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Is AppHarvest the Future of Farming?
In this video from Motley Fool Live, recorded on Jan. 28, Industry Focus host Nick Sciple and Motley Fool contributor Lou Whiteman discuss AppHarvest, one such SPAC that is looking to disrupt the agriculture industry. Here are the details on what AppHarvest wants to do, and a look at whether the company represents the future of farming.
Special purpose acquisition companies, or SPACs, are red-hot right now, with investors clamoring to get into promising young companies.
In this video from Motley Fool Live, recorded on Jan. 28, Industry Focus host Nick Sciple and Motley Fool contributor Lou Whiteman discuss AppHarvest, one such SPAC that is looking to disrupt the agriculture industry. Here are the details on what AppHarvest wants to do, and a look at whether the company represents the future of farming.
Nick Sciple: One last company I wanted to talk about, Lou, and this is one I think it's -- you pay attention to, but not one I'm super excited to run in and buy. It was a company called AppHarvest. It's coming public via a [SPAC] this year. This vertical farming space. We talked about Gladstone Land buying traditional farmland. AppHarvest is taking a very different approach, trying to lean into some of the ESG-type movements.
Lou Whiteman: Yeah. Let's look at this. It probably wouldn't surprise you that the U.S. is the biggest global farm exporter as we said, but it might surprise you that the Netherlands, the tiny little country, is No. 2. The way they do that is tech: Greenhouse farm structure. AppHarvest has taken that model and brought it to the U.S. They have, I believe, three farms in Appalachia. The pitches can produce 30x the yields using 90% less water. Right now, it's mostly tomatoes and it is early-stage. I don't own this stock either. I love this idea. There's some reasons that I'm not buying in right now that we can get into. But this is fascinating to me. We talked about making the world a better place. This is the company that we need to be successful to make the world a better place. The warning on it is that it is a SPAC. So it's not public yet. Right now, I believe N-O-V-S. That deal should close soon. [Editor's note: The deal has since closed.] I'm not the only one excited about it. I tend not to like to buy IPOs and new companies anyway. I think the caution around buying into the excitement applies here. There is a Martha Stewart video on their website talking up the company, which I love Martha Stewart, but that's a hype level that makes me want to just watch and see what they produce. This is just three little farms in Appalachia right now and a great idea. This was all over my watchlist. I would imagine I would love to hold it at some point, but just be careful because this is, as we saw SPACs last year in other areas, people are very excited about this.
Sciple: Yeah. I think, like we've said, for a lot of these companies, the prospects are great. I think when you look at the reduced water usage, better, environmentally friendly, all those sorts of things. I like that they are in Appalachia. As someone who is from the South, I like it when more rural areas get some people actually investing money there. But again, there's a lot of execution between now and really getting to a place where this is the future of farming and they're going to reach scale and all those sorts of things. But this is a company I'm definitely going to have my radar on and pay attention to as they continue to report earnings. Because you can tell yourself a story about how this type of vertical farming, indoor farming disrupts this traditional model, can be more efficient, cleaner, etc. Something to continue paying attention to as we have more information, because this company, like you said, Lou, isn't all the way public yet. We still got to have this SPAC deal finalized and then we get all our fun SEC filings and quarterly calls and all those sorts of things. Once we have that, I will be very much looking forward to seeing what the company has to say.
Whiteman: Right. Just to finish up along too, the interesting thing here is that it is a proven concept because it has worked elsewhere. The downside of that is that it needed to work there. Netherlands just doesn't have -- and this is an expensive proposition to get started, to get going. There's potential there, but in a country blessed with almost seemingly unlimited farmland for now, for long term it makes sense. But in the short term, it could be a hard thing to really get up and running. I think you're right, just one to watch.
Israel’s Vertical Field To Deploy Smart Vertical Farms In Ukraine
Vertical Field’s agreement with the Czech Republic-based Moderntrend SRO, one of the largest agricultural distributors in Ukraine, will see the Israeli company’s solutions set up at Varus, a local grocery chain with 95 stores across 25 cities nationwide
Vertical Field's farms are grown on 'green walls.' Garu Nalbandian
Israeli company Vertical Field, the developer of smart vertical growing solutions for fresh produce, announced a new agreement on Wednesday to deploy its vertical farms in Ukraine, starting with a pilot program with one of the country’s largest supermarket chain.
Vertical Field’s agreement with the Czech Republic-based Moderntrend SRO, one of the largest agricultural distributors in Ukraine, will see the Israeli company’s solutions set up at Varus, a local grocery chain with 95 stores across 25 cities nationwide.
