Vertical farming:

sustainable food security

for a changing world
“
Vertical farming and
traditional farming
are companions,
not competitors
— David Farquhar,
CEO, IGS
“
Table of contents
Introduction...................................................................................................... 2
Who this paper addresses............................................................................. 4
Vertical farming in a nutshell........................................................................ 5
Growing optimised produce......................................................................... 6
The benefits...................................................................................................... 8
Points to consider...........................................................................................16
Practical and technical considerations......................................................19
Why IGS?.........................................................................................................20
Onwards and upwards..................................................................................22
Introduction

Every nation around the world needs a sustainable and secure supply of fresh,
affordable and nutritious food. It is increasingly believed that such supplies
should be available even more locally, at community level, as close to the point
of consumption or production as possible to minimise waste and reduce climate
change impact. This supply of food needs to address local or regional needs
in terms of variety, quality and price.

Farming everywhere is straining under the constant Vertical farming offers a progressive, modern way
increase in demand and the crippling decrease in to complement traditional farming methods, so
arable land on which to grow. Ironically, one of the that the planet can sustain this increased demand
root causes of this decrease in accessible arable for food. As farmers and other growers put greater
land is climate change, of which agriculture is the emphasis on sustainable food security and surety of
second greatest cause, only after transport which supply chain, vertical farming is being recognised as
is reducing its impact far faster. That equation must an increasingly valuable way to diversify and
change if we are to produce enough to feed the drive efficiency.
global population, which the UN projects to grow
1

from the current 7.6 billion now, to 9.7 billion However, it is not a silver bullet and will never
by 2050. completely replace traditional farming.

Farming everywhere is straining under the

constant increase in demand and the crippling
decrease in arable land on which to grow.

1. un.org/development/desa/en/news/population/world-population-prospects-2019.html

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Introduction
“
Our specialism at IGS is in enabling Total Control
Environment Agriculture (TCEA) – a very precise
and fully automated but industrial-scale approach
to indoor growing based on the latest agritech Vertical farming and
methods. We’ll refer to this simply as vertical
traditional farming
farming throughout this paper.
are companions, not
All of our plant
competitors. Real farmers
science research
is undertaken with are the people I love
the support of the
showing round our demo
independent experts
at the world-renowned James Hutton Institute – farm more than any others.
Scotland’s largest scientific research centre and one
We have made a covenant
of the biggest in the United Kingdom. The James
Hutton Institute is independent of IGS and has no with the market that IGS
investment in our business. We collaborate in the
will never grow crops for
interests of advancing our understanding of the
latest plant science to optimise our systems and on commercial sale: that’s
behalf of our customers.
what our customers do.
­—David Farquhar,
CEO, IGS

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Who this paper addresses

This paper is aimed at those who are interested in learning more about vertical
farming, undertaking due diligence prior to starting their own vertical farming
facility or enhancing their existing operation. We aim to provide a fair and
balanced view of vertical farming, backed by the latest data and without
unsubstantiated assertions.

We believe that vertical farming is of particular Governments – seeking to establish sustainable

value to: national food strategies in light of climate change,
political uncertainty and global events such as the
Traditional farmers – who are looking to improve 2020 pandemic.
the supply of seedlings by growing their own or
diversifying to gain competitive advantages with Food producers – looking for high quality local
shorter growing cycles in combination with optimal supplies at competitive prices.
and predictable quality.
Consumer-facing operations – hospitality, tourism,
New urban farmers – who need to ensure they food service and grocery retailers who want to
optimise yield/m footprint in tight locations
2
secure supply, shorten transport distances and
and produce high quality crops at economically deliver fresher food to customers.
competitive prices.

A vertical farm is an
industrial agritech machine
rather than a building.

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Vertical farming in a nutshell

At IGS, our version of vertical farming is the indoor The rectangular trays can be individually controlled
growing of crops on a small footprint of land. Here to provide optimal conditions for growth, with
are some of our specifications: remote monitoring and adjustment via an app.
Each tray can have a unique microclimate which is
• Minimum growing area, two towers easily altered for every crop cycle and even during
plus airlock: 200m 2 crop cycles.

