Session C10

8203

Disclaimer—This paper partially fulfills a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering students at the University
of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering. This paper is a student, not a professional, paper. This paper is based on publicly
available information and may not provide complete analyses of all relevant data. If this paper is used for any purpose other
than these authors’ partial fulfillment of a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering students at the University
of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, the user does so at his or her own risk.

VERTICAL FARMING: A REVOLUTION TO SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

Carly Sills, cps41@pitt.edu, Mandala 2pm, Isaac Serbin, iss33@pitt.edu, Mandala 2pm

Abstract – With a growing human population, there is a world’s population would increase to ten billion, and close to
growing need for sustainable practices, especially within 80% of human settlements would be concentrated in and
agriculture. As the population increases, so does the amount around urban locations” [1]. It will not be possible to
of resources used to provide for it. Vertical farming technology sufficiently provide food and water for that many people with
has the potential to impact the world economically, the continuation of traditional farming practices. To put into
environmentally, and socially. perspective just how unsustainable it is, “almost 70% of the
Evan Bromfield defines vertical farms in his paper, “Why world’s fresh water reserves are used for agriculture and,
Vertical Farms?”, as “a type of indoor farming that seeks to nearly 40% of the Earth’s total landmass is now being used to
maximize production and efficiency per square foot by support soil-based agriculture, with over 80% of the world’s
growing crops in multiple levels on a vertical axis”. The goal land available for agriculture now in use,” [2]. In the last 18
of this paper is to present the most efficient vertical farming years, the percentage of arable land being used for crop
technology using the best sustainable agriculture techniques production has more than doubled. These numbers grow as the
to combat global issues caused by traditional farming population grows unless society changes the way things are
practices and overpopulation. The use of specialized LED done. As Albert Einstein once said, “we cannot solve our
lights and aquaponics enables these crops to grow more problems with the same thinking we used when we created
efficiently than in a field, where they are prone to various them.” Humans are reproducing faster than nature can create
dangers from their environment. A vertical farm, such as the resources we need to survive, which is why society needs
AeroFarms, might look like a normal office building or to focus more on developing new forms of sustainable
warehouse from the outside, but on the inside, are rows of agriculture.
crops being grown on each story. By farming inside of a According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of
building, one can decrease the amount of land, water, energy, the United Nations (FAO), “sustainable agriculture conserves
chemicals, and transportation used to feed the world. land, water, and plant and animal genetic resources, and is
environmentally non-degrading, technically appropriate,
Key Words—Aquaculture, Aquaponics, Food Insecurity, economically viable and socially acceptable” [3]. Vertical
Habitat Fragmentation, Hydroponics, Nitrification, Vertical farming has the potential to be the future of sustainable
Farming agriculture and replace traditional farming as society’s main
source of food. By replacing traditional farms with vertical
EVOLVING AGRICULTURE farms, society would be protecting the environment while also
INFRASTRUCTURE benefitting socially and economically.
The main idea behind vertical farms is to reduce the
Humans have made an impact in almost every area of the overall amount of resources used and to decrease agriculture’s
world throughout history. Industrial farming, for example, was carbon footprint. Vertical farming has been defined as “a type
an innovation that caused a great change for the world of indoor farming that seeks to maximize production and
socioeconomically by creating high yielding farms for the efficiency per square foot by growing crops in multiple levels
rapidly increasing human population. These farming on a vertical axis” [4]. The goal of vertical farming proponents
techniques, many of which are still used today, were created is to replace traditional farms with vertical farms located
with little to no regard for the environment. Today however, directly in urban communities to reduce the amount of land,
society is beginning to face the repercussions of not making water, and energy used to create a more sustainable form of
such practices more sustainable for future generations, and as food production.
the years pass, these repercussions will only become worse.
Typical farms use great amounts of land, energy and water and THE TECHNOLOGY INSIDE
have harmful effects on the environment due to chemical
runoff and habitat destruction. According to the Vertical Plants require specific environmental conditions for
Farming Association, “It is estimated that by the year 2050, the optimal growth. For a plant to function properly, it must be
University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering 1
Submission Date 03.02.2018
Carly Sills
Isaac Serbin

