Life cycle assessment of indoor vertical farms

Martin, Michael; Orsini, Francesco

doi:10.19103/as.2023.0126.06

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 43 publications

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“…Recently, CZEs and LCA have been incorporated into the horticulture sector [23,24], with an increasing number of reports comparing LCA in open fields [25,26], greenhouses, and plant factories or vertical farming [27][28][29][30][31]. In particular, many reports compare LCA of greenhouses and plant factories for leafy vegetables such as lettuce.…”

Section: Examples For the Use Of Lamp In Horticulturementioning

confidence: 99%

Development of LCA-Multidimensional Map (LAMP): A Platform to Support Information Sharing and Formulate CO2-Level-Reduction Plans toward Zero Emissions

Hikosaka,

Hayashi,

Nakano

et al. 2023

Sustainability

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We propose a platform called “LCA-Multidimensional Map (LAMP)” to support companies and individuals aiming for CO2 zero emissions (CZEs) by efficiently conducting life cycle assessments (LCAs) of their products and activities, collecting information necessary for CZEs, and developing CO2 reduction plans. LAMP is a multidimensional platform that supports the development of CZEs targets in cyberspace without temporal or spatial constraints. Using this software, LCAs can be conducted using existing database groups constructed in two and three dimensions in various sectors as well as data groups with temporal information, such as evolving and continuous records, and spatial information in a cross-sectional manner. Furthermore, based on the LCA results, CO2-emission-reduction plans can be formulated (extraction of alternatives), and their effectiveness can be confirmed through LCA again. As an example of how to use LAMP, we introduce the characteristics of LCA in horticulture, the second-largest source of CO2 emissions after livestock in the agricultural sector, along with examples of alternative plans for greenhouses, collaboration plans with other sectors, and basic methods for promoting CZEs in horticulture. Although this concept needs to be tested and validated in the future, it might encourage individuals or companies to cooperate in LAMP development or inspire them to advocate for more progressive ideas.

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Section: Examples For the Use Of Lamp In Horticulturementioning

confidence: 99%

Development of LCA-Multidimensional Map (LAMP): A Platform to Support Information Sharing and Formulate CO2-Level-Reduction Plans toward Zero Emissions

Hikosaka,

Hayashi,

Nakano

et al. 2023

Sustainability

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Far-red radiation management for lettuce growth: Physiological and morphological features leading to energy optimization in vertical farming

Carotti,

Pistillo,

Zauli

et al. 2024

Scientia Horticulturae

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Environmental life cycle assessment of an on-site modular cabinet vertical farm

Martin,

Bustamante,

Zauli

et al. 2024

Front. Sustain. Food Syst.

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The number of vertical farms has been expanding rapidly in recent years to provide more resilient and sustainable global food provisioning closer to consumers. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence on whether vertical farms can provide sustainable sourcing of food. The purpose of this study is to assess the environmental performance of a modular cabinet vertical farm producing lettuce and basil on-site at the end-user. To assess the environmental performance of this system, a life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to determine the total impact of producing lettuce and basil on-site, i.e., a kitchen for an office cafeteria, and compare to conventional sourcing. The results from this study suggest that the modular vertical farm can provide crops with environmental impacts comparable to or less than conventionally sourced options. GHG emissions ranged from 0.78–1.18 kg CO2-eq per kg lettuce and from 1.45–2.12 kg CO2-eq per kg basil from on-site production. The ranges suggest that the environmental performance is sensitive to methodological choices and life cycle inventory (LCI) data choices. These include how to treat the infrastructure for the modular cabinet, as it is often rented as a growing-service system, in addition to the LCI data choices related to the source of electricity. In conclusion, under local conditions (i.e., Stockholm, Sweden) the modular vertical farm can produce lettuce with equivalent emissions and quality to imported lettuce, despite its high energy requirement. The findings and knowledge from this study add to the growing body of literature on vertical farming, providing empirical evidence on the sustainability of an on-site commercial cabinet-based vertical farm. Such information can be used for comparisons and validation of claims in the industry, and to provide empirical evidence to this developing field.

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Life cycle assessment of indoor vertical farms

Cited by 4 publications

References 43 publications

Development of LCA-Multidimensional Map (LAMP): A Platform to Support Information Sharing and Formulate CO2-Level-Reduction Plans toward Zero Emissions

Development of LCA-Multidimensional Map (LAMP): A Platform to Support Information Sharing and Formulate CO2-Level-Reduction Plans toward Zero Emissions

Far-red radiation management for lettuce growth: Physiological and morphological features leading to energy optimization in vertical farming

Environmental life cycle assessment of an on-site modular cabinet vertical farm

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