IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v10y2018i12p4429-d185741.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Implementing Vertical Farming at University Scale to Promote Sustainable Communities: A Feasibility Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • He Zhang

    (M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32603, USA)

  • Ashish Asutosh

    (M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32603, USA)

  • Wei Hu

    (School of Statistics, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China)

Abstract

The issue of food security has affected the well-being of the people for centuries. Academic and industry experts have been constantly developing alternate and better ways to address this issue. One of such innovations is the concept of vertical and zero acreage farming for providing food security and ensuring environmental sustainability. However, this concept has been in its nascent stage, and its development has been sporadic for many years. This paper uses a comprehensive framework to conduct a feasibility analysis of initiating vertical farming on university campuses, which could set an example for using this technique on a large scale. A case study was conducted on a set of 24 canteens across a university in Wuhan, China for accessing the return on investment and food sufficiency using this technique. By using the central limit theorem, a model was developed after investing in 24 canteens in the university, and various scenarios were analyzed. The breakeven on implementing these farms was about 10 to 20 years, with annual profits reaching $92,000 (592,000 RMB).

Suggested Citation

  • He Zhang & Ashish Asutosh & Wei Hu, 2018. "Implementing Vertical Farming at University Scale to Promote Sustainable Communities: A Feasibility Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-18, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:12:p:4429-:d:185741
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/12/4429/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/12/4429/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nkonya, Ephraim & Gerber, Nicolas & von Braun, Joachim & De Pinto, Alessandro, 2011. "Economics of land degradation: The costs of action versus inaction," Issue briefs 68, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    2. Alexander, Peter & Brown, Calum & Arneth, Almut & Finnigan, John & Moran, Dominic & Rounsevell, Mark D.A., 2017. "Losses, inefficiencies and waste in the global food system," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 190-200.
    3. Thomas Macias, 2008. "Working Toward a Just, Equitable, and Local Food System: The Social Impact of Community‐Based Agriculture," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 89(5), pages 1086-1101, December.
    4. Peter Hinrichs, 2016. "Trends in Employment at US Colleges and Universities, 1987–2013," Economic Commentary, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, issue June.
    5. repec:fpr:export:68 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Unesco Unesco, 2015. "Water for a Sustainable World," Working Papers id:6657, eSocialSciences.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Francis J. Baumont de Oliveira & Scott Ferson & Ronald A. D. Dyer & Jens M. H. Thomas & Paul D. Myers & Nicholas G. Gray, 2022. "How High Is High Enough? Assessing Financial Risk for Vertical Farms Using Imprecise Probability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-29, May.
    2. Adrián Csordás & István Füzesi, 2023. "The Impact of Technophobia on Vertical Farms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-17, May.
    3. Hannah Bradley & Serena Stein, 2022. "Climate opportunism and values of change on the Arctic agricultural frontier," Economic Anthropology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 9(2), pages 207-222, June.
    4. Zinette Bergman & Manfred Max Bergman, 2022. "Toward Sustainable Communities: A Case Study of the Eastern Market in Detroit," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-14, April.
    5. Yiming Shao & Zhugen Wang & Zhiwei Zhou & Haojing Chen & Yuanlong Cui & Zhenghuan Zhou, 2022. "Determinants Affecting Public Intention to Use Micro-Vertical Farming: A Survey Investigation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-26, July.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Roobavannan, M. & Kandasamy, J. & Pande, S. & Vigneswaran, S. & Sivapalan, M., 2020. "Sustainability of agricultural basin development under uncertain future climate and economic conditions: A socio-hydrological analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    2. repec:fpr:ifprib:2012ghienglish is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Zeke Marshall & Paul E. Brockway, 2020. "A Net Energy Analysis of the Global Agriculture, Aquaculture, Fishing and Forestry System," Biophysical Economics and Resource Quality, Springer, vol. 5(2), pages 1-27, June.