grown in the proper climate. Crop destruction is often caused

by variations in temperature due to radical weather changes, The process of photosynthesis requires the right
climate change, and seasonal changes. By farming indoors conditions and components to occur. With respect to light in
however, one can create a controlled environment and the photosynthetic process, the plant's chloroplast traps the
eliminate such dangers, increasing crop production. Plants also energy. This light energy is converted into chemical energy in
require light to undergo photosynthesis and produce sugars for the form of ATP —Adenosine Tri-Phosphate– a compound
energy. Using light emitting diode (LED) lights, vertical farms that, when broken apart, releases its stored energy which is
provide plants with a light source more efficient for growth used in the second stage of photosynthesis. The energy that is
than natural sunlight. Plants are commonly grown in soil provided by light and stored in ATP assists in the creation of
because it provides the nutrients they require to survive. There oxygen and carbohydrates.
are a variety of ways however, to grow them in a soilless
medium that provides them with sufficient nutrients. Although
crops can naturally grow outdoors, there are many cases when
conditions do not accommodate all of their needs. The
technologies used within vertical farms create optimal
conditions year-round in any location, creating faster and
higher yielding crop production than traditional farming.

LED Lights

Light energy is essential to the first phase of

photosynthesis. In nature, light energy comes from the sun.
Light is the reason organisms see colors because light itself
comes in a range of different wavelengths across what is FIGURE 2 [6]
known as the electromagnetic spectrum, each wavelength a Light spectrum and wavelengths
different color. Humans can only see a fraction of the light
spectrum—the visible light spectrum—but what cannot be Not all wavelengths of light are used by plants;
seen still exists and causes various reaction. When a sunburn wavelengths corresponding to the red and blue
occurs, it is due to a range of light at a wavelength invisible to electromagnetic spectrums in Figure 2 are the most useful in
the human eye. Sun burn can also happen to plants. In this
the photosynthesis process [5]. The Green light spectrum is
paper, the idea of using LED—Light Emitting Diodes—
the only wavelengths that are not used in photosynthesis. The
systems like the one in Figure 1 to replace sunlight in vertical
green wavelengths are reflected, and when the reflected green
farms is examined in an economic and biological perspective.
light meets the human eye, the plant looks to have a green
This is to determine whether LED lights provide the nutrients
color. With LED lighting, the wavelength of the light emitted
needed by crops and can the use of these systems be cost
can be controlled. Unlike other man made light sources, LED’s
effective.
are made from semiconductor compounds such as Gallium
Arsenide (GaAs), Gallium Phosphide (GaP), Gallium
Arsenide Phosphide (GaAsP), Silicon Carbide (SiC) or
Gallium Indium Nitride (GaInN) mixed at different ratios to
produce a distinct wavelength. Different LED compounds emit
light in specific regions of the visible light spectrum and can
be dialed in to the right spectrums to feed the crops the best
combination of wavelength for their growth.
The different wavelengths and amount or duration of
light given by an LED lighting system are useful for
controlling how the crop grows. Plants use light to determine
their growth pattern.
“Phytochromes are special chemicals that are
released in response to the amount and duration of
light that is provided. Plants will bloom in response
to the number of hours of light that they receive.
Some plants will bloom only when there are less than
12 hours of light each day, while others require more
FIGURE 1 [5] light to flower” [5].
LED lights inside of a vertical farm

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This knowledge and the ability to change the light cycle due to periodic replacement. The disposal of such fertilizer-
of an indoor lighting system allow a vertical farm to start a rich solutions into natural water bodies is an environmental
crops flower and seed production whenever. A vertical farm risk. The only waste in aquaponics is leftover solid fish waste
can have multiple harvests per season from a crop that, in a that wasn’t broken down by bacteria. Since it is organic in
field under natural conditions, will only produce a harvest nature, it can be disposed of into the common drain or used for
once. composting [8]. While hydroponics is more sustainable than
Light from the sun comes in the whole range of traditional farming practices, it still has the potential to harm
wavelengths, some that are damaging to organisms. Crops in a the environment. Patterson concludes, "being the more
field can get a form of sunburn from light in the infrared sustainable and profitable system of food generation,
spectrum just like humans. This is becoming more and more aquaponics is the future of alternative agriculture" [8].
of a problem for farms in areas that are most effected by global
warming. As more dangerous light energy is hitting the fields,
crop production goes down. When farming is moved indoors,
the light source, LED, can be tuned to not emit the infrared
light spectrum, thus protecting the crops and increasing crop
productivity relative to outdoor sunburned fields.
One of the downsides to the use of artificial lighting,
rather than the natural light of the sun, is that the sun’s light is
free. Vertical farms must pay for the electricity to power the
LED lighting systems and the computers that control them.
The cost of installing LED lighting systems in vertical farms is
also not favorable. However, the overall benefits of using
LEDs in vertical farms instead of sunlight in a field are crop
production year-round, healthier plants, and increased harvest
yields. These will increase income by a greater amount than
the cost of running LED lighting systems. The existence of
fully operational and profitable vertical farms, using LED
lighting systems, is proof that this technology works and is
economically viable.
FIGURE 3 [9]
Aquaponics Aquaponic system components