Founded in 2006, the Ra’anana-based Vertical Field uses advanced IoT software, embedded sensors, and in-house monitors to ensure its indoor vertical farms, which grow fresh vegetables, greens, and other plants, are nurtured in controlled conditions regardless of geography, physical location, weather, and climate conditions. The company says its soil-based vertical growing systems make the most efficient use of spaces, both indoors and outdoors, for both agricultural and smart landscaping.
Vertical Field CEO Guy Elitzur said the company’s solutions are ideal for urban environments where land is scarce and access to fresh produce may be more limited. He also indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the need for reduced contact and a more efficient supply chain.
“One of the realizations that have surfaced during the COVID-19 crisis is the need to develop solutions that allow urban residents access to healthy food, with minimal human handling and without depending on transportation and shipping from remote locations,” Elitzur said in a company statement. “We are delighted to be able to provide – and expand access to – healthy, and high-quality vegetables grown right outside the consumer’s door.”
Elitzur said the agreement with Moderntrend SRO will lead to partnerships with additional chains in the future.
Moderntrend SRO Director Bondar Denis said the pilot project introduces “innovative and proprietary technologies for vertical cultivation of products for the urban ecosystem by Vertical Field” and represented “a new level in the Ukrainian market.”
Last month, Vertical Field finalized a multi-million-dollar agreement with Israeli grocery chain Rami Levy to install vertical farms at dozens of the supermarket company’s branches across the country over the next five years.
By NoCamels Team January 06, 2021
SEE ALSO: Israeli Grocery Chain To Offer Fresh Produce Grown On-Site
US: NEW YORK: Wall-To-Fork Fresh Produce Comes To Monsey
The iconic Evergreen Market is debuting a revolutionary 20-foot high geoponic (soil-based) wall farm that lets customers not only choose clean, fresh-picked produce but also see exactly where it comes from
NEW VERTICAL FIELD URBAN FARM SYSTEM AT EVERGREEN MARKET MEANS TASTY, HEALTHY AND BUG-FREE SUSTAINABLE PRODUCE 365 DAYS A YEAR
[Monsey, NY, DEC 9, 2020] – The world of freshly harvested greens and herbs is looking up – literally – in Monsey, NY. The iconic Evergreen Market is debuting a revolutionary 20-foot high geoponic (soil-based) wall farm that lets customers not only choose clean, fresh-picked produce but also see exactly where it comes from.
The pesticide-free lettuce, kale, arugula, basil, and cilantro from Evergreen’s on-site farm are sold at competitive prices in individual pots, making the “buying local” experience more convenient than ever. Pesticide-free and grown in soil that is never exposed to bugs, all products are Star-K Kosher Certified for purity.
“We are gratified to be the first kosher supermarket in the country to introduce the Vertical farm,” said Malki Levine of Evergreen. “Our customers are very much looking forward to buying fresh produce that is grown in our own backyard rather than being transported on long hauls from farms across the country. They will also appreciate the significantly reduced level of infestation, a major concern of kosher consumers.”
Shoppers can visit the thriving vertical farm when they visit the store. The state-of-the-art system features a controlled, sterile environment with soil beds containing a proprietary mix of minerals and nutrients. Advanced sensors constantly monitor, irrigate, and fertilize the crops throughout every growth stage.
Evergreen’s wall farm is the latest installation from Vertical Field (www.verticalfield.com), an Israeli ag-tech company that produces innovative vertical agricultural solutions that help the environment, improve human health conditions, and make fresh, delicious produce available all year round.
Geoponic (soil-based) vertical farming yields a new crop every few days, ensuring that fresh greens and herbs will always be in season in Monsey. The sustainable and eco-friendly method produces cleaner, healthier, tastier veggies than those shipped from miles away. And, reduced soil-to-plate time means a longer shelf life and fewer hands involved – a welcome benefit in the age of Covid-19.
“We are extremely excited with the partnership with Evergreen,” said Guy Elitzur, the CEO of Vertical Field. “They are precisely the type of supermarket that has the right customer base and will successfully integrate the latest technological advances in geoponic farming.”
About Vertical Field: Vertical Field is a leading ag-tech provider of vertical farming and active landscaping solutions for urban environments and smart cities. The company is operated by professionals, agronomists, researchers, and a multi-disciplinary team, enabling the development of smart plant-based solutions that combine the best of design and manufacturing, smart computerized monitoring, soil-based technology, water and lighting technology, and more. Vertical Field delivers next-generation vertical farming systems for a global clientele, including Facebook, Intel, Apple, Isrotel, Microsoft, and many more. Vertical Field is currently also on-site at Farmers And Chefs Restaurant in Poughkeepsie, NY, supplying fresh greens for the Chef's creative, locally-sourced menu.