    4. Daniele T. P. Souza & Eugenia A. Kuhn & Arjen E. J. Wals & Pedro R. Jacobi, 2020. "Learning in, with, and through the Territory: Territory-Based Learning as a Catalyst for Urban Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-19, April.
    5. Zvirgzdiņš Jānis & Plotka Kaspars & Geipele Sanda, 2018. "Eco-Economics in Cities and Rural Areas," Baltic Journal of Real Estate Economics and Construction Management, Sciendo, vol. 6(1), pages 88-99, July.
    6. Caldera, Upeksha & Breyer, Christian, 2020. "Strengthening the global water supply through a decarbonised global desalination sector and improved irrigation systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    7. F. Akinola & F. & M. & O. Lasisi & B & S. Awe, 2021. "Impacts Of Dumpsite On Soil And Groundwater Quality: A Case Study Of Erinfun Community, Ado Ekiti, Southwestern Nigeria," Environment & Ecosystem Science (EES), Zibeline International Publishing, vol. 5(2), pages 112-116, August.
    8. Usman, Muhammad & Khalid, Khaizran & Mehdi, Muhammad Abuzar, 2021. "What determines environmental deficit in Asia? Embossing the role of renewable and non-renewable energy utilization," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 1165-1176.
    9. Cavalcante, Ana Helena A. P., 2015. "Barriers and opportunities for climate adaptation: The water crisis in Greater São Paulo," The Constitutional Economics Network Working Papers 04-2015, University of Freiburg, Department of Economic Policy and Constitutional Economic Theory.
    10. P. van Rensburg, 2016. "Overcoming global water reuse barriers: the Windhoek experience," International Journal of Water Resources Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(4), pages 622-636, July.
    11. Aschemann-Witzel, Jessica & de Hooge, Ilona E. & Almli, Valérie L., 2021. "My style, my food, my waste! Consumer food waste-related lifestyle segments," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    12. Kirsten Schwarz & Bethany B. Cutts & Jonathan K. London & Mary L. Cadenasso, 2016. "Growing Gardens in Shrinking Cities: A Solution to the Soil Lead Problem?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-11, February.
    13. Rizzo Fulvio, 2016. "Approaching Multifunctionality by a ‘Normative View’: Finnish Farmers’ Visions on Contemporary Agriculture," European Countryside, Sciendo, vol. 8(1), pages 16-32, March.
    14. Anriquez, Gustavo & Foster, William & Ortega, Jorge & Santos Rocha, Jozimo, 2021. "In search of economically significant food losses: Evidence from Tunisia and Egypt," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    15. Anna Bordiean & Michał Krzyżaniak & Mariusz J. Stolarski & Dumitru Peni, 2020. "Growth Potential of Yellow Mealworm Reared on Industrial Residues," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-12, December.
    16. Battude, Marjorie & Al Bitar, Ahmad & Brut, Aurore & Tallec, Tiphaine & Huc, Mireille & Cros, Jérôme & Weber, Jean-Jacques & Lhuissier, Ludovic & Simonneaux, Vincent & Demarez, Valérie, 2017. "Modeling water needs and total irrigation depths of maize crop in the south west of France using high spatial and temporal resolution satellite imagery," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 123-136.
    17. Eric Njuki & Boris E. Bravo-Ureta, 2019. "Examining irrigation productivity in U.S. agriculture using a single-factor approach," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 51(2), pages 125-136, June.
    18. Chen, Zhuo & Wu, Qianyuan & Wu, Guangxue & Hu, Hong-Ying, 2017. "Centralized water reuse system with multiple applications in urban areas: Lessons from China’s experience," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 117(PB), pages 125-136.
    19. Jean Vasile Andrei & Mirela Panait & Alexandra Alecu, 2016. "Aproaches on Eu-28 Social Agriculture Model," International Conference on Competitiveness of Agro-food and Environmental Economy Proceedings, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, vol. 5, pages 306-314.
    20. Yuan Zhi & Paul B. Hamilton & Xiufeng Wang & Zundong Zhang & Longyue Liang, 2018. "Game Theory Analysis of the Virtual Water Strategy," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 32(14), pages 4747-4761, November.
    21. Enthoven, Laura & Van den Broeck, Goedele, 2021. "Local food systems: Reviewing two decades of research," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:12:p:4429-:d:185741. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.