Strategic Futures Initiative organized by Arizona Commerce Authority
panelists at this year's Feeding Future Cities Essay Webinar
Gene A. Giacomelli
UA-CEAC
The University of Arizona
College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
Controlled Environment Agriculture Center (CEAC)
October 30, 2014
Controlled Environments for Food Production
“Controlled Environments — The Future of
Economically viable, Environmentally reasonable
and Socially acceptable Food Production”
No Ordinary Tomorrows https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V02-msDXatI
The Center and Faculty Programs http://ag.arizona.edu/ceac/
UA - Controlled Environment Agriculture Center
People focused on CE systems to help feed the world…..
Effectively using resources:
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CEAC Students, Faculty, Staff, May 2014
CEAC Tomatoes Live2.0! http://ag.arizona.edu/tomlive/GHmonitoring.html
CEAC Hydroponic Tomatoes in CEA http://ag.arizona.edu/tomlive/gh2091-A_idx.html
energy
water
nutrient
labor
capital
resources
Greenhouse Production Systems for People
The Focus remains on the Plant……
so bring on the Biology
High quality & high yields;
Safe, Secure;
Pesticide-Free;
Efficient use of Land, Water,
& Nutrients;
Predictable harvest
Greenhouse Hydroponic Lettuce
Hydronov, Inc http://www.hydronov.com/
Why Urban Agriculture?
Need for food nourishment (vitamins, minerals)
for ‘urban’ situations where the people are…..
Complement to
soil-based
agriculture;
Not replacement
of it!
Gotham Greens Rooftop Greenhouse in NY City
photo credit: Gotham Greens
Local Produce http://gothamgreens.com/
Fundamentals for Plant Growth
Seed has genetic potential,
Give proper environment, then watch……..
Aerial Environment
air temperature &
relative humidity,
CO2, light,
air movement,
Sand Culture
physical support,
Drip irrigation
labor accessible
photo credits: M. Kacira
Intro Hydroponics & CEA http://ag.arizona.edu/ceac/pls-217-introduction-hydroponics-and-cea
Fundamentals for Plant Growth
Seed has genetic potential,
Give proper environment, then watch……..
Root Environment
water, nutrients,
dissolved oxygen,
root temperature,
water flow,
Deep Water Culture
no light,
Floating rafts
physical support
Intro Hydroponics & CEA http://ag.arizona.edu/ceac/pls-217-introduction-hydroponics-and-cea
Fundamentals for Plant Growing Systems
Design of all Controlled Environments and Hydroponics
for success….
Hydroponics – types of systems
Top Drip Irrigation
Soilless Culture;
NFT - Nutrient Film
Technique;
Deep Water Culture;
Aquaponics
Aeroponics;
Aquaponics;
‘Many other’-ponics
Aquaponics: http://ag.arizona.edu/ceac/sites/ag.arizona.edu.ceac/files/UA_Aquaponcs.pdf
http://community.theaquaponicsource.com/video/aquaponics-multi-crop-systems-regenerate-global-coasts
Fundamentals for Plant Growing Systems
Design of all Controlled Environments and Hydroponics
for success….
Controlled Environment – components to grow indoors
structure, shell, cover,
light (sun and/or lamps)
heater and cooler,
humidity control,
transport procedure,
harvest & packing,
Top Drip irrigation
Soilless Culture
cleaning, safety
photo credit: P. Salina
Types of Controlled Environments
Greenhouse – indoor controlled environment (CE),
with transparent cover, using solar energy lighting;
commercially viable; low to high technology levels.
High Technology Greenhouse Technology
(Nature’s Sweet Co.)
Nature’s Sweet Tomatoes http://naturesweet.com/
High Tunnels http://hightunnels.org/
Low Cost “High Tunnel”
Greenhouse Technology
Production
Types of Controlled Environments
Growth Room or Plant Factory – indoor CE in building,
using only artificial lighting and hydroponic production.
+ Minimal land use
+ Minimized water use
+ Fresh, pesticide-free produce
+ Year around production
- High installation & energy costs
- Plant growing technology to be
determined
- Lack of human/expert resources to
operate/manage the systems
photo credits: T. Kozai
Plant Factory http://bt.e-ditionsbyfry.com/display_article.php?id=1327146
Types of Controlled Environments
“Vertical Farm” – indoor CE in insulated building, using
only LED lighting; with multiple stacked levels of Ebb &
Flood or NFT hydroponic plant production.
Lane Patterson, manager,
CEAC program graduate;
Commercial production;
Few in operation;
Business viability remains
challenging.
Green Sense Farms
Portage, Indiana
Green Sense Farms http://greensensefarms.com/produce/ ; Challenges in Vertical Farming http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=gene+giacomelli+video&FORM=VIRE5#view=detail&mid=4
D8EC3E49966FC3A92794D8EC3E49966FC3A9279
Real-Life Working Food Production Systems
Gotham Greens - rooftop greenhouse of Jenn Nelkin
[CEAC graduate] and associates; located in Brooklyn, NY;
producing leafy greens (lettuces, basil) vegetables.
