Vol. 29 No. 1 (2025): BEYOND DECARBONIZATION toward a Climate Neutral urban environment
Essays and Viewpoint

Trends in vertical farm designs. Towards a biodynamic approach?

PDF
  • Gian Luca Brunetti
Gian Luca Brunetti
Dipartimento di Architettura e Studi Urbani, Politecnico di Milano, Italia
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/techne-16595

Published 2025-07-31

Keywords

  • Vertical farm,
  • Solar greenhouse,
  • Passive solar gain,
  • Crop-growing,
  • Urban agriculture

How to Cite

Brunetti, G. L. (2025). Trends in vertical farm designs. Towards a biodynamic approach?. TECHNE - Journal of Technology for Architecture and Environment, 29(1), 100–107. https://doi.org/10.36253/techne-16595

Copyright (c) 2025 Gian Luca Brunetti

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the state of the art in vertical farming experiments that have explored alternative approaches to the prevailing model, which is currently oriented toward active control of nutrient solutions, microclimatic conditions, and lighting, and is often scarcely aware of urban relations. These experiments propose a natural approach as an alternative to the established model, emphasising the creation of elevated soils, closure of biological cycles, passive climate control, maximisation of natural lighting, and establishing relations with the surrounding context. This approach offers significant functional advantages over the prevailing model, including a reduction in overall environmental impacts and the rate of pathogens affecting plants.

