REDUCING THE COST AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF INDOOR FARMING

Md Sazan Rahman, assistant professor of agriculture, nutrition, and food systems, is developing sustainable technologies that support controlled environment agriculture (CEA). CEA is altering the landscape of food production in northern New England by providing optimal growing conditions inside greenhouses or other structures, regardless of external weather and temperature.

“CEA and the ability to grow our food indoors has become critical as populations rise, more and more global food crises occur, and our arable land diminishes due to climate change, overfarming and other factors,” says Rahman.

Rahman’s Engineering for Agri-Environment Lab recently developed a porous concrete substrate with embedded bioreceptive coils for hydroponic plant production. This material is strong, reusable and recyclable, and has a significantly smaller carbon footprint than other substrates. The embedded coils allow for temperature and humidity to be controlled at the roots, eliminating the need for additional HVAC systems that require more energy.

The goal of the new technologies, says Rahman, is not just to produce the same amount of food with fewer resources and lower environmental impacts, but also to reduce operational costs and the overall carbon footprint of CEA food production.