• Minimum growing area, four towers A vertical farm is an industrial agritech machine
(recommended) plus airlock: 307m2
rather than a building. Its modular setup allows
• Minimum service area: 500m 2
for quick and simple replacement of water filters,
lighting, trays and other components of the system.
• Superstructure heights: 6m, 9m or 12m
• Growth Trays per tower: 32, 52 or 72 It suits seed-to-harvest for various crops, such
(according to height of tower) as leafy greens, and fruit or root plants for
• Growth Tray size: ~6m 2 propagation, such as strawberries and seed
potatoes. Farmers, producers, retailers and even
governments can use vertical farming to sustainably
improve their food security and ensure their supply
chains, while reducing their carbon footprint
and food miles.

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Growing optimised produce

Growth cycles
Propagation – helping growers grow better

Strawberries Potatoes Broccoli

Full cycle – seed-to-harvest

Pea
Basil Dill Parsley Lettuce Kale Mustard Celery Sorrel shoots

“
The permanent summer
provided by a vertical
farming setup means
that growers can expect
basil yields that are 2–3
times higher than for a
traditional glasshouse.
­ Douglas Elder,
—
Head of Pre-sales, IGS

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 Growing optimised produce

Specialising by region

This is a selection. Other crop varieties available on request.

UK/Europe

Turnip Leek Radish Beetroot Watercress

Middle East/Africa

Spinach Soft fruits Tomatoes Fodder Basil

Asia

Coriander Pak choi Lemongrass Chilli Spinach

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The benefits

Optimisation of growth conditions Water recycling

Our aim is to optimise the growth of plants beyond In climates with adequate rainfall, vertical farms
just producing biomass of acceptable quality. can operate using only harvested rainwater.

This work includes implementing a HVAC system However, where rainfalls can be unpredictable,
that eliminates localised temperature extremes that other forms of water source are suitable. Note
can occur in a more traditional fan-based approach. that mains water alone is generally unsuitable for
direct use due to its chlorine content, so it requires
Crop geometry is tailored to ensure we have the processing before being used in our system. The
maximum usable product. This includes paying availability or use of a borehole for water supply is
attention to the leaf to stem ratio to maximise also another option that could be considered.
vertical space and avoid energy waste in unusable
parts of the product. All water is recycled, UV filtered and cleaned after
each cycle, to reduce any contamination risk.

Crop geometry is tailored

to ensure we have the
maximum usable product.

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The benefits

Invest in a machine, not in a building Consistency of product

A vertical farm is a closed system housed within When configured with the same “recipe”, vertical
a standardised superstructure we have designed. farms around the world are capable of producing
It has fully controlled lighting, heating, ventilation crops that are indistinguishable from each other.
and irrigation for the Growth Towers as well as an
airlock for entry. Crop growth recipes can be adjusted to suit local
markets. Creating a smaller product, for example,
Just as you might invest in a combine harvester may be acceptable to consumers in some regions,
to support a traditional farming operation, so too allowing vertical farm operators to maximise the
can you invest in a vertical farm as though it were value of their output while meeting the expectations
another machine. of the market.

This view of vertical farms as industrial equipment Our photon-optimised system offers linear
rather than as buildings means that operators in dimming and controllable pulse width
various countries might be able to benefit from modulation (PWM) so we can provide
significant tax breaks. the ideal wavelengths and intensity of
light to which crops are exposed at
different stages of their growth,
which optimises yields and
quality.

This also leads to the most

efficient use of photons
possible and means energy
savings that competitor
systems are unable to provide.
With our ongoing artificial
intelligence (AI) analysis of
results, we expect to improve
photon use further and provide
even better energy savings in our
vertical farms.

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The benefits

Producing crops of maximum

value to the local area

The consistency of output of the vertical farm Vertical farms can grow crops in challenging
means that crops can be produced anywhere on the places that traditional farming cannot, for example
planet. This means that smart producers can take where extreme temperatures and humidity levels
advantage of the relative scarcity of some products preclude growing outside.
in various parts of the world.

An iceberg lettuce grown through vertical farming

in the UK/Europe might be of relatively low value:
but that lettuce grown to the same or a similar
recipe in the Middle East might be worth £20/kg.

In our system strawberry In our system we could grow

fruit production could take a range of nutritionally dense
place in the Caribbean. brassicas in the Middle East.

The consistency of output of the

vertical farm means that crops can be
produced anywhere on the planet.