About Evergreen: Located in Town Square in the heart of Monsey, NY, Evergreen is 30,000 square feet of grocery, butcher, bakery, health food, fish, produce, sushi, full-service deli & prepared foods. The store provides wide aisles, huge product selection & competitive prices. Evergreen is a shopping destination that combines the friendliness of a neighborhood grocery with the value and convenience of a state-of-the-art specialty supermarket. Evergreen also has a similar store in Lakewood, NJ, and will soon be opening its third major market in Pomona NY.
Featured Project: Jakob Factory Saigon
Proposing an environmentally friendly alternative to the typically horizontally spread manufacturing buildings, the Jakob Factory offers an innovative vertical densification strategy, stacking the usable zones on superimposed slats
November 10, 2020
Jakob Factory Saigon
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Approximately 39,288 of
Living Walls & Green Façades
Greenroofs.com Featured Project November 10, 2020
When referring to acting responsibly and specifying green architecture, don’t we all say, “Put your money where your mouth is?”
Well, Jakob Rope Systems has certainly done that with its beautifully and sensitively designed second factory in the former Saigon. Plus, it’s a great way to showcase your own products!
Image: Jakob Rope Systems
Taking its cue from nature, the factory has been designed to increase workers’ comfort and decrease its environmental footprint by creating the first project in Vietnam with completely naturally ventilated manufacturing halls. Kudos to Jakob Rope Systems and its designers!
Image: Oki Hiroyuki, courtesy G8A Architects and rollimarchini Architekten
Excerpt from Greenroofs.com Project Profile:
Located in the center of an industrial park 50 kilometers north of Ho Chi Minh City, the new Jakob Factory Saigon opened in late 2019. The factory houses steel rope producers Jakob Rope Systems, specializing in custom made steel meshing.
Designed by rollimarchini Architekten and G8A Architects, the highly innovative manufacturing space boasts completely naturally ventilated manufacturing halls.
Image: Oki Hiroyuki, courtesy G8A Architects and rollimarchini Architekten
Ever since Vietnam’s economic reform in 1986 the country has experienced industries and populations moving from a primarily agricultural industry to a focused industrial practice. Priorities have focused on economic gain rather than environmental impact and the past ten years have seen the doubling of industrial parks.
The design of the new Jakob Factory Saigon offers an alternative to these detrimental practices, presenting a strategically land saving project with focus elements of passive design.
Image: Oki Hiroyuki, courtesy G8A Architects and rollimarchini Architekten
Proposing an environmentally friendly alternative to the typically horizontally spread manufacturing buildings, the Jakob Factory offers an innovative vertical densification strategy, stacking the usable zones on superimposed slats. This robust design avoids unnecessary ground usage negating needless land development, while also offering workers agreeable outdoor spaces.
Taking reference from the traditional tropical architecture of the region, the design has a porous façade devised as a lush-planted skin. The suspended structure is supported by a two-layer rope network stretched from the ground to the roof. The horizontal planters not only filter rain and sun, but also contribute to lowering the atmospheric temperature through evaporation, acting as air purifiers and dust particle binders as well as allowing the air to circulate.
Image: Oki Hiroyuki, courtesy G8A Architects and rollimarchini Architekten
Image: Jakob Rope Systems
More
Covered in a wide variety of tropical plants, two types of greenwalls are found at the Jakob Factory Saigon. The multilayer system on the façades of the production and office building are sustained by Jakob ropes and stainless steel RHS frames, and living walls are planted in custom horizontal planters consisting of a geotextile, HDPE, and Jakob Webnet. Green façades cover the parking area using Jakob Webnet with climbing plants planted in the ground.
Based on passive climatic strategies adapted to its tropical region, amenities for staff, and the intelligent distribution of work spaces, the pioneering initiative of the Jakob Factory Saigon is set to become a design reference for sustainable, tropical living architecture.
Image: Oki Hiroyuki, courtesy G8A Architects and rollimarchini Architekten
Year: 2019
Owner: Jakob Rope Systems
Location: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Building Type: Industrial
Type: Living Walls & Green Façades
System: Single-Source Provider
Size: Approximately 32,292 sq.ft. Living Walls & 6,996 sq.ft. Green Façades
Slope: Living Walls: 1-2% & Green Façades: 100%
Access: Private
Image: Oki Hiroyuki, courtesy G8A Architects and rollimarchini Architekten
Credits:
ARCHITECTS:
G8A ARCHITECTS & ROLLIMARCHINI ARCHITEKTEN
STAINLESS STEEL, WEBNET, STAINLESS STEEL ROPES AND ACCESSORIES FOR LIVING WALLS & GREEN FAÇADES:
JAKOB ROPE SYSTEMS
WATER SAVING APPLIANCES:
DELABIE
Image: Oki Hiroyuki, courtesy G8A Architects and rollimarchini Architekten
See the Project Profile
See the Jakob Factory Saigon Project Profile to view ALL of the Photos and Additional Information about this particular project in the Greenroofs.com Projects Database.