The three most common soilless agricultural systems

used in vertical farms are hydroponics, aquaponics, and
aeroponics. Hydroponics is the production of plants in a
nutrient-enriched solution, with or without the mechanical
support of a growing medium [7]. Hydroponic systems grow
plants in water that is supplied with the nutrients the plants
need. While this system reduces the amount of overall labor,
water, and soil resources used, it still requires the input of
expensive chemicals to create a solution that must be regularly
drained. Aeroponics is a sub-category of hydroponics that
suspends the roots in the air instead of in water. A mist of
nutrient solutions is sprayed onto the roots to utilize up to 95%
less water than traditional farming methods in a minimal
amount of space [7]. While aeroponics is an upgrade from
hydroponics, aquaponics is a more sustainable solution. Al-
Kodmay defines aquaponics as, "a bio-system that integrates
recirculated aquaculture (fish farming) with hydroponic…
production to create symbiotic relationships between the plants FIGURE 4 [9]
and the fish" [7]. The symbiotic relationships counteract the Aquaponic fish tanks and plant beds within a vertical
weaknesses of both hydroponics and aquaculture. They allow farm
the system to become a closed loop, reducing waste and water
usage while growing both fish and plants. In Susan Patterson’s All aquaponic systems are made of three biological
comparison of aquaponics and hydroponics, she explains that components: fish, plants, and bacteria. As shown in Figure 3,
hydroponic solutions result in large amounts of waste water

