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Building Integrated Agriculture: Opportunities for Urban CEA
Innovations in Agriculture Conference The Future of Farming
NYSERDA March 4, 2008|Syracuse, NY
AN INTRODUCTION
Viraj Puri 2007 New York Sun Works
All Rights Reserved
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All rights reserved. All images in this publication are the
property of NYSW. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic, photocopying, and/or
otherwise without the prior permission of NYSW
New York Sun Works, Inc. 1841 Broadway, Suite 200
New York, NY 10023 USA
www.nysunworks.org
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New York Sun Works
- Founded 2004, dedicated to sustainable engineering
- Design ecologically responsible, integrated systems to
produce:
energy water food
- Engineers, biologists, ecologists, and managers
- Created (and currently operate) the Science Barge program
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The challenge An urbanizing planet: half the worlds people now
live in cities
In the USA, buildings responsible for 39% of energy use, 68%
electricity consumption and 38% carbon dioxide emissions
Increased urbanization, results in marginalization of natural
world and distance from food production
Agriculture occupies 40% of the worlds land surface, uses 60% of
fresh water withdrawals worldwide, causes 15% of world greenhouse
emissions and is the largest source of water pollution
Food travels hundreds of thousands of miles to reach urban
consumers, adding to traffic congestion, air pollution and carbon
emissions
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NYC is highly congested, with poor air quality primarily from
vehicle traffic, a problem exacerbated by the trucking of food.
NYC has >55 million square meters (>5,000 hectares) of
unshaded rooftop. These areas provide opportunities for solar
collection via solar panels and
plants.
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Greenhouse agriculture (Almeria, Spain)
Vacant rooftops (New York City)
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Controlled Environment Agriculture PROS Year-round local food
production Very high productivity per unit area Very high water use
efficiency Contained waste stream (fertilizers, etc.) Reduce or
eliminate pesticides Lightweight, modular technology
CONS Requires efficient heating solutions or waste heat
Need for specialized technological skills Zoning and regulatory
novelty (in cities)
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NYSW System Designs
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What started as a concept sketch
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began construction in summer 2006,
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set sai l for the Manhattan waterfront in spring 2007,
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and opened to the public at Pier 84 in May 2007.
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The Science Barge is not only an invitation to ideas and
learning, but to change.
-- Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at
Columbia University and special economic advisor to the United
Nations
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The Science Barge A prototype sustainable urban food farm.
Features: 120 m2 greenhouse, demonstrating recirculating
hydroponics, water desalination, rainwater catchment, solar power,
wind power, and biofuels.
The twin missions are technical research and public
education.
Launched in Manhattan in May 2007, the Science Barge has hosted:
Over 6000 members of the public 105 school groups 65 journalists
from 17 countries Plus.. engineers, architects, developers and city
planners
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SCIENCE BARGE CORE SYSTEMS:
FOOD, WATER, POWER
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FOOD: GREENHOUSE + HYDROPONICS
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Hydroponic Systems
Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) Bato Dutch Bucket System
Verti-Gro Plant Towers
All share:
High yield
High water use efficiency
Contained waste streams
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Evaporative cooling pad wall
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POWER: SOLAR + WIND + BIOFUELS
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Energy Systems Contd SOLAR 2.45 kW solar array [12 panels over
19.5 m2 surface, 12.5% efficiency, mounted on passive trackers]
WIND 2 kW wind turbine array [rated 400 W each at 45 km h-1,
internally regulated horizontal axis]
BIOFUELS 5 kW biodiesel generator [backup power]
STORAGE Battery Bank, 1000 Ah @ 48 VDC [2 day reserve] 5.5 kW
inverter-charger to provide 120 VAC power to the greenhouse
grid
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WATER: REVERSE OSMOSIS + RAINWATER CAPTURE
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Water Recovery & Production Rainwater Catchment
In NYC, sufficient rainfall on greenhouse roof for
irrigation.