Image: Oki Hiroyuki, courtesy G8A Architects and rollimarchini Architekten
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Love the Earth, Plant a Roof (or Wall)!
By Linda S. Velazquez, ASLA, LEED AP, GRP
Greenroofs.com Publisher & Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summits Host
Watch #VirtualSummit2019 Speaker Videos and EXPO and Speaker Q&A Videos on demand through 2020 with FREE Registration!
Tags: ARCHITECTURE, BIODIVERSITY, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, GREEN WALLS, STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, SUSTAINABILITY
New Green Space Trend In City Centers: Vertical Gardens
One of the major environmental problems we face today is air pollution. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) data, 8 million people die each year from air pollution-related causes
BY MEHMET EMIN BIRPINAR
OCT 27, 2020
Throughout history, the world's population has lived in rural areas by and large. In the 1800s, at least 90% of the world's population lived in the countryside, while the urban population constituted less than 10%. With the development of trade, people switched to urban life as cities became centers of trade.
As industrial production became widespread, migration multiplied and people moved to areas with more production, establishing new and large settlements.
Especially with the Third Industrial Revolution, rapid urbanization began and today, 54% of the world's population lives in cities. By 2050, the world's urban population is projected to rise to 66%.
At the heart of mass migration lies the anxiety of a comfortable life with transportation, communication, education, and health being the most obvious reasons for this. This puts pressure on the area where people migrate to, as the resources are limited but the number of people looking to take advantage of them increases every day. While cities offer people the chance to live a more comfortable life at the same time they create local, regional, and universal problems that are difficult to solve.
Population growth and rising income levels are another source of problems. In our country, the population has increased by 50% in the last three decades from 55 million to 83 million. In the same period, developments within the country, where national income per capita increased by about four times, also led to an increase in consumption. This excessive consumption has undoubtedly put pressure on the environment.
Currently, cities consume 75% of natural resources globally and are responsible for 50% of the waste generated while also producing on average 70% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.
Of course, cities should address needs, such as food, housing, clean air, water, and waste services but additionally should provide green spaces where citizens can go to be healthy, take a break, and refresh.
Silent Killer: Air Pollution
One of the major environmental problems we face today is air pollution. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) data, 8 million people die each year from air pollution-related causes.
Air pollution is an important environmental problem for Turkey, too. While developments designed to reduce pollution such as the spread of natural gas, the advancement of technology, the spread of public transport and alternative means of transport have been implemented and lowered pollution levels to some degree, pollution caused by public transport, in particular, continues to add to the issue.
The main factor affecting air pollution levels is vehicle density. According to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) data, the number of vehicles on the streets in 1990 was 4 million, 8 million in 2008, 23 million at the end of 2019 and has reached 25 million currently. As with the population, about 20% of vehicles are in mega-city Istanbul.
A project carried out by Hacettepe University on behalf of Ministry of Environment and Urbanization revealed that about one-third of these vehicles are over 16 years old and equipped with old technology. This makes the application of green walls, which are becoming more and more common in the world, more attractive and necessary in order to prevent air and noise pollution caused by heavy vehicle traffic.
Refreshing green spaces
According to WHO assessments, the green space per person should be 9 square meters (97 square feet) for a healthy life. However excessive densities occur in some regions that can pose a number of difficulties for green space production.
The new garden trend was developed in order to prevent such problems in several developed megacities such as New York, Melbourne, London, and Paris, in order to alleviate the increased air pollution to some extent and to enable people to relax spiritually.
With the concentration of population density in certain regions within the scope of commercial activities, the space problem has become important in the world, and vertical growth has been achieved by developing multi-story buildings for housing. Vertical agriculture (multistory garden applications), which is also a new application in the agricultural sector which is gradually decreasing due to climate change and soil erosion, is becoming increasingly popular today.
Vertical gardens began emerging in the 1970s but now new types of green spaces are being cultivated that can be put to many different applications. Whether it be a rooftop garden, vertical garden, green or living wall, leading cities around the world including New York, Melbourne, London and Paris are incorporating a bit more nature into their concrete landscapes.