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these components work synergistically to create an tilapia is used as an example. Tilapia are widely used in the
environment safe for each to live and grow. In The Aquaponic aquaponic farming business due to their reputation for being
Farmer by Adrian Southern and Whelm King, aquaponics disease resistant and can exist in a wide pH range of 3.7 to 11
solves the primary problems of both aquaculture and [9]. The optimal pH to grow them in is between 7.0 and 9.0.
hydroponics by combining them together. Fish waste provides The optimal pH for bacteria to produce ammonium oxidizers
both plant food and fertilizer while plants clean the water for is 8.2, however they are still highly effective within a pH range
the fish when utilizing minerals from their waste. The goal of of 5.0 to 9.0. The optimal pH conditions may still vary slightly
aquaponics is to eco-mimic complex natural systems to from one bacteria to another. For example, nitrosomonas'
simultaneously grow fish and plants [9]. optimal pH range is 7.0 to 7.5 and nitrospira's is 8.0 to 8.3. The
The purpose of the fish within the system, besides average range for water pH is 6.5 to 7.5, however studies have
aquaculture, is to provide nutrients for plants growth. Plants determined that the ideal pH value for a system is typically
require both macronutrients and micronutrients. The most between 6.8 and 7.0 [8,9]. The highest possible pH must
important elements for plant growth are the macronutrients maintain a high enough nitrification efficiency to prevent the
nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) accumulation of ammonia in the system.
and magnesium (Mg), and the micronutrient iron (Fe). Gill For plants to assimilate other nutrients from the fish
excretion, urine, and feces from the fish provide minerals that waste, the waste must be broken down by mineralizing
dissolve into the water and ionize into nutrients that plants can bacteria. The mineralizing bacteria decompose suspended
assimilate [8]. solids and decrease the amount of potential discharge by the
Ammonia (NH4+) buildup from the fish urine and gill system. Chemical testing and monitoring must be done
excretions can be toxic for the fish themselves at levels higher regularly to ensure the aquaponic system is producing enough
than 3 ppm. Due to this, microorganisms must exist in the of each material for optimal plant growth [10]. Manual
system for nitrification purposes [9]. Nitrifying autotrophic supplements of nutrients must be added to counteract
bacteria are a key microbial component composed of nitroso- deficiencies, varying between. Adding bases such as Ca(OH)2
bacteria and nitro-bacteria. The ammonia must be broken and KOH has dual functionality in supplementing minerals as
down in steps from a process called nitrification. The nitroso- well as controlling pH levels. When the bases dissociate, the
bacteria first convert ammonia into nitrite (NO2-), and the anions mineralize into nutrients for the plants and the
nitro-bacteria convert nitrite into nitrate (NO3-). By converting hydroxide ions (OH-) increase the pH of the system,
the ammonia into nitrate, the bacteria work as a biofiltration counteracting the constant increase in pH from ammonia.
unit, making the water less toxic for the fish. This nitrification Another important factor that must be monitored is
process also means the plants now have a main source of nutrient input and waste solubility. To make the system as
nitrogen to help them grow [10]. sustainable as possible, with a minimal carbon footprint, one
The process of the plants absorbing the nitrate is basic must aim to create a zero-discharge recirculating system by
due to a release of bicarbonate ions, however the acidic minimizing the amount of solid waste [9]. Uneaten feed and
nitrification process has a higher percent of ionization which fish excretions have varying percent ionizations and solubility
therefore causes a constant slight decrease in pH. Due to this rates, so an absolute zero output of waste without some amount
issue, the authors of “Challenges of Sustainable and of manual labor is currently not feasible. The waste that is not
Commercial Aquaponics” explain two approaches that have solubized is filtered out through the mechanical filter and can
been developed to maintain pH levels. The first and most either be discarded or manually mineralized and added back
common process is manually supplementing nutrients such as into the hydroponic system. These varying mineralization
carbonate, bicarbonate, or hydroxide to increase the pH levels. abilities can create inconsistencies in nutrient concentrations,
This process also increases the alkalinity parameter by making which must be monitored and accounted for to maximize crop
a buffer solution that is more resistant to fluctuations in pH output and minimize discharge. Using proper fish feed
[01]. To maximize the efficiency of the process, the nutrients composition, relative to the amount of nutrient excretion by the
should be based on calcium, potassium, and magnesium fish, allows for the attainability of a water composition that is
compounds so that when they dissociate, the cations can close to hydroponic requirements. Obtaining nutrient
become nutrients for the plants in areas where they may face concentrations produced by the feed is required to predict the
nutritional deficiency [9,10]. The second approach to amount of mineral input that will be manually added to the
maintaining pH levels is the implementation of the fluidized hydroponic system to meet plant nutrient requirements.
lime-bed reactor concept. The concept uses the controlled
addition of limestone (CaCO3) to an acidic solution to ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF
neutralize it during a dissolution process [10].
Maintaining the proper pH is crucial to a successful AGRICULTURE
aquaponic system. While each organism may require a slightly
different pH to thrive, a compromising point must be met. Water Use: Problem
Most plant species require a pH of 6 to 6.5 for optimal nutrient
assimilation. Fish vary far more from species to species so