Stormwater catchment
Reverse Osmosis:
Energy efficient (!) (200 L/kWh)
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BIA / PV comparison (for NYC) BRIGHTFARM GREENHOUSE
PV PANELS ONLY (with PV on 35% of greenhouse roof)
Capital Cost $960 $986
Annual Revenue $44 $280
Net Annual Return $34 $84
Carbon Offset (kg CO2) 12 20
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Building Integration Key features
HVAC heat recaptured and diverted into the greenhouse, provides
heat to crops in the winter
Solar panels provide a perfect source of power to the
greenhouse
Rainwater capture from greenhouse roof helps storm water
overflow (problem for cities) and provides water for plants
A rooftop covered with vegetation can reduce solar heat gain
through the roof
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Building Integrated Agriculture - Applications SCHOOLS Large,
flat roofs Student nutrition / on-site vegetable demand Fraction of
the cost of a conventional science lab
COMMERCIAL RETROFIT Retail (ecological marquee projectfood
retailers, malls, others) Service buildings (hospitals, gymnasiums,
etc) Manufacturing / industrial (high potential for waste heat
capture)
NEW BUILD larger installations higher efficiency from building
integration
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Copyright Kiss +Cathcart, Architects and New York Sun Works
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Copyright Owen Waltz and New York Sun Works
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Copyright Owen Waltz and New York Sun WorksCopyright Owen Waltz
and New York Sun Works
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Copyright Patrick Hoyle and New York Sun WorksCopyright Patrick
Hoyle and New York Sun WorksCopyright Patrick Hoyle and New York
Sun WorksCopyright Patrick Hoyle and New York Sun Works
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Copyright Patrick Hoyle and New York Sun WorksCopyright Patrick
Hoyle and New York Sun Works
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Copyright Patrick Hoyle and New York Sun WorksCopyright Patrick
Hoyle and New York Sun Works
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Copyright Chungyi Fan and New York Sun Works
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Vertically Integrated Greenhouse [VIG] Combines a double-skin
building faade with a hydroponic
greenhouse.
Lightweight and modular system using vertical NFT trays or
similar.
Seeding and harvesting occur at the bottom.
Vertical spacing of the double plant cable lift [PCL] row can be
adjusted to maximize solar capture diurnally and seasonally.
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VIG Benefits
Creates a productive [$] space within the double skin faade
Shades the building interior during summer
Reduces solar heat gain
Provides fresh air to building occupants
Utilizes waste heat from the building.
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Vertically Integrated Greenhouse concept
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Building Integrated Agriculture: Key Features 1. BIA saves land.
Vegetable yields are
about 20 times the typical yields of field agriculture.
2. BIA saves water. Recirculating irrigation consumes five to
ten times less water than field agriculture.
3. BIA protects rivers. Recirculating systems eliminate
fertilizer runoff to surface waters.
4. BIA reduces pollution. Urban greenhouses eliminate the use of
fossil fuels in tractors and trucks.
5. BIA recovers rainwater. The roof can be designed to capture
rainfall, reducing storm overflow.
6. BIA improves food safety. Integrated pest management does not
require chemical pesticides.
7. BIA brings health. Access to fresh vegetables is improved in
urban communities.
8. BIA reduces waste. Waste heat from buildings can heat the
greenhouse.
9. BIA cools buildings. A cover of vegetation mitigates the
urban heat island effect, even under glass.
10. BIA combats global warming. Up to 1.5 kg of CO2 emissions
can be mitigated for each kg of vegetables produced in a
sustainable urban farm.
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New York Sun Works specializes in the design of ecologically
responsible systems for the production of food, energy, and
water.
CONSULTING SERVICES: Building Integrated Agriculture Site Design
Resource Demand And Supply Analysis Greenhouse Operational Planning
Greenhouse Operation Educational Programming
New York Sun Works, Inc. 1841 Broadway, Suite 200 New York,
NY
10023 +1 212 757 7560
ww.nysunworks.org