our research findings with a broader audience, and also aided in our
understanding of the impact of vertical farming as we discovered reports in the news
about communities debating the merits of these technologies. In addition to the blog,
we maintained a Twitter account (@Vertigrowers), which served as another avenue to
share our research and connect with other interested parties.
Poster
To share our research project in an easily digestible, visual mode, we designed a
technical poster and brochure. These items succinctly demonstrated the physical
components of the folkewall, the potential benefits and shortcomings of this structure,
and the most commonly cited arguments for and against vertical farming. These were
all conveyed through a simple, streamlined design including easily recognizable icons
and a consistent color palette across all platforms. The poster and brochure helped
share our mission and findings in an aesthetically pleasing visual manner.
Survey
Vertigrow: Growing Towards a Greener Future
We designed a short, nine-question survey targeted at the residents of urban
communities to gauge their familiarity and opinions of vertical farming and sustainable
technologies, focusing more specifically on the folkewall. This survey, if deployed,
would further inform our research by discovering how enthusiastic urban residents (the
potential users and beneficiaries of vertical farming) are about urban agriculture and
sustainable technologies, how likely they would be to utilize these technologies (like
the folkewall) in their own residences, and how important they deem these
technologies to be for the future of their communities.
Conclusion
Vertical farming, including the folkewall, has the potential to radically transform the
food production system and the economic development of both developing and
developed communities. However before large-scale change can be implemented,
there must be further research conducted on the current vertical farming undertakings.
This research should address both the sustainability concerns and potential social and
political ramifications associated with the implementation of vertical farms. As more
communities construct folkewalls and vertical farming projects, this field will benefit
from research investigating the long-term impact of these technologies over time.
Vertigrow: Growing Towards a Greener Future
References
Axum, M. (2013, April 16). Interview by S Case, C Lee, P Johnson. Interview with
Director of Urban Agriculture and Gardening Education at the University
of the District of Columbia.
Chung, C. (2010, April 16). Vertical Farming: The Farm Comes To Town. Retrieved
March 21, 2013, from The Triple Helix Online:
http://triplehelixblog.com/2010/04/vertical-farming-the-farm-comes-to- town/.
DC Greenworks Staff. (2013). Retrieved from http://dcgreenworks.org/aboutdcg/who-we-are/staff-photos-bio/.
Despommier, D. (2013). The vertical farm. Retrieved from
http://www.verticalfarm.com/more
Dunsay, J (2012, April). How New Technologies Address Urban Food Issues.
Retrieved February 17, 2013, from Tech Graffiti Web Site:
Vertigrow: Growing Towards a Greener Future
http://www.techgraffiti.com/news-how-new-trends-can-bring-more-foodskitchens-everywhere
Ensign, P. (2013, April 19). Interview by P Johnson, N Nekvasil. Interview with
Executive Director of DC Greenworks.
Gunther, F. (2013, January 06). The folkewall - vertical growing. Retrieved from
http://www.holon.se/folke/projects/openliw/openlev_en.shtml
Ottelé, M., Perini, K., Fraaij, A., Haas, E., Raiteri, R. (December 2011).
Comparative
life cycle analysis for green façades and living wall systems.
Energy and Buildings,
Vol 43, Issue 12, pp. 34193429.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S03787788110039 87.
Platt, Peter. (2007). Vertical Farming: An Interview with Dickson Despommier.
Gastronomica:The Journal of Food and Culture, 7(3), 80-87.
Qvistrom, Mattias. (2007). Landscapes out of Order: Studying the Inner Urban
beyond the Rural-Urban Divide. Geografiska Annaler, 89(3), 269- 282.
Fringe
Silverman, J. (n.d.) Will there be farms in New York City skyscrapers? Retrieved March
21, 2013, from How Stuff Works Website:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/conservation/issues/
vertical-farming.htm.
Smith, J. (2011, April 11). Folkewall - vertical gardening. Retrieved from
http://www.hydroponicsequipment.co/vertical-gardening/
Urban farming and agricultural history. (2013, April 03). The Kojo Nnamdi Show.
[Audio podcast]. Retrieved from
http://thekojonnamdishow.org/shows/2013-04-03/urban-farming-andagricultural-history
“Vertical Farming: Does it Really Stack Up?” The Economist, 9 Dec 2010.
White, J. (2010). “Sky-Field: A Vertical Farming Solution for Urban New York.”
