Vertical Harvest is the name of this pioneering project that arises from the will of Penny McBride (BA in Political Science and Sociology) and Nona Yehia (Architect) to create a solution to produce food locally while employing as many people as possible The project has been designed by the firm E/Ye Design with the advice of Larssen Ltd., an engineering company specialized in the construction of greenhouses in extreme climates.
Description of the project by E/Ye Design
Vertical Harvest is a three story hydroponic farm.-
Hydroponic farming is a highly productive, environmentally friendly, and space efficient means of farming which offers numerous benefits for both the producer and consumer. It is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions that are delivered to the plants in irrigation water eliminating the need for soil. Water is re-circulated in the system thereby using 90% less water than traditional farming (USDA). Hydroponics allows control over plant nutrition, for optimal flavor and quality. Some hydroponics crops can grow twice as fast as traditionally farmed crops as they receive exactly the correct amount of nutrients, water and oxygen. Our specially designed re-circulating hydroponic methods save land, save water, eliminate agricultural runoff and chemical pesticides, and offer the benefits of efficient, high-yield, local, year-round food production.
Vertical Harvest is built on a site that is 1/10 of an acre and will produce up to 100,000 lbs of fresh produce annually.-
Although Vertical Harvest is situated on a site that is 1/10 of an acre, the greenhouse will be able to produce the equivalent of 5 acres of traditional agriculture. Vertical Harvest’s efficient building design and growing carousels will turn a 4500 sq.ft. footprint into 18,000 sq.ft., or four times the growing area.
Vertical Harvest has a climate and site specific design, which will withstand extreme temperatures in Jackson, WY.-
Vertical Harvest has been designed specifically for Jackson’s altitude, latitude, climate and location. In 2010, at the outset of a project, thanks to a Technical Assistance Grant provided by the Wyoming Business Council, Vertical Harvest conducted a year long feasibility study to determine if it was possible to locate a greenhouse in Jackson Hole. The report, prepared by The Center for Architecture, Science and Ecology and E/Ye Design concluded that siting a greenhouse in Jackson is feasible. Since then, Vertical Harvest has retained a well respected greenhouse engineer, Larssen Ltd. a firm with 20 years of experience in the field, that has built successful greenhouses in other places with climates as harsh or harsher than our own, such as Maine, Siberia and Iceland with the most extreme design temperature of -85°F. Vertical Harvest has been designed to easily maintain an internal temperature of 67°F with a design temperature of -30°F.