Local produce,
commercially grown;
NFT hydroponics.
Production:
40 – 45 lettuce per
square foot per year
Local Produce http://gothamgreens.com/
Real-Life Working Food Production Systems
Lufa Farms - rooftop greenhouse in Montreal,
Quebec, Canada producing vegetables
Pictures courtesy of Lufa Farms
Greenhouse Design (2011)
3000 m2 of production area;
3,000 plants;
40 vegetable types;
450 - 680 kg harvested each day;
Six workers in the greenhouse
Lufa Farms http://www.hortidaily.com/article/3248/Canada-Lufa-Farms-to-open-second-large-urban-farm-this-week
Real-Life Working Food Production Systems
Food Chamber at South Pole Station - since 2004;
hydroponic veggies; 70 species; from greens to melons
(48 lbs per week; 240 square feet; 12 HPS lamps @ 1000 W)
Fresh Veggies;
Bright & Humid;
Fragrances;
“Gardeners”;
Psychological benefits!
South Pole Food Growth Chamber
(NSF - Raytheon Polar Services - Sadler Machine Co)
SPFGC http://ag.arizona.edu/ceac/south-pole ; SPFGC Description
http://ag.arizona.edu/ceac/sites/ag.arizona.edu.ceac/files/final%20SPFGC%20Habitation%202003%20talk%20giacomelli.pdf
“Real-Life” Working Food Production Systems
Lunar Greenhouse - hydroponic veggies; provide food, fresh water
& oxygen for Bioregenerative Life Support;
(40 lbs per week; 120 square feet; 6 HPS lamps @ 1000 W)
Collapsible & light weight;
Edible biomass;
Vitamin & fiber nutrition;
Goal of sustainability;
Limited biomaterials must be
recycled!
Lunar Greenhouse Prototype
(NASA / Sadler Machine Co)
LGH http://ag.arizona.edu/lunargreenhouse/ ; LGH cam http://128.196.12.155/home/homeJ.html
LGH Moon deployment http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-0qJ4eZhs4&feature=related
LGH Description http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q128I9KNY9k
Earth Sustainable by Moonbase Experiences?
NASA Steckler Space Grant
Team of Students, 2012-13
see CALS.ARIZONA.EDU/EARTHLIGHT
The Earthlight Documentary
Earthlight Documentary http://cals.arizona.edu/earthlight/
NASA Steckler Space Grant Program http://ag.arizona.edu/lunargreenhouse/
List of Web References
No Ordinary Tomorrows https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V02-msDXatI
The Center and Faculty Programs http://ag.arizona.edu/ceac/
CEAC Tomatoes Live2.0! http://ag.arizona.edu/tomlive/GHmonitoring.html
CEAC Hydroponic Tomatoes in CEA http://ag.arizona.edu/tomlive/gh2091-A_idx.html
Village Farms http://www.villagefarms.com/default.aspx
Hydronov, Inc http://www.hydronov.com/
Local Produce http://gothamgreens.com/
Intro Hydroponics & CEA http://ag.arizona.edu/ceac/pls-217-introduction-hydroponics-and-cea
Aquaponics: http://ag.arizona.edu/ceac/sites/ag.arizona.edu.ceac/files/UA_Aquaponcs.pdf
http://community.theaquaponicsource.com/video/aquaponics-multi-crop-systems-regenerate-global-coasts
Nature’s Sweet Tomatoes http://naturesweet.com/
High Tunnels http://hightunnels.org/
Plant Factory http://bt.e-ditionsbyfry.com/display_article.php?id=1327146
Green Sense Farms http://greensensefarms.com/produce/
Challenges in Vertical Farming:
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=gene+giacomelli+video&FORM=VIRE5#view=detail&mid=4D8EC3E49966FC3
A92794D8EC3E49966FC3A9279
Local Produce http://gothamgreens.com/
List of Web References
Lufa Farms http://www.hortidaily.com/article/3248/Canada-Lufa-Farms-to-open-second-large-urban-farm-this-week
SPFGC http://ag.arizona.edu/ceac/south-pole ;
SPFGC Description
http://ag.arizona.edu/ceac/sites/ag.arizona.edu.ceac/files/final%20SPFGC%20Habitation%202003%20talk%20giacomelli.pdf
LGH http://ag.arizona.edu/lunargreenhouse/
LGH cam http://128.196.12.155/home/homeJ.html
LGH Moon deployment http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-0qJ4eZhs4&feature=related
LGH Description http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q128I9KNY9k
Earthlight Documentary http://cals.arizona.edu/earthlight/
NASA Steckler Space Grant Program http://ag.arizona.edu/lunargreenhouse/