These gardens' most important trait is that they do not require additional space and are usually cultivated on unutilized rooftops or external wall surfaces. Even public transport stops, such as train stations, and the tops of the vehicles themselves are being used to increase the green view.
Benefits at hand
These gardening practices, which have been in our lives for the last 50 years, offer environmental benefits such as preventing air and noise pollution and reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, and economic benefits such as energy savings and reducing possible health costs.
Moreover, they act as a kind of filter for important air pollutants released from exhausts. According to research, a 60-square-meter garden wall can filter 40 tons of harmful gasses and 15 kilograms (33 pounds) of heavy metals. They also contribute to the air quality by absorbing harmful volatile organic compounds.
According to a 2012 article in the Environmental Science & Technology magazine published in the U.S., green wall applications on roads in the canyon structure (with buildings or walls on both sides) reduce harmful dust (PM10) by up to 50%. Again, similar results were obtained in studies conducted under an article published in ScienceDirect in 2016, where green wall applications were seen to prevent air pollutants by 24%-61%.
One of the important effects is the prevention of greenhouse gases. The greenery functions as a swallow space for greenhouse gases that lead to global warming. A living wall of only one square meter removes 2.3 kilograms of carbon dioxide gas from the air, while they also give 1.7 kilograms of oxygen to the environment, which is our source of life.
A study conducted at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, the largest university in Australia, also stated that if green walls are constructed correctly they can act as an ecological buffer, preventing both air and noise pollution. The study's results show that green walls can combat up to 63% of carbon emissions, which would contribute to the fight against climate change.
One of the important benefits is the reduction of noise. Vegetation in vertical gardens allows the noise from vehicles to be dispersed in multiple directions, rather than reflected directly in one. It acts as a kind of noise barrier by dampening it within itself. Up to 40% noise reduction can be achieved depending on the selected plant type and planting frequency.
Vertical gardens also absorb the sunlight, stabilizing the temperature in the region and preventing the formation of heat islands in city centers, one of the major problems caused by global climate change. They also absorb the energy in the environment through plant sweat. However, if it is applied to the external wall of a building, it keeps the building cooler in summer and protects it against adverse weather conditions such as winds in winter, thus contributing to energy saving.
According to the report of the ninth National Roof and Facade Conference held in 2018, the studies carried out by the National University of Singapore showed that reducing the temperature of a building by only one degree leads to as much as 5% in energy saving. Likewise, according to the evaluations of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), which has a history spanning 120 years, green walls contribute to energy efficiency by 23% like green roofs and rooftop gardens and can reduce temperatures by up to 10 degrees.
In addition, they are more aesthetically pleasing in appearance and provide relief for people as well as acting as the natural habitat for species of birds and insects. In this way, they help promote biodiversity, which is one of the major environmental problems facing the world today.
On the other hand, research shows that they also increase productivity in business environments as cleaning the air eliminates complaints such as headaches, eye irritation, and fatigue caused by air pollution – allowing employees to feel more energetic. They also provide relief by reducing stress.
Watching a green space for 3-5 minutes is known to improve blood pressure, heart rhythm, muscle tension and brain activities. According to relevant research, a green working office increases productivity by 15%. Amazon Towers in Seattle hosts 40,000 plants of 400 different species while the Desjardins building in Canada’s Quebec province is home to the world's largest living wall with a height of 65 meters, housing 11,000 plants.
The 800-square-meter entrance surface of the iconic Musee du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac in Paris has been adorned with 15,000 plants. Paris has a target of covering 1 million square meters of roadside wall, roofs, and façades of buildings facing main streets with greenery.
As part of the Bosco Verticale (Vertical Forest) project, 800 trees and 15,000 plants were planted on the balconies and rooftops of two 111-meter-high buildings in downtown Milan, overwhelmed by air pollution, bringing both fresh air and making it a beautiful site. Additionally, as part of the project, thousands of bird and insect habitats have been created in the center of the city, which has been landlocked by concrete.
A living wall was created in the passenger boarding hall at London’s Heathrow Airport, Europe's busiest airport, to create a healthy environment for passengers. In the section called Garden Gate, seven panels with an area of 4.5 square meters were created, each containing 240 plants.
The motivation to create the gate was customer satisfaction. Passengers reported 47% satisfaction prior to the living wall which increased to 72% once the wall was up and operating healthily.
Likewise, studies carried out by the U.K.'s Birmingham and Lancaster Universities in 2012 revealed that adding more green life to the streets could prevent air pollution by 30% on a cumulative basis. According to British experts, green walls reduce NO2 emissions by 40% and particulate matters by 60%.
