Redesigning Hydroponic Production for Vertical Farming &

Urban Markets

The State of Vertical Farming

立体种植的现状

A Growth Industry 一个蓬勃发展的行业

Traditional Techniques

in Vertical Farming 立体种植的传统方法

Redesigning Vertical Growing: Bright Agrotech and ZipGrow Towers

立体种植的新设计

传统方法的问题

Problems with Traditional Growing Techniques:

• Ventilation Challenges and Stratification of Air Layers 通风问题和空气分层化

传统方法的问题

Problems with Traditional Growing Techniques:

• Labor and Use Challenges 劳动力和实用性问题

传统方法的问题

Problems with Traditional Growing Techniques:

• Space and Materials Use Efficiency 空间和资源利用率

• Production Type Space Use Efficiency Ratio(AP/Afl ) 种植法的空间利用率例比

– 5 Layer Horizontal Rack (4'x8') 2.50

– 4 Layer Horizontal Rack (8'x8') 2.67

传统方法的问题

Problems with Traditional Growing Techniques:

• Market Access 市场接驳

• Product Distribution 产品配送

• Cost of Labor 劳动力成本

传统方法的问题 Problems with Traditional Growing Techniques:

• Plant Health and Productivity 植物的健康与产量

– Humidity Removal 除湿

– Pathogens 病毒

– Pests 虫害

– CO2 Depletion 二氧化碳消耗

Solving Problems through Design 利用结构设计解决问题

• Working with Heat and Air Movement 利用热量和气流

• Designing ventilation solutions for enclosed environments 为密闭空间设计空气循环方案

Solving Problems through Design

利用结构设计解决问题

• Designing for Worker Safety and Ease of Use 为员工安全和实用性设计

– Minimizing bottlenecks in workflow

减少工作流程的瓶颈

– Perform all tasks from ground level- eliminate scissor lifts

所有工作项目都在地面实行-除掉升降车

– Make all equipment modular

把所有设备都模块化

Solving Problems through Design

利用结构设计解决问题 • Designing for Space and

Materials Use Efficiency 为空间和资源利用率提升的设计

• Reconfiguration and upgrades 重组与升级

• Production Type Space Use Efficiency Ratio (AP/AFl) 种植法的空间利用率例比

– 7' Vertical Racks 2.73

Solving Problems through Design

利用结构设计解决问题 • Designing for Distribution

为产品配送的设计

– Maintaining as many options as possible 维持最多的选择

– Live Sales 生鲜销售

– Traditional sales and distribution 传统销售与配送

– Home CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) models 家庭（社区支持农业）模式

– Green Wall service models 绿化墙配送模式

Solving Problems through Design

利用结构设计解决问题

• Designing for Productivity and Plant Health 为产量和植物健康设计

– Ventilation 空气循环

– CO2 Exchange 二氧化碳交替

Inter-tower disease communication 种植器互相传染

– Plant and tower removal 植物与种植器替换

– Maximizing O2 exchange (atmosphere to root zone) 氧气交替最大化（空气与根层）

Other Variables: Growing as Manufacturing 其它变数：农业为制造业

• Scalability and Standardization 规模化与标准化

• Designing systems that scale into any space 设计能万象发展的系统

• Designing systems with work flow and product flow in mind 配合工作和产品流程的系统设计

– Always in a single direction 都朝一个方向前进

– Minimize obstacles and bottlenecks 把障碍与瓶颈最小化

Other Variables: Growing as Manufacturing 其它变数：农业为制造业

• Mobility and Work Flow 流动性与工作流程

– Traditional growing operations move the line to the product 传统农业将产业链移到产品

– Successful indoor growers move the product down the line 成功的室内种植企业把产品向前移

• Transport the product in the containers that it is grown in 利用种植器来运输产品

• Allow workers to easily access and remove product. 使得员工能轻易接触并取出产品

• Product moves from planting to harvesting through the facility 产品从崔苗到收成，都在农业工厂

Other Variables: Growing as Manufacturing 其它变数：农业为制造业

• Product Flow 产品流动

– All products and workers flow in the same direction 所有产品和员工都往同一个方向

– Reduce disease and pest spread 减少病菌与虫害的散播

– Optimize production line 优化生产线

Other Variables: Growing as Manufacturing 其它变数：农业为制造业

• Production Automation 自动化生产

– Automation plays a major role in the future of vertical farming 自动化将会在立体种植的未来里扮演重要角色

• Low cost of development and implementation is key

低成本的开发与实施是关键

• Minimize automation work by designing tasks to reduce articulation and complexity

通过工项设计减少复杂度，来把自动化的问题最小化

• Focus on off-the-shelf solutions that can be modified

集中精力在可以迅速修改的现成解决方案

Growing High Quality Products 生产高质量产品

• Consumer Safety 消费者安全

– Indoor growing can be much more safe than field production

室内种植可以比露天种植更安全

– High quality inputs results in high quality outputs

高质量的投入才会有高质量的产出

– The importance of Good Agricultural Practices

良好农业规范的重要性

– Consumer trust results in consumer loyalty

消费者的信任转化为客户粘合度

Growing High Quality Products 生产高质量产品

• Transparency 透明度

– Transparency in production adds value to product 生产的透明度为产品加分

– Consumer trust leads to consumer loyalty 消费者的信任转化为客户粘合度

– Design systems to maximize transparency and communicate this to the customer 设计将透明度最大化的系统，并把它传达给消费者

– Design systems and distribution models that maximize freshness, flavor and value 设计能把生鲜度，口感和价值最大化的系统和配送模式

Growing High Quality Products 消费者的信任转化为客户粘合度

• Quality, Freshness and Flavor 品质，生鲜与口感

– Vertical growing close to markets can result in unparalleled freshness for consumers 靠近客户的立体种植可带给消费者前所未有的生鲜

– Fast to market products will dominate the future of produce sales 能迅速上市的产品将主宰产品销售趋势

Near-Term Vertical Farming 立体农业的前景

China:

• Food Safety & Security 食品安全与保障

• Growing Urbanization 城市化趋势

• Transportation Issues

运输问题

• High Density Production 高密度种植

Growing Global Network of Upstart Farmers

ZipGrow.com BrightAgrotech.com UpstartFarmers.com

International partners: GrowPacked.com (Australia)

Fountainworks.cn (China) UpgrownFarming.co (Singapore)

And more…