How to build aquaponics in the city

BIGH Building Integrated GreenHouses

Industrial-scale aquaponics - “real aquaponics“?

RAS vs double RAS in aquaponics food production BIGH Anderlecht Inagro - Kick off project Aquavlan2 31th May 2017

Urban aquaponic farming by BIGH • Urban surface as a high valuable ressource: • Greenhouse « integration » • Uptake of urban discharges: CO2, heat, rainwater, organic waste • High visibility and transparency

• Local production, local consumption • High valuable farming for high valuable products • 2000 m2 outdoor garden + 2000 m2 aquaponics greenhouse production: • Fish stripped bass 40t/year • Cherry tomatoes 16,5t/year • Herbs 572 000 units/year • Microgreens 10 000 trays/year • Mescluns 6000 kg/year

BIGH Anderlecht – Abattoir site

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BIGH Anderlecht – Abattoir site Total rooftop 4000 m2 including: 2000 m2 greenhouse incl. mezzanine / 2000 m2 productive garden

Juvenile plants

Aquaculture

Growing tables 4

BIGH Anderlecht – Abattoir site AQUAPONIC GREENHOUSE 2000 m2

OUTDOOR GARDEN 2000 m2

(including mezzanine 550m2)

RESTAURANT

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BIGH Anderlecht - Aquaponic greenhouse

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BIGH - Aquaponic greenhouse

BIGH – Aquaponics definitions

• Growing fish and plants together in one integrated system. The fish waste provides an organic food source for the plants, and the plants naturally filter the water for the fish (“The Aquaponics Source”)

• Combining conventional aquaculture (snails, fish, crayfish or prawns in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment Water from an aquaculture system is fed to a hydroponic system Nitrates are utilized by the plants as nutrients water is then recirculated back to the aquaculture system (Wikipedia)

BIGH – Aquaponics history • Mayas, Aztecs, Asia 1000 BC: crop grow better when fish are present • Modern times: 1. “Backyard aquaponics” 2. RAS Fish farmers want to filter their recirculating water 3. Commercial “aquaponics” farms still in the beginning

BIGH – Aquaponics as an industrial production system • RAS = the only “real” aquaponics?

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Adapting fish to the crops, scaling the plant for the fish Pursuit of compromizes Technics before economics Optimizing for one or for both?

• Critics • • • • •

The most expansive irrigation water of the world Crops in alkaline water, fish in fertilized water?

More sustainable?

Control Economical reality

BIGH – Reconsidering aquaponics

• “Double RAS” system • Optimization for the fish and the crops • Technically • Economically • Sustainability

BIGH – Reconsidering aquaponics • Double RAS = “improved” aquaponics?

• Create a system where both cultures can be favorized.

• Create a system where both cultures can be economically viable, even independantly.

• Flexibility, control, sustainability

BIGH – start-up challenges • Horticultural world not yet ready • Old manners are the best proven • Unconventional thoughts • Unconventional scales (high costs for low surface)

• Fish farming world • (Belgian?) Legislation lack • Aquaponics legislation?

• Urban agricultural “wastes“ •…

• Financing an aquaponics farm • Lack of farming subsidies in Bxl • Investor‘s lack of confidence in (modern) agriculture

BIGH – almost there • Start of building site in June 2017 • Farm opening: January 2018 • Outdoor garden in construction & test

BIGH thanks you!

‌ And see you at the farm opening!