Controlled Environment Agriculture
Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) is an advanced and intensive form of agriculture. Plants are grown within a controlled environment (in a greenhouse), typically using hydroponic techniques to optimize yields and quality of produce.
Hydroponics refers to the growing of plants, especially vegetables, in water. The water contains the essential mineral nutrients the plants need. Hydroponically grown plants are therefore grown without the need for soil.
Hydroponics is a technically sophisticated commercial practice in most regions of the world. BrightFarm Systems specializes in a form of CEA emphasizing ecological sustainability and integration into the built environment.
Fresh – local – sustainable
Hydroponic greenhouses are the best available technology for growing food in cities, offering a high yield from a small footprint.
At BrightFarm Systems, our sustainable urban farming model combines rooftop greenhouses with water conservation and renewable energy, reducing the environmental impacts of agriculture and contributing to food security.
Save Land
Hydroponic greenhouses save land. Vegetable yields are 10 to 20 times higher than field agriculture.
Conserve Water
Hydroponic greenhouses save water. With recirculating methods, irrigation consumes four to ten times less water than field agriculture. The greenhouse roof is designed to capture rainwater, which also eliminates storm-water runoff.
No Pollution
A correctly designed hydroponic greenhouse eliminates fertilizer runoff – a leading cause of global water pollution. Urban greenhouses bring the farm to the dinner table, eliminating the use of fossil fuels in tractors and trucks.
Better Health
Integrated pest management reduces pesticide use. Access to fresh vegetables is improved by locating farms in urban communities.
Clean Energy
With sustainable energy designed into every system, up to 1.5 kg of CO2 emissions can be mitigated for each kg of produce:
Solar photovoltaic power is an excellent source of power for the pumps and fans used in the greenhouse, because supply and demand both peak when the sun is shining. A grid-tie ensures reliability.
In colder climates, waste heat can be recovered from buildings (e.g. bakeries, manufacturing plants, server farms) and used to heat the greenhouse.
In many climates, the greenhouse can provide energy benefits to the building, shading the roof in summer and collecting solar heat in winter.
Evaporative cooling controls indoor temperature in a natural way, with minimal energy. In a fully integrated design, a building and a greenhouse share one cooling system. The cooling effect is greatest in hot, dry weather.
Current CEA Industry
- The principal CEA crops grown commercially are tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and lettuce. Strawberries, beans, squash, and herbs are also commonly grown.
- CEA is practiced on the largest scale in the Netherlands and Israel (pioneers), Spain, Mexico, Canada, the United States, Japan, Nicaragua, and Australia.
- Today, there are over 3000 acres [~1200 hectares] of greenhouse hydroponic vegetables produced in the US, Canada, and Mexico (North America).
- Eurofresh (Arizona) sold 125 million pounds of tomatoes in 2005. They have 256 acres (~106 ha.) under glass and represent ~1/3 of the commercial hydroponic greenhouse area in the U.S.
- Village Farms (North America) grows more than 350 acres (~142 ha.) of hydroponic produce.
- Commercial greenhouses in Almeria, Spain cover a footprint of ~ 50,000 acres (~20,000 ha.)