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At over 71%, agriculture is the largest user of water systems, and having a building that is a more controlled
worldwide [10]. Irrigation is the process of diverting water environment than a field, allows for water use for crop
from its natural path to water crops in areas where not enough production to dramatically reduce.
rain falls to naturally hydrate the fields. These areas are known
as arid or semi-arid lands, based on their annual rain fall. The Land Use: Problem
trend of population growth in arid and semiarid regions has
sparked agricultural development in areas that had not needed Many regions inhabited by humans have improper
to be developed. As a human settlement grows, the need for conditions for growing crops. The land that is considered right
food production to be closer to the settlement grows as well. for crop growth, is known as arable land. Currently, about 40%
The increased demand for food prompts farmers to cultivate of the Earth’s surface is arable [3], some that is better than
land that naturally would not support crop growth. Irrigation others. Data collected by Dr. Navin Ramankutty in 1999,
increases the agricultural productivity of arid and semiarid suggested that about 30% of the world’s total arable land was
lands. From the data collected by the authors of Environment, already in use. Recent data suggests that percentage is as high
they concluded that “since 1955 the amount of irrigated land as 80%. To put that in perspective, in all human existence, up
has more than tripled” and that “water use for irrigation will to 1999, agriculture had managed to cover about 11% of the
probably continue to increase in the 21st century” [11]. The world’s surface, but in the last 20 years, it has managed to now
sourcing and amount of water used for crop production is cover more than double the percentage of the Earth’s total land
where a devastating environmental issue arises. surface. As the rate of land conversion continues, humans will
In a global regard, when water is overdrawn from a run out of room to grow the crops necessary to feed an ever-
watershed, wetlands dry up, isolated bodies of water dry up, growing population.
salinity levels rise in estuaries, and many other ecological Not only is the threat of running out of arable land a threat
issues occur. Natural wetlands play important ecological roles, to humans, but it is also an issue for the animals that live in
such as serving as a breeding ground for a large variety of those regions and for the world’s ecosystem. The regions of
species. Estuaries, the areas where rivers empty into seawater, the world considered right for crop production are some of the
become saltier due to a smaller ratio of freshwater to seawater. richest areas on the planet in terms of number and variety of
This change in salinity reduces species richness, the diversity plants and animals; this is known as species richness. When
of animals and plants in an ecosystem, which hurts not only species rich jungle is converted to soy bean groves, it removes
the ecosystem itself but commercial fishing in those areas as plant variety. Many of the animals, previously happy in their
well. An issue with current farming practices is evaporation jungle home, cannot live in the new conditions created by the
of irrigation water before the crops have a chance to soak it up. soy bean groves. This negative effect, caused by development
With commonly used open-air sprinkler system, that sprays of dense forested areas to open expanses of low lying crops, is
water over the entire area of crops, about 5% of the water especially easy to see with regards to large predatory cat
evaporates or blows away before it touches the ground. On the species in forested areas. To sustain a big cat population, large
large scale, 5% is hundreds of thousands of gallons of water. expanses of undisturbed forests are needed. One reason for this
When water makes it to the roots, “plants retain less than 5% is the need for large populations of the big cat’s prey, which
of the water absorbed by roots for cell expansion and plant are decreased by habitat loss. Another being,
growth,” the rest is transpired into the atmosphere [12].
“For a species to survive, its members must be present
Water Use: Solution within a range in large enough numbers for males and
females to mate. The minimum population density
The solution to the problem of evaporation and reducing and size that ensure reproductive success vary from
overall water consumption of crop irrigation using vertical one type of organism to another. For all organisms, if
farming comes with the use of a closed build as the location the population density and size fall below a critical
for the farming. When irrigating crops in the closed/controlled minimum level, the population declines, becoming
system inside a building used for vertical farming, evaporation susceptible to extinction” [12].
of irrigation water can be either controlled by keeping watering
system contained from contact with the surrounding air with When major animal and plant species go extinct, a
water systems that only encompass the roots of the plants, such serious ripple effect goes through an ecosystem, causing a
as aquaponics, or by containing and reusing the evaporated and collapse of that ecosystem.
transpired water that does end up in the air of the building by The term habitat fragmentation, meaning “the division of
condensing the humid air that accumulates in a vertical habitats that formerly occupied large, unbroken areas into
farming building and then putting it back through the irrigation smaller areas by roads, fields, cities, and other land-
system. transforming activities” [12], is the problem depicted by the
It takes up to 97% less water over a year in a vertical big cat example, but is also a factor when it comes to the
farming building than in the open-air conditions of a current location of the farms relative to the communities they supply
outdoor farm, [12]. The use of more efficient water delivery their crop to. Traditional farms, needing large areas of mostly

