AeroFarms' farm in downtown Newark, New Jersey is a fine example of how aeroponics technology can be used to grow huge amounts of produce in a relatively compact space. The farm is located inside the former Distinct 89 nightclub, with the dance floor cleared to make room for 15-foot-high stacks of planters. Interestingly, there's no soil beneath the green vegetation, only air.
Seeds are scattered on a permeable cloth stretched over the planter. Inside each container, hoses pump oxygen and nutrient mist onto the fabric, helping the seeds germinate. They eventually poke down the fleece and absorb more mist. As the plants grow, hoses feed them carbon dioxide while sensors monitor room temperature and humidity.
Incredibly, this setup can grow plants faster while using only 10% of the water, and showcases the kind of technology that is set to play a crucial role in urban farming going forward.
What's Driving This Trend
- Aeroponic Farming
- Distancing from traditional soil-based agriculture to aeroponic systems that use less water and make efficient use of space.
- Urban Farming
- Development of technologies such as aeroponic farming that enable setting up urban farms, hence reducing the distance food has to travel from farms to stores.
- Functional Architecture
- Creating functional spaces out of abandoned sites and buildings with technology and design used in aeroponic farm projects such as AeroFarms' Newark Aeroponics Farm.
Who This Affects Most
- Agriculture
- Agriculture sector can implement aeroponic farming technology to increase productivity while conserving resources such as water and land.
- Architecture
- Architecture firms should focus on developing sustainable spaces with health and wellness in mind by incorporating efficient systems such as aeroponic farms in urban areas.
- Hospitality
- The hospitality sector, particularly nightclubs, could adapt unused spaces such as AeroFarms' Newark Aeroponics Farm into venues that promote health, sustainability, and innovation.
