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Transformation of today
greenhouses into hightechnology vertical farming
systems for metropolitan regions
Article in Journal of environmental protection and ecology November 2014

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Journal of Environmental Protection and Ecology 15, No 4, 17791785 (2014)

Environmental management

TRANSFORMATION OF TODAY GREENHOUSES INTO

HIGH TECHNOLOGY VERTICAL FARMING SYSTEMS
FOR METROPOLITAN REGIONS
M. CICEKLIa*, N. T. BARLASb
Toros Agri Industry and Trade Co., Inc., Tekfen Tower, Istanbul, Turkey
E-mail: murat.cicekli@toros.com.tr
b
Soil Sciences and Plant Nutrition Department, Agricultural Faculty, Ege
University, Izmir, Turkey
a

Abstract. World population will be approximately 9 billion by the year 2050. Additional area
required to feed this population using available technologies equals to the size of Brazil. Because
of the decrease in agricultural lands that will nourish people, the crop losses caused by emerging
new pests and diseases, climate change and environmental pollution, the development of alternative agricultural systems in order for the production needed to be made to feed people has become
compulsory. Therefore, Vertical Farming Systems, which is one of the agricultural systems where
the yield (harvest) to be received from the unit area is high, is progressing on the way to becoming
an agricultural system that will rapidly develop in the future. However, for sustainable production
and energy in this system, engineering, architecture, technology and experiences are needed to be
used all together. Thus, in this agricultural system with advanced technology, production made in
an area of 400030 000 m2 is being achieved in an area of 1000 m2; the risk of crop loss dependent
on conditions like aridity, floods, pests and disease, etc. is eliminated. By virtue of the utilisation of
renewable energy resources (solar, wind, etc.), environmental pollution and fossil fuel consumption
decreases. Due to multiplex buildings and systems, it is enabled to carry out agriculture in the city
centre and healthy products are provided in the sense of food safety.
Keywords: vertical farming, soilless culture, greenhouse, urban agriculture.

AIMS AND BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to analyse today vertical greenhouses and production
systems, establish vertical farming and plant productions systems in big cities and
refugee camps where 20% of total population live in some countries and enable
nutrition of people and fulfill their food need.
World population will be approximately 9 billion by the year 2050. Additional
area required to feed this population using available technologies equals to the
size of Brazil. It will be difficult to deal with this situation without an alternative
system1,2. Furthermore, according to climate change scenarios until 20902099,
CO2 concentration which is currently 380 ppm will increase to 730 ppm; concentra*

For correspondence.

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tion of gases which cause destruction of ozone layer will increase and atmosphere
will gradually heat up. By the year 2099, temperature of the atmosphere will rise
by 1.84.0oC and as a result of the melting of glaciers in poles; sea level will increase approximately by 2659 cm. As a result of this situation, people will have
to emigrate from the areas which will be under water, whose climate has changed
and the likelihood of armed conflicts will increase35. Therefore, to find a solution
for all these problems in the future, human beings have to seek ways to develop
environmentally friendly production techniques and technologies which protect
the ecosystem.
EXPERIMENTAL
In this study, structure of four high-tech greenhouses are observed, which are similar
in terms of system, do soilless agriculture, have computerised automation systems,
and are located in the Aegean region (Manisa, Aydn, Denizli). In this study, 6 hightechnology horizontal greenhouses in the Aegean region were analysed in the sense
of automation, heating, cooling, ventilation, humidifying, irrigation, fertilization,
storing systems and possibilities of transforming into vertical farming systems.
WHAT IS THE VERTICAL FARMING?

Vertical farming (VF) system is a complex structure in a standard building, which

is established by designing to the smallest detail, where agricultural production,
composting, energy production and recycling of waste are realised to eliminate
the anxiety of modern cities and environmental destruction6.
ADVANTAGES OF VERTICAL FARMING

(a) Year-round crop production; 1 indoor acre is equivalent to 46 outdoor acres or

more, depending on the crop (e.g. strawberries: 1 indoor ha = ~30 outdoor ha);
(b) VF creates new employment opportunities;
(c) VF would be advantageous when agricultural products and food are economically cheap and easily-accessible in nutrition of big cities;
(d) VF converts black and gray water into potable water by engineering the
collection of the water realised through evapotranspiration;
(e) VF adds energy back to the grid via methane generation from composting
non-edible parts of plants and animals;
(f) VF creates sustainable environments for urban centres;
(g) VF converts abandoned urban properties into food production centres;
(h) VF may prove to be useful for integrating into refugee camps;
(i) VF could reduce the incidence of armed conflict over natural resources,
such as water and land for agriculture1,2,6,7.