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flat land, are often miles from the cities and towns that they recovery of the world’s ecosystems, the possibility that if
feed. Thus, requiring roads to be built between them and vertical farms can produce enough crops that traditional
exasperating the habitat disruption even more. Another horizontal farms already in use are no longer needed, they can
example caused by fragmentation is explained by the UK wild be converted back into the natural forests, grasslands, and
life organization, Trees for Life. wetlands that they once were. This is a very real possibility
since vertical farms are so efficient in producing more crops,
“Imagine that you are a rare lichen, or a bird which in less space and time than traditional farms [12].
prefers the dark interior of the woods, such as a
Treecreeper. Half of your woodland home is Chemical Use: Problem
destroyed to make way for a car park (in our case
farm), and the remainder is bisected by a road Humans use fertilizers and pesticides to make their crops
(connecting farm to city). What happens to your cool, more productive in areas where natural conditions and animals
dark patch of the forest? It becomes flooded with do not promote good harvests. These chemical pesticides and
light, the humidity and temperature are altered, and it nutrient rich fertilizers runoff or leach into many ecosystems
may no longer suit your specific needs. Thus, where they either don’t belong or where in the quantity add
fragmentation increases what is known as the 'edge they become detrimental to the health of those ecosystems and
effect', whereby the interior area of habitat is affected the humans who rely on them. Along with the nutrients and
by the different conditions of the other habitats on its chemicals washed into ecosystems by agricultural runoff,
edges. The smaller a particular habitat is, the greater sediment is picked up in large quantities and dispersed
is the proportion of its area which experiences the unnaturally. In this section, an examination of how the runoff
edge effect, and this can lead to dramatic changes in from crop fields tips the balance of ecosystems, sometimes to
plant and animal communities” [13]. the point of collapse.
The main chemicals used in farming that are an issue for
Land Use: Solution the environment, are pesticides. Pesticides are chemicals used
by farmers to kill or deter “pest” from eating and disturbing the
The name ‘vertical farming’ nearly says it all; instead of crops in the fields. The concept of “pests” is perceived by
clearing new land for more traditional horizontal farms, stack preservationists as a negative human-environment interaction;
new farms on top of each other. The main goal of vertical a “pest” is any animal or insect that may interfere with human
farming is to be able to produce crops in the same quantity as activities. When preservationists look at the situation, the
a horizontal farm, but using a tiny fraction of the land area as humans are the actual pests to the sustainability of the
the horizontal farm. Another land use saver is the construction environment. Farmers blame a rabbit for eating their crop,
of a vertical farm inside already constructed buildings around when it is the rabbit’s natural right to do so and it is the farmers
or inside a city or community rather than having to develop that moved into the rabbit’s natural home and put the crops
new tracks of land from previously undisturbed ecosystems. there. Pesticides are toxic to most animals that encounter them,
including humans, and often effect animals either not
considered pest or animals that are hurt inadvertently from
their use. One of the main ways pesticides can hurt a whole
ecosystem, is when they are swept by rain water in the form of
agricultural runoff, into water supplies ranging from small
streams to ground water. Chemical pesticides from agriculture
find their way into water ecosystems and supplies in many
ways. The National Water Quality Assessment Program has an
ongoing study on pesticides and their degradation products,
that has found that
“more than 95% of river and stream samples and
almost 50% of groundwater samples they examined
contained at least one pesticide. More than 50% of all
stream samples contained five or more pesticides, and
about 10% of all streams contained 10 or more
FIGURE 5 [12] pesticides” [11].
Map of land usage for farms in the United States The next form of pollution from agricultural runoff
comes from the use of fertilizers in crop fields. Fertilizers are
Whenever humans can redevelop already developed nutrients farmers add to the soil to grow their crops. Plants
land, it is better for the environment rather than damaging need several types of nutrients to grow properly and produce.
intact natural lands. To a greater aid to the protection and Normally a plant would only grow naturally where they would
get all their nutrients from the soil, but when farmers plant