In this respect, walls on both sides of a busy main road that runs through London have been converted into green walls. It is reported that a four-meter square wall can produce the same effect as 275 trees. It is predicted that a portion of the £500 million budget allocated for the development of the green infrastructure of the city will be designated for the development of living walls in areas with heavy traffic.
Mexico City, the capital of Mexico, launched the initiative in 2018, covering columns on the roads with heavy traffic and the walls around the roads with green vegetation. The aim is to prevent vehicle-induced air pollution while beautifying the city.
More than 1,000 columns were covered with greenery and living material in an area exceeding 54,000 square meters and the project is expected to meet the oxygen needs of 25,000 people while absorbing 27,000 tons of harmful gases and about 6,000 tons of dust annually.
Turkey's efforts
Great efforts are being made both on a local and national front to increase green areas per capita in our country. As part of its vision project for 2023, the Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning aims to bring 81 million square meters of green space to 81 provinces with the project of national gardens greatly contributing to this goal.
According to the municipal data, as a result of the investments made by the capital Ankara in the last 25 years, the green area per person has reached 20 square meters, marking a 10-fold increase with this figure standing at 6-7 square meters per person in Istanbul and 4-5 square meters in Izmir, another important big city of Turkey. Keeping this value in mind, when we look at other world metropolises, it is around 3 square meters in Tokyo, 5 in Barcelona, 10 in Paris, and 23 in New York.
These values are not the same for the entire province and differ in parts. According to international assessments, woodlands, green vegetation on roadsides, and green spaces on private property (including the gardens of public buildings) are not included in these values.
Therefore, due to space limitations, vertical and rooftop gardens are becoming a matter of greater importance with Turkey creating the necessary regulations in 2013, bringing the issue to legal ground.
The amendment to the Planned Areas Type Zoning Regulation paved the way for the building gardens on rooftops. Given the numerous benefits of green spaces such as air quality, energy saving, temperature balance, and contribution to biodiversity, this regulation is of great importance.
However, we cannot say that rooftop gardens and vertical gardens have become very common in our country.
Municipalities are implementing green initiatives especially in megacities such as Ankara, Izmir, and Istanbul where local governments are cultivating roadside wall gardens in areas with heavy traffic.
Caring for a wall or rooftop garden is very simple as they require minimal interference as they are designed with an internal irrigation system but do need an annual pruning, some fertilizer, or, when called for, the removal of harmful pests. The walls offer numerous ecological, economic, and mental benefits, with municipalities decorating the panels with figures derived from recycled plastic - both reducing maintenance costs and decorating the area.
Istanbul municipality's move
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) administration is taking an odd position after it previously stopped investments in advanced biological treatment plants with a membrane system that would bring with it a new era in wastewater management in Istanbul, saving a lot of money. The 55,000-square-meter green wall application, which offers countless benefits, unfortunately, faces a massacre.
Developing and growing vegetation is being removed and replaced by graffiti using a synthetic chemical paint. The IBB claims the move is due to the walls' high cost as well as pollution caused by the chemicals used in the care of these areas. However, the plants used for the vertical gardens are no different from those in other public parks and gardens and are subject to the same care and chemicals.
People continue to visit public parks, even bringing their children, and do not experience any side effects from the pollutant chemicals used on the plants, so why should the case for the roadside be any different? Moreover, plants in public parks and gardens are prone to vandalism whereas vertical gardens on roadsides are not.
The graffiti process in these areas has negative environmental effects with an average of 11,000 to 15,000 liters of paint being used, meaning at least 5-10 tons of volatile organic compounds will be released into the air. In addition to destroying the benefits of green vegetation, volatile organic compounds are formed as a result of the painting that emits compounds into the air, which are extremely harmful to health. When these compounds interact with NO2 gas released from vehicles it causes the formation of ground-level ozone, which is extremely harmful. Ground-level ozone, whose effects will gradually increase with hot weather, puts those with respiratory conditions such as asthma at great risk.
Colorful graffiti is more likely to distract drivers with dark colors absorbing more solar energy than concrete would, causing temperatures to further rise. The murals decompose faster due to sunlight and other meteorological factors and therefore will inevitably need to be renewed – an inevitable financial burden that eliminates the benefits the vertical gardens offered.
The destruction of a beneficial, functioning system – instead of utilizing the one million square meters of available wall in Istanbul – highlights the lack of planning that has gone into the move.
In our world where the effects of global warming are increasing day by day as heat islands emerge and high air pollution makes city centers more uninhabitable the importance of greenery per square meter increases. Environmental investments should increase rather than eliminating the existing ones.