PDF

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

  1. Agritech Future (2021), “UK’s Largest Vertical Farm that Uses Only Sunlight Begins First Harvest”, Agritech Future, October 29. Available at: https://www.agritechfuture.com/vertical-farming/uks-largest-vertical-farm-that-uses-only-sunlight-begins-first-harvest (Accessed on 04/02/2025).
  2. Ahamed, M.S., Sultan, M., Monfet, D., Zahid, A., Bilal, M., Ahsan, T.M.A., Achour, Y. (2023), “A critical review on efficient thermal environment controls in indoor vertical farming”, Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 425, 138923. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.138923.
  3. Al-Chalabi, M. (2015), “Vertical farming: Skyscraper sustainability?”, Sustainable Cities and Society, Vol. 18, pp. 74-77. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2015.06.003.
  4. Astbury, J. (2024), “Van Bergen Kolpa Architecten designs Vertical Farm Beijing as a “beacon in the city”, Dezeen, 18 May. Available at: https://www.dezeen.com/2024/05/18/van-bergen-kolpa-architecten-vertical-farm-beijing-urban-horticulture (Accessed on 04/02/2025).
  5. Blom, T., Jenkins, A., van den Dobbelsteen, A.A.J.F. (2024), “Synergetic urbanism: a theoretical exploration of a vertical farm as local heat source and flexible electricity user”, Sustainable Cities and Society, Vol. 103: 105267. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2024.105267.
  6. Bomford, M. (2023), “More bytes per acre: do vertical farming’s land sparing promises stand on solid ground?”, Agriculture and Human Values, Vol. 40, pp. 879–895. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-023-10472-0.
  7. Brunetti, G.L. (2022), Design and Construction of Bioclimatic Wooden Greenhouses – vol. 1 – Preliminary Design, ISTE and Wiley, Paris and New York.
  8. Choubchilangroudi, A., Zarei, A. (2022), “Investigation the effectiveness of light reflectors in transmitting sunlight into the vertical farm depth to reduce electricity consumption”, Cleaner Engineering and Technology, Vol. 7: 100421. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clet.2022.100421.
  9. Cox, J.C., Horton, M.J. (2018), “Vertical Harvest of Jackson, Wyoming”, B>Quest. Available at: https://www.westga.edu/~bquest/2018/verticalharvest2018.pdf (Accessed on 04/02/2025).
  10. Despommier, D.D. (2011), The vertical farm : feeding the world in the 21st century, St. Martin’s Press, New York.
  11. Dinneen, J. (2023), “Vertical farm cuts energy use 75 per cent by using sunlight”, New Scientist, May 3. Available at: https://future-of-farming.colab.newscientist.com/article/vertical-farm-cuts-energy-use-75-per-cent-by-using-sunlight (Accessed on 04/02/2025).
  12. Ellis, J. (2022), “Meet the founder: Future Crops CEO Gary Grinspan makes the case for soil-based vertical ag”, AFN – agfundernews.com, April 25. Available at: https://agfundernews.com/future-crops-gary-grinspan-makes-case-soil-based-vertical-ag-meet-the-founder (Accessed on 04/02/2025).
  13. Gross, C.D., Harrison, R.B. (2019), “The Case for Digging Deeper: Soil Organic Carbon Storage, Dynamics, and Controls in Our Changing World”, Soil Systems, Vol. 3(2): 28. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems3020028.
  14. Hallett, S., Hoagland, L., Toner, E. (2016), “Urban Agriculture: Environmental, Economic, and Social Perspectives”, Horticultural Reviews, Vol. 44, pp. 65–120. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119281269.ch2.
  15. Islam, R., Asiabanpour, B. (2023),. “Smart Passive Ambient Control For Indoor Vertical Farming by Simulation”, 2023 Congress in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, and Applied Computing (CSCE), pp. 916-921. Available at: https://www.american-cse.org/csce2023-ieee/pdfs/CSCE2023-5LlpKs7cpb4k2UysbLCuOx/275900a916/275900a916.pdf (Accessed on 04/02/2025)
  16. Kalantari, F., Tahir, O.M., Akbari, J.R., Fatemi, E. (2018), “Opportunities and challenges in sustainability of vertical farming: a review”, Journal of Landscape Ecology, Vol. 11: 1, pp. 35-60. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1515/jlecol-2017-0016.
  17. Knowles, R.L. (1981), Sun Rhythm Form, The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
  18. Manso, M., Castro-Gomes, J. (2015), “Green wall systems: A review of their characteristics”, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 41, pp. 863-871. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2014.07.203.
  19. Martin, M., Elnour, M., Siñol, A.C. (2023), “Environmental life cycle assessment of a large-scale commercial vertical farm”, Sustainable Production and Consumption, Vol. 40, pp. 182-193. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2023.06.020.
  20. Morabito, V. (2021), “Ecologia, paesaggio e agricoltura urbana. Un involucro innovativo per serre verticali”, TECHNE, Vol. 22, pp. 149-158. Available at: https://doi.org/10.36253/techne-10588.
  21. Negrello, M. (2024), “Agricoltura urbana indoor: dalla sperimentazione progettuale innovativa alla norma”, TECHNE, Vol. 27, pp. 81-88. Available at: https://dx.doi.org/10.36253/techne-15136.
  22. Papakonstantinou, I., Portnoi, M., Debije, M.G. (2021), “The Hidden Potential of Luminescent Solar Concentrators”, Advanced Energy Materials, Vol. 11: 2002883. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202002883.
  23. Prance, G.T. (2022), “A Paradise for economic botanists. The Eden project”, Economic Botanist, Vol. 56, pp. 226–230. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/4256575
  24. Soli Organic Inc. (2024), “Fresh from Texas: Inside San Antonio’s first soil-based vertical farm, Soli Organic cultivates 140,000 square feet of organic produce and economic opportunity”, PR Newswire, Jun 05. Available at: https://www.soliorganic.com/2024/06/fresh-from-texas-inside-san-antonios-first-soil-based-vertical-farm-soli-organic-cultivates-140000-square-feet-of-organic-produce-and-economic-opportunity (Accessed on 04/02/2025).
  25. Song, S., Ong, E.J.K., Lee, A.M.J., Chew, F.T. (2024), “How crop breeding programs can improve plant factories’ business and environmental sustainability Insights from a farm level analysis”, Sustainable Production and Consumption, Vol. 44: pp. 298–311. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2023.12.020.
  26. Southey, F. (2021), “First soil-based vertical farm developed for greater crop stability and resistance”, Foodnavigator, Dec 09. Available at: https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2021/12/09/Future-Crops-develops-first-soil-based-indoor-vertical-farm-developed-for-greater-crop-stability-and-resistance (Accessed on 04/02/2025).
  27. Teo, H.C., Zeng, Y., Sarira, T.V., Fung, T.K., Zheng, Q., Song, X.P., Chong, K.Y., Koh, L.P. (2021), “Global urban reforestation can be an important natural climate solution”, Environmental Research Letters, Vol. 16: 034059. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/abe783.
  28. Teo, Z.W.N., Yu, H. (2024), “Genetic breeding for indoor vertical farming”, Sustainable Agriculture, Vol. 2: 13. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/s44264-024-00021-5.
  29. Tomar, A. (2024), “Enhancing crop productivity in photovoltaic greenhouses using extended PAR-based photosynthesis”, Solar Energy, Vol. 276: 112689. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2024.112689.
  30. Walters, S.A., Stoelzle Midden, K. (2018), “Sustainability of Urban Agriculture: Vegetable Production on Green Roofs”, Agriculture, Vol. 8: 168. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture8110168.
  31. Zhang, Y., Marcelis, L.F.M. (2021), “Current status and future challenges in implementing and upscaling vertical farming systems”, Nature Food, Vol. 2, pp. 944–956. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-021-00402-w.