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Fig. 1. Different horizontal greenhouse systems a, and vertical farming projects b (Chris Jacobs
Gordon Graff The Living Tower by SOA Architects) (www.eoearth.org)

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

CONSTRUCTION OF VERTICAL FARMING SYSTEM AND OPERATION OF THE
SYSTEMS

Construction and exterior structure. In VF, energy is produced by solar panels, wind
turbine (Fig. 1) and power system rotated by steam turbines where plant wastes
are turned into pellet and burned. Titanium oxide coated surface prevents bead
like appearance on the glass due to contaminating balls, rain drops and after the
rain (Fig. 1). All controls (climate, irrigation, heating, ventilation, etc.) in vertical
farming building are managed in the control room for 24 h through the year8,9.
Systems and interior structure. Harvested plants are sent to the shopping centre
below through an elevator system (Fig. 2a). The crops are grown by agricultural
engineers and botanists (Fig. 2b). The plants are grown in tanks filled with porous,
rockwool, vermiculite-stone mixture. They are arranged in order on a rotating
system called cylindrical barrel or the car. The lighting system in the centre provides necessary light for the plants (Fig. 2c). Energy saving LED lamps specially
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adjusted for each plant species (for example only red light for lettuce) are used9,10.
The system periodically rotates and at each rotation, plant roots contact to the cup
below which contains nutrient solution and the plant nutrition is provided in this
manner10. The staff passes from air doors; wear jump suit sand prevent entrance
of diseases and pesticides (Fig. 2c). Poultry farming is a type of farming which
requires minimum space (Fig. 2d) and has the highest meat yield per kilo according to agricultural standards. The customers can do shopping in sales areas under
the buildings (Fig. 2e) and goods can be transported to other sections by electric
vehicles9.

Fig. 2. Floors in vertical farming: a production; b laboratory; c carousel system; d poultry,

and e supermarket)8,9

Technical sections and floors. As it is seen in Fig. 1, all of the systems designed in
vertical farming on the left are used today in horizontal greenhouse systems as it
is seen in the images on the right. Collecting, purification of water, fish farming,
artificial illumination, robotic harvesting, cultivation systems, Carousel systems
are some of the systems used today. Therefore, establishment of these systems in
the future is only possible with today technology.
Evaporation and recycling systems. The moisture is trapped inside the pipes
accumulated in the celling in each floor tanks to evapotranspiration recovery system; the moisture is condensed and collected. Water vapour (moisture) emitted
from the plants in the media is condensed by contacting the pipes in which super
cold liquid flows and condensed water is collected by the system after it drops.
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Based on estimations, in a vertical farming system, approximately 220 000 m3

water can be collected on annual basis (Fig. 3a).

Fig. 3. Comparison of vertical and horizontal systems (interior structure and technical sections)8,9

