Apr 4, 2022
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Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, Solar Greenhouse, Valldaura Labs, Barcelona, Spain, 2021. Photo Adria Goula. Courtesy IAAC, Pati Nunez Agency
Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, Solar Greenhouse, Valldaura Labs, Barcelona, Spain, 2021. Photo Adria Goula. Courtesy IAAC, Pati Nunez Agency
Editor’s Note: It’s great to see teams innovating new means for tackling the CEA industry’s large energy requirements for light and environmental control. According to respondents of the 2021 Global CEA Census, while 62% of farms indicated that they track energy consumption, only 28% provided this information in a credible format. We need to work together to figure out innovative solutions just like this one to the numerous agricultural challenges. Read about another intriguing solution by Dutch Designer Marjan van Aubel in this exclusive interview.
Written By Romina Totaro
To meet the challenges that will come from the climate crisis, a team from the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia designed this module that produces food and energy.
On the outskirts of Barcelona, the Collserola Natural Park is the setting for a cultivation module created by a team of students on the Master’s course in Advanced Ecological Buildings and Biocities at the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) at Valldaura Labs, a learning-by-doing campus created to experiment and test new self-sufficient habitats.
Solar Greenhouse is therefore the result of research conducted on possible new ways of living as a process of adaptation to future food and energy crises. The project proposes a space for self-sufficient cultivation as a prototype for food and energy production in cities. The result is a small architecture characterized by a wooden frame, photovoltaic panels to meet energy demands, and advanced cultivation technology that can be implemented in the countryside or on urban rooftops. The program is organized on two floors: the germination zone was established on the ground floor, while the cultivation was set up on the upper floor.
Respecting the “zero kilometer” cycle process, water, substrate, and building materials are taken directly from the surrounding environment, allowing the cultivated food to jump straight from production to consumption without a supply chain. The greenhouse also features a nutrient supply system. In addition, a matrix of LED strip lights facilitates the growth cycles.
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