Architecture theses. Paper 40.
Vertigrow: Growing Towards a Greener Future
Appendix – Survey & Research Rationale
Target: Residents of urban communities
Purpose: To gauge knowledge and opinion of vertical farming technologies, specifically
folkewalls/living walls, among urban populations.
1) On a scale of 1-5 (1=not familiar, 5=extremely familiar), how would you classify your
level of familiarity with vertical farming technologies?
2) On a scale of 1-5 (1=not important, 5=extremely important), how important are the
following factors in motivating you to invest in a vertical farm?
●
Environmental benefits
● Quality/localness of food
● Aesthetics
● Cost efficiency
Vertigrow: Growing Towards a Greener Future
●
Other
3) On a scale of 1-5 (1=not important, 5=extremely important), how much do the
following factors act as obstacles to your involvement with vertical farming?
●
●
●
●
●
Cost/investment
Difficulty of construction
Lack of government incentives
Uncertainty about benefits
Other
4) On a scale of 1-5 (1=not familiar, 5=extremely familiar), how would you classify your
level of familiarity with living walls?
5) On a scale of 1-5 ( 1=most beneficial, 5=least beneficial ), how would you rank the
following potential benefits of utilizing the living wall technology in vertical farming:
●
●
●
●
●
Efficient use of space
Water purification
Lower heating costs
Aesthetics
Other
6) On a scale of 1-5 (1=extremely important, 5=not important), how important is it for
the government to provide incentives to aid in the implementation of vertical farming
technologies, such as living walls?
7) On a scale of 1-5 (1=extremely important, 5=not important), how important is it for
government-owned buildings to utilize vertical farming technologies, such as living
walls, in their architectural design?
Vertigrow: Growing Towards a Greener Future
8) On a scale of 1-5 (1=extremely influential, 5=not influential), how would the presence
of a living wall influence your decision to live or work in a particular building?
9) Have you seen vertical farming technologies, specifically living walls, in your city?
(yes/no)
9a) If yes, please provide more details about the type of building
(i.e.: private residence, public building, retail).
Vertigrow Survey – Research Rationale
The mission of the Vertigrow Project is to investigate the intersection between
horticulture and urban development in order to provide an environmentally friendly and
sustainable source of agriculture, water purification, and insulation. Our particular
technology of interest is the folkewall, commonly known as a living wall, which is an
architectural structure used in vertical farming. The folkewall has been implemented in
urban buildings, both public and private, throughout the world for its positive impact on
the environment and the urban community.
While conducting our research, we discovered a significant breadth of literature on
vertical farming technologies from the perspective of scientists, public health
advocates, and urban planners. The one voice that seemed to be absent in our research
Vertigrow: Growing Towards a Greener Future
was that of the ordinary urban resident, the person whose life could be most impacted
by the presence of a folkewall in their place of residence or employment. Consequently,
our survey is designed with this voice in mind.
The Vertigrow survey is designed to gauge the knowledge and opinion of vertical
farming technologies, specifically the folkewall, among urban populations. The survey
aims to glean this information through four primary research questions:

RQ1: How familiar are potential users/beneficiaries with vertical farming
technologies, specifically the folkewall?

RQ2: What would motivate potential users/beneficiaries to implement the
folkewall in their personal residences?

RQ3: What are the primary obstacles for potential users/beneficiaries to
implementing the folkewall in their personal residences?

RQ4: How strongly do potential users/beneficiaries feel about the use of
folkewalls (and other vertical farming technologies) in the design of public and
private buildings?
The vast majority of the nine questions on the survey are Likert scale questions. We
selected this method of questioning because it would allow us to most easily rate the
participant’s level of enthusiasm or indifference for vertical farming in general and the
folkewall in particular. We are hopeful the results of this survey will help us understand
Vertigrow: Growing Towards a Greener Future
the sentiments of the potential users and beneficiaries of vertical farming technologies,
particularly if they consider these technologies a worthy investment of their own and/or
government funds.