Food in the City

Vancouver seeks to been one of the greenest and sustainable cities in the world. To help reach their goal, they held the FormShift Vancouver Competition, and Harvest Tower won an Honorable Mention.

Inhabitat.com reports that this new complex, a tower, green roofs, and grazing area, "... consists of interlocking tubes that grow various fruits and vegetables, house chickens and contain an aquaponic fish farm." Hydroponic garden

While this is more ambitious than Los Angeles's edible green roof, it is in the same league as Dubai's Food City. Vancouver also boasts Canada's largest green roof.

Other agricultural products include, "... a livestock grazing plain, as well as a bird habitat and boutique sheep and goat dairy facility." There will also be a restaurant, and grocery store.

Sustainability is also important in this project, through the use of wind turbines, photovalic glazing, and methane captured from composting. I think composting is a euphemism for manure. Water will be provided by a large rain cistern on the roof. Water Barrels and Storage The green roofs will also provide filtration, mitigate storm water runoff and reduce air pollution.

While vertical farming is being studied elsewhere by "...Dr. Dickson Despommier, an environmental health scientist at Columbia University, his work reveals that for every one acre of indoor farming, four to six acres of outdoor land can be saved." While farming in the city keeps the food local and reduces transport pollution, the once-farmed land can be returned to natural habitats.

Dubai's Food City

As I have written about both Abu Dhabi's green roofs, and Los Angeles's edible green roof, Dubai has outdone both.

Inhabitat.com reports that Dubai, in coordination with green landscaping firm, GCLA, are going to build a "Food City," complete "...off-the-grid, self-sufficient metropolis." Taste the Purest Tea on the Planet – Organic and Fair Trade Certified Shop Numi Organic Tea

How does one do that in Dubai, one of driest climates on earth? The answer (starting with green roofs!):

"...atmospheric water harvesting, solar desalination through concentrated solar collectors, grey water recycling, and application of hydroponic sand to minimize water loss."

All of this requires significant electricity, which will done via solar collectors focused on towers. Water Barrels and Storage

I wish Dubai luck, though I feel the project may be a bit ambitious.

Beautiful and Edible Green Roof

Although this blog is dedicated to green roofs, I couldn't resist this piece about a green rooftop garden in Los Angeles called SynthE, on a building known as The Flat, which, by the way, is home to the famous restaurant, Blue Velvet.

Inhabitat.com reports in a story titled: "SYNTHe: An Urban Rooftop Garden Prototype in Los Angeles," by Haily Zaki, about this new green roof. $20 Off AeroGardens

The roof was designed by Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) professor Alexis Rochas. As one can see from the pictures, there are furrows which are filled with edible plants such as herbs, lettuces, etc.

Inhabitat explains that the garden will be maintained and enjoyed by both the residential tenets as well as the chefs and patrons of Blue Velvet. Additionally, the waste products from the garden and produce will be composted and returned to the garden.

Rochas's plan was to use the space to reduce the heating and cooling costs of structure, as well as better management of the storm water runoff this building produces. Instead of using regular soil, the garden uses a synthetic growing medium, which I assume is much like Suntory's Pafcal. FREE SHIPPING on orders over $50.00 at InhabitLiving.com

Here is another of picture of the roof without the plants. It is quite a sight and I hope it encourages Los Angeles property owners and developers to consider a green roof in the future.