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The benefits

“
Multiple uses

Vertical farming can be used for multiple purposes. It

Vertical farming gives can suit propagating strawberry seedlings, growing

us complete control to seed potatoes and producing leafy greens ready for
consumption. It could even be a living factory for
manipulate plant chemistry synthesising medicinal compounds or tree saplings.

by manipulating the The independent microclimates supplied to each

of a Growth Tower’s trays means that all of these
environment. Access to activities can take place concurrently.

the IGS system has helped

Vertical farming’s ability to propagate starter plants
advance our own plant that are then transferred to a traditional growing

science. environment could provide the perfect interface

between these two models of farming.

—Dr Robert Hancock,

Instead of relying on those plants being imported
Senior Research Scientist, from other countries, many of which are diseased or

James Hutton Institute harbour pests, producers can take better control of
the end-to-end process. It means reducing our food
miles and being less reliant on the products from
other countries.

SEEDLINGS PRODUCTION RESEARCH

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The benefits

No need for a sterile science lab

Our vertical farming system does not require its In fact, conscious avoidance of a sterile
users to apply medical-grade clean room practices. environment should reduce risk and costs by
allowing for controlled competition. For example,
We use an airlock system but the farming area is the managed presence of fungus and good
not an operating theatre. Our method of setting up bacteria may help to reduce the system’s water
the environment, supplying the nutrients and requirements. This is part of our research that
filtering the air and water means that no special goes into building the most efficient farming
suits are needed. Furthermore, we don’t require machine possible. Stricter control measures can
any staff in the Growth Towers themselves for be implemented for those crops that require them,
growing or monitoring purposes. such as seed potatoes or pharmaceuticals.

Our vertical farming system

does not require its users to apply
medical-grade clean room practices.

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The benefits

Environment control,
not genetic control

We have an increasingly food literate population No water touches the leaves of the growing plants.
and consumers expect consistent, natural products. That means zero spoilage and a product that can
be picked and eaten without washing. Less washing
We meet those expectations by using means a far longer shelf life.
environmental formulae to optimise the
biochemical and flavour profiles of the plants
through the manipulation of the environment
instead of through genetic engineering. Also, we
use no pesticides.

Zero spoilage and a product that can

be picked and eaten without washing.
Less washing means a far longer shelf life.

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The benefits

Standard parts in a modular system Control via an app

Rather than using proprietary systems for Once a vertical farm is set up, it runs with minimal
processes such as sowing and harvesting, we use intervention.
off-the-shelf equipment and components. This
means we can keep startup and maintenance costs The vertical farm offers complete remote control
down by providing items with which farmers are over the environment. Users see a live view of their
already familiar. crops and can adjust settings to better deal with
fluctuations in market demand to speed up, slow
If a section of the vertical farming system needs to down or pause growth of crops as required.
be replaced, such as a water filter, a lighting panel
or a tray, it can be done with almost no interruption. The Growth Tower operations are managed using a
cloud-based management system, which is simple
to operate and requires no onsite IT management.
The controls and data are accessible anywhere via
the IGS app. Our system was designed with data
security and integrity from the outset. All data
is secured and encrypted and specific to each
individual customer.

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The benefits

Faster development of
new crop varieties

It can take 7–10 years to develop new crop

varieties with traditional farming methods.

But the research and testing possible with

vertical farming mean that plant breeders could
produce new varieties in as little as 2–3 years,
providing a potentially significant competitive
edge in the market. Having the ability to respond
quickly and efficiently to new pests and disease
issues carries huge benefits for global food security.

VERTICAL
2-3 YEARS
FARMING

TRADITIONAL
7–10 YEARS
FARMING

Shorter time to market

Though there are many crops that are not suited

to vertical farming, the ones that do suit this
environment will typically grow within 25 days.
We can also grow 2–3 times the amount per m2 of
growth area per annum compared with growing the
same crops* in a traditional farming model, or when
the verticality of our system is taken into account, 15
times the yield of a greenhouse per m2 of footprint.

Shorter, more predictable growing cycles

where crops are always in season mean that we
can better serve the needs of food wholesalers 25 DAYS
and consumers.

* Baby leaf 16-24 days (e.g. celery, lettuce, spinach); micro greens
8-12 days (e.g. radish, red mustard, watercress)

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Points to consider

Significant investment is needed

Vertical farms require both the availability of

land and a minimum £1 million investment in
the Growth Tower system.