As we have always said, the environment is an issue that cannot be politicized. Since all environmental investments will prevent health costs, we consider a healthy environment a form of preventive medicine. In this respect, we call on the authorities to do their duty. Let us not destroy the refreshing living walls but rather increase their number as it will benefit us all.
*Deputy Minister at the Republic of Turkey's Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, chief climate change envoy
Tags: VERTICAL GARDEN ISTANBUL ISTANBUL METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY ENVIRONMENT
World’s First Fully 3D-Printed Vertical Farm Debuts
The Banyan Eco Wall is a vertical farm with a seamless sculptural design. Unlike other 3D-printed structures, its functionality — the irrigation and drainage system — is embedded inside. The eco wall was printed with a BigRep One V3, which is considered one of the most advanced large-scale industrial 3D printers in the world
29-09-2020 | Yahoo/In The Know
The world’s first fully 3D-printed irrigated green wall made its debut in June 2019.
The Banyan Eco Wall is a vertical farm with a seamless sculptural design. Unlike other 3D-printed structures, its functionality — the irrigation and drainage system — is embedded inside. The eco wall was printed with a BigRep One V3, which is considered one of the most advanced large-scale industrial 3D printers in the world.
Mirek Claßen, Tobias Storz, and Lindsay Lawson of NowLab, BigRep’s research and innovation program, designed the project.
“Similar vertical farm structures have required channels to be manually embedded into the design in a complicated process after manufacturing with metal piping and a variety of other parts,” BigRep said in a statement. “The Banyan, on the other hand, is 3D-printed with internal channels included in the design.”
That means consumers won’t have to figure out how to create and install a plumbing system on their own once the vertical farm is installed. Thus, it’s cheaper and more user-friendly than its predecessors — which is also demonstrated by its irrigation system’s ability to self-regulate. The Banyan disperses water in the form of “micro-showers” at controlled intervals to meet each plant’s needs.
Not only is it functional, but it’s also aesthetically beautiful. The white wall consists of interlocking, organic shapes that resemble the curves of tree branches.
The Banyan is 6.5 x 6.5 x 2 feet and printed in four modular parts that snap together. It is printed with PETG, a form of plastic used in 3D printing that can be 100 percent recyclable.
“Systems such as this inspire interior designers and architects developing a greener future — from home or workspace plant walls and green facades to vertical gardens and other forms of urban farming,” the statement said.
Source: Yahoo/In The Know
Photo Courtesy of Bigrep
Green Walls Can Purify Indoor Air And Even Grow Veggies
Want to insulate your office from the heat and cold outside, while purifying the air inside from potential toxins? Israeli startup Vertical Field is accomplishing that with sensor-controlled indoor and outdoor “green walls” installed by the likes of clients such as the Israeli offices of Google, Apple, Intel, and Facebook
Israeli startup Vertical Field sensor-controlled smart planters allow customers to place hundreds of greens up and down a wall, indoors or outdoors.
By Brian Blum OCTOBER 6, 2019
Green walls purify indoor air. Photo courtesy of Vertical Field
Want to insulate your office from the heat and cold outside, while purifying the air inside from potential toxins? Israeli startup Vertical Field is accomplishing that with sensor-controlled indoor and outdoor “green walls” installed by the likes of clients such as the Israeli offices of Google, Apple, Intel, and Facebook.
Indoor air pollution is an invisible but serious problem. High levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in offices, classrooms, homes, trains, and planes could be affecting our cognitive performance and in more severe cases may trigger inflammation or even kidney calcification and bone demineralization, according to a recent study published in Nature Sustainability.
Guy Elitzur, Vertical Field’s CEO, tells ISRAEL21c that one solution to “sick building syndrome”is to bring healthy and natural elements inside.
Plants work their magic by transforming carbon dioxide (CO2) into oxygen via photosynthesis. Installing a Vertical Field living biofilter in your home or office can remove about 95 percent of the pollutants in a building, the company claims.
Vertical Field’s green walls are not static. Sophisticated sensors measure fluctuating air quality in the building, while cameras track how many people are in a room bumping up the amount of CO2.
When the CO2 level goes above a certain threshold, Vertical Field can “manipulate the plants in an active way,” Elitzur says, by adding precise amounts of water, fertilizer and other nutrients through drip irrigation into the planters’ soil in order to increase absorption of CO2 and other allergens.
The result is “a wall that reacts to the indoor environment,” Elitzur explains. “It’s not just for beauty” — although a vertical wall of plants is that, too.
A typical Vertical Field installation contains between five and 15 types of plants. Software and big data drive the system’s customization.
“We have a characterization for each type of plant – its soil needs, the vitamins it requires to be more efficient, plus data coming from outdoors,” Elitzur notes. “This creates the best-growing program for each specific plant.”
