This
is a bit of a stretch, but they obviously think that a market can be
made for it. I fail to understand just how the high energy input can
be properly offset by the value of produced produce unless the owner
is the end consumer.
More
usefully, I would like to see the system used to naturally clean and
humidify the air system of the building itself and the produced heat
also integrated. It still will test economic sense.
The
real cultural problem is that we make buildings as passive as
possible. Just how does one integrate a skilled labor based service
into all this? Just building southern exposed atriums on a building
gives one pause as it is presently a luxury. Yet it could provide
high quality air on a year round basis and stabilize the building
climate. It does mean integrating additional staff and expecting
much more. Serious food production could offset that inherent cost
base and plausibly defray general staff costs.
This
may have merit, but will never happen unless the city mandates the
protocol.
Agri-Cube grows
mass quantities of vegetables in a one-car parking spot
By Brian Dodson
August 14, 2012
Daiwa House, Japan's
largest homebuilder, has introduced a line of prefabricated
hydroponic vegetable factories, aimed at housing complexes, hotels,
and top-end restaurants. Called the Agri-Cube, these units are touted
by Daiwa as the first step in the industrialization of agriculture,
to be located in and amongst the places where people live, work, and
play.
More and more people
desire sustainable, organic produce for their own use, and are
turning to urban farming in an effort to insure the highest degree of
freshness. However, some municipalities, neighborhoods, and
homeowners associations have rules that effectively block such
endeavors in areas under their sway. Add drought and pest control to
the picture, and suddenly urban farming may seem more trouble than it
is worth. There is a growing need for local supplies of freshly grown
produce that avoids the difficulties presented by conventional small
farms and gardens.
This is where the
Agri-Cube comes in. Measuring less than five meters (about 16 feet)
in length and 2.5 meters (about 8 feet) wide, Daiwa's Agri-Cubes are
smaller than a twenty-foot equivalent shipping container. An
Agri-Cube can be brought to an installation site on the bed of a
light heavy-duty truck. A concrete foundation about 10 square meters
(108 square feet) in size must be prepared before delivery, along
with plumbing and electrical utility hookups. Daiwa claims each
Agri-Unit can grow about ten thousand servings of fruits and
vegetables each year at an operations cost of about US$4,500, which
corresponds to only 45 US cents per head of lettuce.
An Agri-Cube is
designed to require little maintenance or attention to the hydroponic
and lighting systems. It is delivered ready to use, with all the
hydroponic equipment, air conditioning to maintain ideal growing
temperatures, a heat-exchanging ventilation system, and special
growth lights to encourage faster plant growth installed and
functioning. The basic structure is a steel frame building, with
anti-rust treatment and floor, wall, and ceiling insulation. Solar
panels and air curtains (to better maintain the controlled
environment) are available as options.
Community member
tending the Agri-Cube's crops
Initially, Agri-Cubes
will be marketed to the food service industry. Daiwa intends to
extend that focused niche market to include apartment houses and
other housing complexes, neighborhood co-ops of perhaps ten
households, small-scale stores, and local organic food suppliers.
A video from DigInfo
TV appears below that will give a clear overview of the makeup of an
Agri-Cube.
Beginning at a price
of $70,000, the Agri-Cube may soon be dispensing fresh fruit and
vegetables in your neighborhood.
Source: Daiwa
House (Google translation), DigInfo TV
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