We are cautious about stating timescales for

investment payback. Our testing leads us to
estimate a payback of between two and eight years
depending upon scale, power costs, crop sales price
and local demand. We provide interested parties
with a detailed financial document that sets out the
feasibility of their business plan and that will better
indicate the payback for their circumstances.

We are confident that vertical farming

is a financially sound way to diversify
operations for farmers and growers –
but it is not a “get rich quick” scheme.

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Points to consider

Retrofitting might not be ideal

Vertical farming uses land more efficiently than

other types of farming. While this doesn’t need Total minimum installation
to be fertile farming land, it does need to be footprint of around 700m2
vacant land.
200m2
Your own design
growing area
If your spare available land is in the form of old or and airlock
for a service area

disused buildings, it might not be cost effective to

attempt to retrofit a vertical farm into them. It is
generally cheaper and logistically more effective for
vertical farm superstructures to be sited on empty,
unused land.

Our designs for a minimum installation call for a

200m2 growing area and airlock. Co-located with
your service area, (for operations such as seeding,
harvesting and packaging) this is likely to have a
total minimum footprint of around 700m2.

Vertical farming does not suit all crops

Energy-dense foods — such as starchy vegetables

— need a lot of light, which is expensive to deliver
via indoor LED lighting. This means there may
never be a commercial case for growing potatoes,
oats, barley, wheat and some other crops solely via
vertical farming. However, it can be used to grow
seed potatoes, for example.

Vertical farming can also suit breeding programmes

and the production of tray plants indoors that are
acclimatised for growing in extreme environments
such as the Middle East.

Breeding in partnership with seed producers

creates crops with a lower energy demand. In turn,
this lowers the operational costs of indoor farming.

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Points to consider

Reliance on mains power

and mains water

Vertical farming has a significant energy input Our proprietary and patented use of three-phase
requirement so that LED lighting, HVAC and other technology converts high voltage mains power
parts of the system can function. from the grid into extra-low voltage for distribution
within the system, using busbars to deliver power to
The system will be set up to harvest and use each Growth Tray.
rainwater where possible, though vertical farms
still provide an efficient solution even in places
where there is minimal rainfall, such as arid or
desert climates. A more important concern is the
availability of a relatively cheap energy source.

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Practical and technical considerations

When a vertical farm is to be installed, we supply Installation notes

building plans based on your available land and
financial investment. • We work with you to design the facility and
a local contractor to build the necessary
Our system is modular and scalable: our minimum infrastructure, superstructure and service areas
superstructure installation comprises two vertical under our supervision.
Growth Towers.
• We install the Growth Tower system, which
includes racking and automation, background
A basic four-tower arrangement plus airlock takes up
HVAC and fertigation systems.
307m2 of land. Each additional pair of towers beyond
this minimum adds a further 104m2 to the footprint. • We install a control system based on a
We recommend an additional 500m for the service
2
programmable logic controller (PLC).
area, which may need to expand if more Growth
• We supply the GTLs with their integrated
Towers are later added to create a larger operation.
controllable lighting and foreground ventilation
for each Growth Tower.
Our Growth Towers contain fixed racking to
accommodate varying numbers of moveable • Comprehensive commissioning checklist
Growth Trays with Lights (GTLs) and are available in completed followed by a pre-agreed User
the following configurations: Acceptance Test to ensure the system performs
as it should
Height Maximum Typical
• We provide full training to customers’ staff so
6m 37 GTLs 32 GTLs
that the vertical farm can be run independently.
9m 60 GTLs 52 GTLs
• All parts are configured to our standards. The
12m 83 GTLs 72 GTLs
parts are easily sourced and easy to replace
if needed, to aid maintenance and reduce
If planning regulations permit, we recommend a 12m
operating costs.
high superstructure with 72 stacked trays, because
it will deliver the greatest return on investment and
yield per m2 footprint. Post installation we provide service support
and maintenance.

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Why IGS?

We take a data-driven approach to developing Here are some further reasons to choose us as
our vertical farm system. We don’t believe that your vertical farming provider:
unsubstantiated claims about performance or
economics will influence anyone who looks to Optimisation of design
undertake serious due diligence on such systems.
We build a vertical farm with a fully automated
We combine agricultural and crop-science research growing area which can support industrial scale
to produce a system that is continually refined so operations consisting of hundreds of microclimates,
that yields are optimised and it is a cost-effective which enables high-volume production, economic
companion to traditional farming methods. efficiency and operational flexibility in parallel.