A vertical forest on the exterior of a building creates a protective ecological shell. Photo courtesy of Vertical Field
Vertical Field also installs “vertical forests” on the exterior of buildings. Israeli cybersecurity leader Check Point, for example, has a green wall outside floors 12 to 15 of its Tel Aviv offices.
Elitzur says the vertical forest creates an ecological shell that protects the building against direct radiation from the sun and enables a more stable internal temperature with less artificial cooling.
The cost for installing a vertical green wall starts “from a couple of thousand shekels per square meter,” Elitzur tells ISRAEL21c. The outdoor ones “are less sophisticated so they cost a bit less.”
Urban farming
Purifying the air and insulating buildings is only part of the Vertical Field story. The company also specializes in urban farming: a green wall growing lettuce and other leafy greens.
One such customer isTel Aviv chef restaurant L28, which grows organic pesticide-free vegetables in a vertical farm on the building’s roof.
A vertical wall growing edible greens. Photo courtesy of Vertical Field
In New York, Vertical Field has a project installed “in a shipping container in the parking lot of a hotel and another one at a senior living facility,” Elitzur says. In the latter, the seniors take an active part in planting and harvesting.
An urban farm on the roof of a supermarket could provide the store’s customers fresher produce with no carbon footprint since the vegetables do not have to be trucked in from a far-off farm.
“The technology we’re creating can help bridge the way we live today with the complexity of nature,” Elitzur says.
Vertical Field CEO Guy Elitzur. Photo: courtesy
Vertical Field was founded in 2006 by Guy Barness. Guy no. 2 (Elitzur) came to Vertical Field from Bio Ag Technology, a startup that has developed eco-friendly biological pesticides.
“It was the same concept of doing something better for the globe and lowering the chemical footprint,” Elitzur says.
Vertical Field already has hundreds of projects, mainly in Israel through its Israeli subsidiary, Green Wall. Vertical Field is the entity that’s expanding beyond the Middle East, with the United States as its first target market.
While Vertical Field is focused on corporate clients, it can install a green wall in a private home thanks to a cadre of trained subcontractors, Elitzur says.
Vertical Field is not alone in offering vertical farming and green walls. Other companies include Germany-based InFarm, Freight Farm (which specializes in container farming) and Florida-based Live Wall and GSky. The latter is the biggest of the bunch with more than 800 green walls installed in 19 countries.
We asked Elitzur what makes Vertical Field different.
“All of us are great,” he says. “But we’re the only ones using soil to grow. Most of the others are based on hydroponics. Soil is a better way to grow plants. It provides a better ecosystem and is healthier. But there’s a place for everyone. We’re all serving a very good cause.”
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The Global Impact of Biophilic Design In The Workplace
Aramis Velazquez on March 27, 2019
Photo: Jakob Rope Systems
Mike Steer of CNN Business writes:
Biophilia is our instinctive human love of nature, and it is behind a growing design movement in workplaces that is making employees healthier and more productive. At a time when the World Health Organization (WHO) has dubbed stress as the "health epidemic of the 21st Century," could surrounding office workers with nature really offer a meaningful path to change?
One advocate for biophilic design is Oliver Heath. The Brit has worked on biophilic design for seven years and says it “most certainly” helps companies. “I have been teaching architects all over the EU about the business and the ROI (return on investment) of biophilic design. Research suggests that it is an essential component of supporting healthy people,” he said. His claims are well-supported. A 2015 report commissioned by the modular flooring company Interface and led by organizational psychologist Professor Sir Cary Cooper, titled “The Global Impact of Biophilic Design in the Workplace” details international research into the benefits of nature in our workspaces.
The impact of the work environment is already well established in Robertson Cooper’s ‘6 Essentials’ model – a robust model, validated by research with over 100,000 employees – that shows the key aspects of working life that affect workplace well-being and employee engagement. It is designed to guide the process of making well-being work for an organization.
Among the ‘Essentials’ is ‘job conditions’ – this concerns how our work environment makes us feel. Job conditions are defined as those elements of the physical environment that impact employee experience – that could be anything from being sat next to a noisy printer to having an uncomfortable workstation. While the 6 Essentials model emphasizes the importance of removing the barriers to well-being created by ‘job conditions’, biophilic design adds a new and positive approach to the area. Rather than simply removing those ‘hygiene’ factors that block individual well-being, it’s clear that biophilic design can positively influence one of the 6 Essential Factors, and consequently be a direct driver of well-being.
Greenery in the office, such as plants and green walls, was associated with higher levels of creativity.
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