terreform: center for advanced urban research
Terreform, Inc. 2012
New York City (Steady) State. Volume 1: Home Grown. Terreform. 2017.
Can New York City feed itself? …
New York City (Steady) State is an alternative master plan for the future of New York City. This plan explores urban self-reliance and investigates the possibility of New York City reducing its ecological footprint to the size of its political boundaries across a variety of sectors; food, energy, waste, water, air quality, manufacture, employment, culture, health, and transport.
The first volume is dedicated to Food. This includes quantitative analysis and design research related to the food production capacity of New York City regarding self-sufficiency. The volume also includes best practices relevant to cities across the world and reads like an encyclopedia/design manual hybrid. Many best practices have been featured as case studies from cities and regions around the world.
In 2012, I worked at Tereform, Inc. as a researcher before beginning Michael Sorkin’s experimental Urban Design Program at The Spitzer School of Architecture at The City College of New York.
The High Cost of Smart Indoor Agriculture / download
ABSTRACT
The demand for food security intensifies as global population and urbanization rates surge towards 2050, coupled with climate change and disruptions in food supply chains. While urban agriculture is a proposed solution, recent studies reveal its potential higher carbon footprint. Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) and Vertical Farming offer promising alternatives, yet Smart Vertical Farming remains energy-intensive and often reliant on fossil fuels. To ensure sustainability, Indoor Vertical Farming must pivot towards clean, renewable energy sources to meet its demands. This necessitates ongoing innovation within the field to address the pressing challenges posed by the energy demands for LED-based indoor lighting systems for plant growth, the energy-intensive technological components of CEA, and the required adaptability of Vertical Farming systems to holistically meet the challenges inherent in the Future of Food within increasingly vulnerable food systems.
“People are coming up with more creative solutions for energy sources, but I think they will always struggle with energy usage.”
- Eddy Badrina, CEO of Eden Green Technology.