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crops where the soil is either low on nutrients or where, from are grown in, but with the innovation of aquaponics, all the
years of soil erosion and failure to replenish natural nutrient nutrients are delivered directly to the roots by closed system
supplies in the soil, they need to add those nutrients plumbing. With the nutrients contained by the closed system
themselves. This does not seem to be a bad thing, until rain fall and direct application the roots of the crop, excess fertilizer
causes excess fertilizer to be washed away—runoff—and into and fertilizer runoff is absent from the vertical farming
streams, lakes and other bodies of water. When excess process. Fertilizers and pesticides are often an expensive part
nutrients get into a body of water, enrichment occurs. of traditional farming and since they are not any issue in
Enrichment is when the influx of nutrients in a body of water vertical farming, the money can be applied to the lighting or
causes an algal bloom. An algal bloom is made up of millions aquaponics systems in the vertical farming industry.
of tiny plants known as algae, that explode in growth and
replication at once, it can take over a body of water, starving SOCIAL IMPACTS OF AGRICULTURE
other plants of the nutrients they need. As well as choking the
animals that live under the water and even completely blocking Social Issues
out the sunlight from reaching plants and animals that need it
to survive in the water. Some algae are toxic to the inhabitants Harvest loss has a great impact on the lives of farmers
of the water. The toxins from the algae can work their way up and the communities they supply. When crops are destroyed
the food chain and threaten important species in the by environmental factors such as droughts and pests, farmers
environment—keystone species—or even humans when can lose a season’s worth of produce, causing financial
contaminated fish are eaten. setbacks and often impoverishment. Poverty is one of the
Sediment from soil erosion in agricultural runoff cause driving causes of hunger, but hunger is also a cause of poverty.
problems for the environment, like the algal blooms. With lots There is a cycle where those who are poor become
of soil particles suspended in a body of water, that normally malnourished and those who are malnourished become poor.
would not have been there, it can cause fish to be choked by When one is malnourished, it negatively affects cognitive
the sediment getting caught in their gills. The suspended development and child growth, leading to reduced levels of
sediment also causes the issue of the sun being blocked from productivity and economic development and therefore causes
reaching organisms at the bottom of normally clear waters. an inability to work efficiently and drives them deeper into
When a heavy rain occurs, sediment naturally washes into poverty. Food insecurity is an issue that affects one in nine
streams and lakes, but this effect is amplified when much of a people across the globe. About 800 million people suffer from
land’s natural ground cover—vegetation growth—is removed malnutrition every day [3]. The FAO defines food security as,
to create a farm. Not only does this loosen the soil, making “A situation that exists when all people, at all times, have
more sediment able to be washed away by rains, but by a physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and
process of years of soil degradation from crops being planted nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food
and harvested repeatedly, the soil can become more easily preferences for an active and healthy life… [Four] food
eroded, with less natural moisture content and less ability to security dimensions can be identified: food availability,
withstand erosion, often due to less clay content. economic and physical access to food, food utilization and
Agriculture not only adds harmful chemicals and excess stability over time,” [3].
nutrients to the environment, it also alters the composition of
the soil, causing more soil erosion and the need for more Social Solutions
fertilizers. This cycle needs to end to protect the environment
from multiple human caused hazards and prevent loss of Vertical farms can break the poverty cycle and make a
naturally rich soils that is important to many ecosystems. huge impact on both food insecurity and poverty. Due to
indoor farming in a controlled environment, crop production
Chemical Use: Solution can take place year-round. Environmental dangers to crops are
no longer an issue and damage due to disease can easily be
Vertical farming uses a nearly closed system irrigation— isolated. By implementing vertical farms in communities
aquaponics—and more direct fertilizing techniques thus suffering from poverty, the cost of food would decrease and
preventing runoff. This eliminates the progression of the economy could thrive. By placing the farms directly in the
environmental issues related to agricultural runoff. Since communities, transportation costs are cut dramatically, and
vertical farms are indoors, farmers can almost completely therefore so are food prices. Food prices are also cut down due
control the conditions inside the farm and thus contain any to higher yielding crop production. The farms themselves
harmful byproducts of the farming process. Pests and would create more jobs and increase educational opportunities.
subsequently pesticides are not found inside vertical farming With a reliable way to produce crops year-round, people would
facilities, because pests cannot gain access to the crops in a be able to become economically and nutritionally stable,
quantity prolific enough to be an issue. breaking the cycle of malnutrition and poverty.
When growing indoors, soil is not needed to grow the
crops. Normally, plants get their nutrients from the soil they

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Isaac Serbin

improved the photosynthetic efficiency to the tune of 15–18%

CONCLUSION as against 9% which is normally achieved under outdoor
conditions,” [14]. FarmedHere has three locations in Illinois
and is expected to supply at least 6% of the Chicago area’s
premium green and culinary herb demand. Their facilities
utilize aquaponics, creating 13,935 m2 of growing space in
their largest location, which only takes up about 8361 m2 of
land as opposed to 14,000 m2. Their aquaponics systems
reduce water use as well by 97% [14]. These facilities,
amongst others, are making big impacts on the environment
and the communities they dwell in. By spreading the use of this
technology across the globe, engineers and farmers alike have
the potential so save the environment from the detrimental
effects of climate change and overpopulation.

SOURCES

[1] C. Aswath, G.Selvakumar, C. Zimmerman, M.Bajikar.

