Vertical Farming

This course explores the upcoming field of vertical farming viewed from multiple disciplines in a mixed classroom where students and professionals collaborate. Indoor growing of crops without sunlight is characterized based on knowledge of plant physiology climate control, technology, and business. The vertical farming industry prospects large benefits in terms of reduced land use, pesticide use, water use, nutrient use, and food transport. At the same time, the energy use of current vertical farms seems higher than greenhouses and profitability remains a challenge.
During this course, we will explore the benefits and challenges of vertical farming and apply concepts from physiology, technology, business, and sustainability in a vertical farming context. Starting from a broad oversight of the current state of vertical farming, we will zoom in on crop physiology, crop-environment relation, climate control, automation, business, and logistics. Lecturers from multiple research groups and universities will present novel academic insights. By working together with professionals and students from different backgrounds on case studies and panel discussions you will cross disciplines and university borders. At the end of this course, you will be able to apply academic concepts in a vertical farming context and you will understand the potential and challenges of vertical farming.

• Understand the role of plant physiology, climate control, technology, and business in a vertical farm

• Discuss the environmental sustainability of vertical farming

• Discuss the profitability of vertical farming

• Develop solutions for problems in vertical farms based on an interdisciplinary approach

• Assignment poster (15%) The poster is a combination of the groupwork over the course of 3 weeks. It cannot be redone. As it does not have a minimum partial grade, it is not required to pass the course but rather contributes to the overall grade. If group poster is the sole reason for an insufficient final mark, the coordinators will have discretion on possible resubmission or if all group members receive an individual assignment.
• Assignment report (25%) If insufficient, the individual assignment can be resubmitted any time during the academic year (following the same instructions/description as given during the course). It must be sent to the course coordinators / course email.
• Assignment oral presentation (60%) Due to the nature of groupwork, presentations are unable to be redone. If groupwork as a whole does not produce a sufficient grade, all group members will instead receive an individual assignment to submit. This substitute assignment can be sent at any time during the academic year, to the course coordinators / course email.

Understanding plant science concepts related to light, photosynthesis, water relations, and nutrients is necessary to follow this course.

• van Delden, S.H., SharathKumar, M., Butturini, M. et al. Current status and future challenges in implementing and upscaling vertical farming systems. Nat Food 2, 944--956 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-021-00402-w