The global rise of urban rooftop agriculture: A review of worldwide cases

Appolloni, Elisa; Orsini, Francesco; Specht, Kathrin; Thomaier, Susanne; Sanyé‐Mengual, Esther; Pennisi, Giuseppina; Gianquinto, Giorgio

doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126556

Cited by 74 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…It should also be noted that the circularity of urban agriculture relates to resource recovery or waste reuse. Figure 3 shows the conceptual circularity of urban agriculture systems, including soil-based and soilless agriculture [34,35]. Water lies at the center of both soil-based and soilless agricultural systems, including aeroponic, hydroponic, and aquaponic.…”

Section: Urban Agriculture In a Circular Economymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies have examined applying stormwater GIs for food production, such as green roofs or rooftop gardening, which are commonly used to retain stormwater and can be used for rooftop gardening. Recent literature studies [34,64,65] extensively discussed how stormwater GIs can address urban food insecurity and energy conservation while retaining stormwater during peak flows. This approach focuses on the water-energyfood-ecosystem security nexus approach to contribute to the sustainable and resilient development of cities.…”

Section: Stormwater Management In a Circular Economymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Finally, other noticeable benefits of urban agriculture include purifying reclaimed wastewater and revitalization of brownfields [34,40]. Treating wastewater using a hydroponic system allows nutrient recovery and reuse while producing food [74,75].…”

Section: Stormwater Management In a Circular Economymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The separate approach describes various ways of addressing a single environmental or urban land issue rather than the holistic approach. For example, van der Wielab [28] and others [30][31][32][33][34] focused on sustainable practices, including nutrient recycling, and reusing biowastes to address food insecurity. Conversely, Nilson et al [38] and others [39][40][41][42] emphasized the distributed approach of urban stormwater management, which does not necessarily include urban agriculture.…”

Section: Enhancement Of Ecosystem Servicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Integrating Urban Agriculture and Stormwater Management in a Circular Economy to Enhance Ecosystem Services: Connecting the Dots

et al. 2021

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Due to the rapid urbanization in the context of the conventional linear economy, the vulnerability of the urban ecosystem to climate change has increased. As a result, connecting urban ecosystem services of different urban land uses is imperative for urban sustainability and resilience. In conventional land use planning, urban agriculture (UA) and urban stormwater management are treated as separate economic sectors with different-disconnected-ecosystem services. Furthermore, few studies have synthesized knowledge regarding the potential impacts of integration of UA and stormwater green infrastructures (GIs) on the quantity and quality of urban ecosystem services of both economic sectors. This study provides a detailed analysis of the imperative question—how should a city integrate the developments of both urban agriculture and stormwater green infrastructure to overcome barriers while enhancing the ecosystem services? To answer this question, we conducted an extensive literature review. The results show that integrating UA with GIs can enhance urban food production while protecting urban water quality. This paper provides an initial context and mechanisms for future researchers and city planners regarding the manner in which the synergies between UA and stormwater GIs can create greater value for the wellbeing of urban ecosystems and resilience in the circular economy.

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Section: Urban Agriculture In a Circular Economymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Stormwater Management In a Circular Economymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Stormwater Management In a Circular Economymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Enhancement Of Ecosystem Servicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Integrating Urban Agriculture and Stormwater Management in a Circular Economy to Enhance Ecosystem Services: Connecting the Dots

et al. 2021

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“…Additionally, the city of Chicago reformed city laws regarding UA, allowing urban farms on rooftops (Urban Sustainability Exchange, 2011; City of Chicago, 2020). Globally, North America (81) and Europe (49) are the world regions with the highest number of RUA projects (Appolloni et al, 2021).…”

Section: Urban Agriculture Benefits and Barriersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential Key Factors, Policies, and Barriers for Rooftop Agriculture in EU Cities: Barcelona, Berlin, Bologna, and Paris

Zambrano-Prado

Orsini

Rieradevall

et al. 2021

Front. Sustain. Food Syst.

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The main objective of this study is to contribute a framework and to provide an overview of potential key factors, policies, and barriers associated with the integration of rooftop urban agriculture (RUA), building on stakeholders' perspectives in four European cities (Barcelona, Berlin, Bologna, and Paris). The research was developed in two phases, namely, a workshop and a survey of stakeholders involved in RUA from the four cities. Education, environmental, research, technological innovation, food production, and social factors play an important role in implementing RUA. Productive spaces, cultural values, social cohesion, social rural-urban links, and the high cost of urban land are highlighted as factors that “promote” RUA. In contrast, the cost of water and pollution are major contextual factors that constrain RUA. Policies related to food trade and urban planning are those that most limit RUA development. Major architectural and technical barriers related to the limits on building heights, historical buildings, a lack of specific building codes, building design and roof accessibility were identified. The high cost of infrastructure and policies that prohibit RUA product sales emerged as economic constraints. Major differences among the cities studied included the perceived effect of urban policies on RUA diffusion as well as the perceived relevance of economic and pollution factors. This study revealed that extensive dissemination and the development of appropriate information about RUA are needed. The creation of new regulations, as well as modifications to urban and building codes to support RUA, is also envisaged. This approach will consider a more flexible land-use policy that allows agriculture to take place in cities as well as marketing frameworks for RUA products. For future studies, it would be useful to apply the framework developed in this study to a larger sample. A study is also needed to confirm hypothetical differences between cities.

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Resources for plant‐based food: Estimating resource use to meet the requirements of urban and peri‐urban diets

Righini

Stanghellini

Hemming

et al. 2023

Food and Energy Security

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The rapid urban growth seen globally in recent years has not been supported by a simultaneous increase in agricultural land and/or crop productivity. Producing crops in (peri‐)urban areas shows good potential to provide the vegetable products for a healthy and balanced diet for the growing population, but it has to deal with the local availability of resources. Thus, meeting the food requirements of the urban population as efficiently and robustly as possible is a challenge. This study developed a methodology to estimate the use of resources of urban farming systems to produce energy‐ and nutrient‐dense vegetables capable of meeting human dietary needs. The method was applied to two extremely different cultivation systems (an open field farm and a plant factory with artificial lighting) for the production of seven crops. The results on the resource efficiencies to meet the annual per‐capita vegetable requirements are discussed in relation to crop type, local climate and cultivation system. The application of this methodology can support farmers' decisions on the choice of crops and the type of urban farming systems that are most efficient in contributing to a plant‐based diet. The results can also be translated into water, energy, and surface area needed to meet the nutritional requirements at a city‐regional level.

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The global rise of urban rooftop agriculture: A review of worldwide cases

Cited by 74 publications

References 43 publications

Integrating Urban Agriculture and Stormwater Management in a Circular Economy to Enhance Ecosystem Services: Connecting the Dots

Integrating Urban Agriculture and Stormwater Management in a Circular Economy to Enhance Ecosystem Services: Connecting the Dots

Potential Key Factors, Policies, and Barriers for Rooftop Agriculture in EU Cities: Barcelona, Berlin, Bologna, and Paris

Resources for plant‐based food: Estimating resource use to meet the requirements of urban and peri‐urban diets

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