We’re committed to furthering the understanding The HVAC uses recirculated air, so outside
of vertical farming and plant science and we hold temperatures don’t affect the running of the
six patent families. Our intention is to continue to vertical farm.
publish performance-based statistics using actual
data from our own operations. The volume and temperature of the air delivered
by our specially configured HVAC means that we
don’t need to install heat sinks on the LEDs (which
interfere with the internal temperature) or water-
cool the LEDs. This in turn avoids condensation
that would eventually damage the lights and hence
increase maintenance costs. All water is delivered
from beneath the crop, such that no water touches
the leaves. This virtually eliminates the potential
for spoilage.

We combine agricultural and crop-science research

to produce a system that is continually refined so
that yields are optimised and it is a cost-effective
companion to traditional farming methods.

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Why IGS?

We use one HVAC system per tower to eliminate Substrate research

the potential for cross-contamination. Each HVAC
system uses standard components but the physical The world is used to growing in peat. It’s an
setup is different to a traditional system (patent excellent substrate but is costly to deliver and
pending). Unlike other growing systems, ours does arrives wet and heavy. Our research involves testing
not require fans in the growing space. Instead, the what is optimal for the crops our customers want to
system delivers high volumes of air at a low speed, grow and balancing that against the ease and cost
avoiding potential damage to crops. of shipment.

We UV-filter and securely aerate all water in the A dry, low cost and abundant substrate such as a
system, controlling its pH and nutrients. The crop coir (coconut husk) may suit vertical farms running
absorbs around 5% of the water delivered during in tropical climates, for example, whereas more
irrigation, the remainder being recaptured, cleaned temperate locations might suit a different soil-
and UV filtered again. Additionally, capturing all free substrate that works well with our method of
condensate in the system means that the only hydroponic irrigation.
water leaving our facilities is in the body of the
plants themselves. We are substrate agnostic. Our recommendations
to farmers will always be based on what the
We can flex our consumption of electricity with the science tells us is best for their local market and
local power grid at different times, to optimise the the substrates we use can often be recycled as
use of low-cost power, while still addressing the high-grade compost.

“
needs of the plants.

This is one of the most

exciting technologies I’ve
seen in my whole career.
IGS has made food
production independent
of the climate and the
land.
­ Colin Campbell, CEO,
—
James Hutton Institute

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Onwards and upwards

This paper has given you a balanced look at vertical farming’s position as a
companion to traditional farming. Rather than being a wholesale replacement
to traditional methods, vertical farming is an increasingly viable route for
farmers and other food producers to create a consistent, reliable product
regardless of location.

For those who want to take full control of their To find out more about vertical farming through
processes so that they can offer sustainable IGS, or to learn how we are collaborating with the
food security and surety of supply chain to their James Hutton Institute to advance the industry’s
customers, vertical farming is one of the solutions understanding of plant science, please get in touch.
to support this. It offers full environmental control
for growing on an industrial scale.

What IGS systems do What IGS systems don’t do

P Full control via an app O No pesticides

P Farms can work anywhere O No lubricants
P Consistent product all year round O No genetic modification
P Each tray can have unique microclimate O No emissions to atmosphere, land
or ground water sources

P Compatability with existing O No R&D required

seeding/harvesting technology

P Photon optimisation
P Modular from two towers to 200 +
P Closed loop recycling of irrigation water
P Extended shelf life of produce
P Optimum crop yields

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 Improve crop yield, quality
and consistency.

Build a vertical farm where plants thrive through

a fully controlled environment.

Improve food security Optimise plant growth Grow exactly what

with a controlled, by automatically your market seeks
indoor environment, monitoring critical to buy and at the
independent of parameters for humidity, frequency they want
weather and location. lighting, security, to buy it.
temperature and water.

IGS has an international profile for its approach to vertical farming. We achieved
global press coverage for our innovations. Leading publications such as The
Economist, The Financial Times and the BBC have reported on the productivity and
efficiency benefits we create, plus our systems’ engineering and technical excellence.

IGS is multi award-winning with accolades received from peers and independent
observers across industry, environmental and professional services organisations, in
recognition of the systems and approach that we have developed for the market.

Click here to find out how you

can build a vertical farm
Intelligent Growth Solutions
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