SlurryCarb machine (EnerTech) alternative power system. The device is

heated and waste in the form of slurry is compressed and thus carbon and water
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based components are decomposed. The machine extracts water and solid particles and sends them to power generator. The slurry which looks like carbon is
burned in steam turbines to produce energy and electricity is produced with the
high pressurised steam of the obtained hot water5. Stabilised water (black-water)
discharged from the system is treated with bacteria killing chemicals and is then
turned into humus after drying system. The discharged water is filtered by bioremediators such as cockle shell, bamboo and water plants until it becomes usable
for farming11 (Fig. 3b) (Ref. 10).
Aquaponic systems. The tanks in which plants are planted move with the slow
and undulating movement of the tank with conveyor system. The mixers distribute
the old nutrient solution. At the end of a long journey which lasts for weeks, the
plants become ready for harvesting. Trout and tilapia fish containing high protein
can be grown under the plants. Ammonia loaded waters sediments towards a pebble
bed spread on the soil. Bacteria turn this into nitrogen and thus water is cleaned
and fish wastes become fertilisers to the plants (Fig. 3c) (Ref. 10).
Production areas and growing systems. Fruits and vegetables are determined
with an electronic eye. In addition, robotic arms equipped with mechanical nozzle
enable the crops to be harvested by distinguishing them better according to colour
system by sniffing the presence of specific alcohols. Space (maximum area) is
important in the area. Therefore, this structure can have 2 floors (Fig. 3d). Drained
water after irrigation is collected in the centre by the pipes and is sent to filtering
system. Mechanism for plant nutrition provides the plants which stand alone or are
arranged in order with pre-determined and programmed water amounts and when
needed, extra lighting like an ink spraying printer. Parameters such as humidity,
temperature and nutrient solution can be monitored from computer screens. LED
lamps (artificial lighting) are used as source of lighting and the light required by
the plant can be adjusted (Fig. 3d) (Refs 8 and 9).
Carousel systems. The plants are grown in tanks filled with porous, rockwool,
vermiculite-stone mixture. They are arranged in order on a rotating system called
cylindrical barrel or the car. The lighting system in the centre provides necessary
light for the plants (Fig. 3e) (Ref. 12).
CONCLUSIONS
When the structure of today greenhouses and their technology are analysed, researches and projects should be developed for transformation of these systems
into vertical farming systems and their application in the metropolitans. Samples
of these systems today carry out production as greenhouses which have vertical
advanced technology and production power and grow up day by day.
In the future, production areas will gain more importance to meet food shortage
due to climate change and population growth. Since allocation of new production
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areas for agriculture will bring very serious problems, the establishment of these
types of systems will gain impetus in time. In near future, this type of farming
system is expected to meet food and nutrient needs of the people particularly in
metropolitans (big cities) at a higher level. The fact that efficiency and quality will
increase in obtained products since the system contains environmentally friendly
production techniques; recycles solid and liquid waters and is not affected from
environmental conditions, makes it inevitable that number of these types of systems
will increase each day.
REFERENCES
1. D. DESPOMMIER: The Vertical Farm: Reducing the Impact of Agriculture on Ecosystem
Functions and Services. New York, 2010. http://www.verticalfarm.com/more?essay1 (Accessed:
January 2014).
2. D. DESPOMMIER: The Vertical Farm. Feeding the World in the 21st Century. Thomas Dunne
Books, New York, 2010.
3. ANONYMOUS: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the
Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (Eds M. L. Parry,
O. F. Canziani, J. P. Palutikof, P. J. van der Linden and C. E. Hanson). Cambridge University
Press, Cambridge, UK, 2007. 976 p
4. V. RADOVIC, S. KOMATINA-PETROVIC: From Failure to Success: Serbian Approach in
Mitigation of Global Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events. J Environ Prot Ecol, 13
(4), 2207 (2012).
5. A. T. EVANGELIAA, P. S. KARAGKIOZIDIS: Climate Change and Biofuels. J Environ Prot
Ecol, 13 (2), 781 (2012).
6. D. DESPOMMIER, A. AMISSAH-ARTHUR: Vertical Farming. In: Encyclopedia of Earth (Eds
C. J. Cleveland). Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the
Environment, Washington, D.C. (First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth April 8, 2008;
Last revised Date February 12 (2011), http://www.eoearth.org/article/Vertical_farming (Accessed: February 2014).
7. D. DESPOMMIER, E. ELLINGSEN: The Vertical Farm: The Sky-scraper as Vehicle for a
Sustainable Urban Agriculture. In: CTBUH 8th World Congress, Dubai, 2008.
8. L. CHAMBERLAIN.: Subject: Skyfarming. New York Magazine, New York, 2007. http://nymag.
com/news/features/30020/ (Accessed: February 2014).
9. IMPACT LAB.: Subject: Vertical Farms of the Future. 19 September 2008, http://www.impactlab.
net/2008/09/19/vertical-farms-of-the-future (Accessed: January 2014).
10. C. KUANG: Farming in the Sky. 9 April 2008, http://www.skyscraperlife.com (Accessed:
March 2014).
11. L. DEDIU, V. CRISTEA, A. DOCAN: Bioremediation of Recirculating Systems Effluents as a
Method to Obtain High-quality Aquaculture Products. J Environ Prot Ecol, 13 (1), 275 (2012).
12. ANONYMOUS: http://www.omeagarden.com (Accessed: January 2014).
Received 12 May 2014
Revised 18 August 2014

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