“Utilization of vertical spaces for horticultural crop production
in urban and peri-urban areas.” Current Science. Vertical
Farming Association. 6.10.2016. Accessed 1.15.2018.
http://www.currentscience.ac.in/Volumes/110/11/2048.pdf
[2] F. Besthorn. “Vertical Farming: Social Work and
Sustainable Urban Agriculture in an Age of Global Food
Crises.” Australian Social Work. 11.12.2012. Accessed
1.20.2018.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0312407X.201
2.716448
[3] “Building a Common Vision for Sustainable Food and
Agriculture” Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations. Accessed. 10.29.2017. http://www.fao.org/3/a-
i3940e.pdf
[4] E. Bromfield. “Why Vertical Farms?” Foundation Earth.
Accessed 1.12.2018.
http://www.fdnearth.org/files/2012/09/Why-vertical-
farms_Final.pdf
FIGURE 6 [10] [5] “How do Plants Use Light?” Garden Guides. Accessed
Plant beds inside of AeroFarms 2.24.2018. https://www.gardenguides.com/article-how-plants-
use-light.html
[6] “Light Spectrum and Plant Growth.” California
All research leads to the conclusion that vertical farms LightWorks. 7.22.2016. Accessed 3.28.2018.
are a strong candidate for solving issues due to the https://californialightworks.com/light-spectrum-and-plant-
unsustainability of agriculture. Many companies, such as growth/
AeroFarms, PlantLab, and FarmedHere, have proved that [7] K. Al-Kodmay. “The Vertical Farm: A Review of
vertical farms have the potential to make an impact. Joshua Developments and Implications for the Vertical City.”
Burd’s article, “Future Farm” goes into depth on how Buildings. 2.5.2018. Accessed 2.14.2018.
AeroFarms, the world’s largest vertical farm, has become so http://www.mdpi.com/journal/buildings
successful. Marc Oshima, the co-founder of AeroFarms, [8] S. Patterson. “Hydroponics vs. Aquaponics: The Pros And
claims that they have “75 times greater productivity per square Cons of Two Soilless Farming Methods.” Off the Grid News.
foot annually than we would out in the field, and 10 times more 11.9.2013. Accessed 2.24.2018.
than a greenhouse,” [10]. In a report on the 2015 International http://www.offthegridnews.com/survival-gardening-
Conference on Vertical Farming, it was found that the 2/hydroponics-vs-aquaponics-the-pros-and-cons-of-two-
company PlantLab has, “developed a revolutionary high-tech soilless-farming-methods/print/
growing concept for cultivation of plants in conditioned [9] Southern, W. King. “The Aquaponic Farmer: A Complete
production units in the absence of sunlight. Besides saving Guide to Building and Operating a Commercial Aquaponic
90% of the water used in normal horticulture, PlantLab has

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System.” 10.9.2017. Accessed 2.22.2018.

https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/pitt-
ebooks/detail.action?docID=4817914
[10] S. Goddeck. “Challenges of Sustainable and Commercial
Aquaponics.” 2.9.2015. Accessed 2.11.2018.
http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/7/4/4199/htm
[11] “Environment.” Accessed 2.12.2018.
[12] A. McElrone. “Water Uptake and Transport in Vsscular
Plants. 2013. Accessed 2.22.2018.
https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/water-
uptake-and-transport-in-vascular-plants-103016037
[13] Trees for Life. Accessed 2.23.2018.
https://treesforlife.org.uk
[14] L. McLeod. “Agricultural Innovation through Industrial
Revolution: The Economic Response.” Washington State
University. 8.28.2014. Accessed 1.29.2018.
https://history.libraries.wsu.edu/fall2014/2014/08/28/civilizat
ion-and-the-effects-of-agricultural-advancements/

ADDITIONAL SOURCES

J. Brawn. “Implications of Agricultural Development for

Tropical Biodiversity.” 8.7.2017 Accessed 1.29.2018.
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1940082917720
668
D. Despommier. “Advantages of the Vertical Farm.”
Department of Environmental Health Sciences and
Department of Microbiology. 2012. Accessed 1.28.2018.
http://www.currentscience.ac.in/Volumes/110/11/2048.pdf
“USDA Economic Research Service.” United States
Department of Agriculture. 2018. Accessed 1.29.2018.
https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/crops.aspx

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We would like to acknowledge our co-chair, Kyle, and our

chair, Max, for being both helpful and patient throughout this
process. We would also like to thank our friends for giving us
feedback.