Innovating Hydroponic Production Systems in Urban Vertical Agriculture

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The urban greenhouse has three patents granted in Mexico, allowing for sustainable and efficient vegetable cultivation with a 500% plant density, a 95% water consumption, and a 95% carbon footprint, reducing the distance between production and consumption.

Growing more plants to produce more nutritious and safe food in cities, consuming fewer resources. This is the goal of the Urban Greenhouse, developed with Ecodesign.

  • An external perimeter structure with vertical perimeter panels featuring lower and upper ventilation windows (air circulation) of adjustable height to support multi-tiered rows with one or two internal and external sides, with a variety of substrate bags to contain the plants to be produced.
  • A plurality of internal vertical modular panels oriented in a north-south row, which connect collinearly to have internal vertical walls arranged in rows and spaced apart, having lower and upper ventilation windows of adjustable height, to support multi-level rows of single- or double-sided bags of substrate to contain the plants.
  • Roof trusses with vertical connectors, horizontal and diagonal spacers, as well as diagonal tensioning elements, steel braces with fixing means for structural strength that connect the plurality of internal vertical modular panels to the perimeter walls of the structure to receive a translucent opaque cover, an anti-aphid mesh in the upper area, and a translucent upper cover of laminated plastic, polycarbonate, or glass, and defining upper vents for air recirculation, said vents having a minimum surface area of 20.0% of the greenhouse area with an anti-aphid mesh.
  • Anchoring and lower tensioning system for the structure that connects the bases of the vertical posts of the plurality of internal and external vertical modular panels.
  • Irrigation system to supply water with nutrient solutions, with individualized drip dosing to each of the plurality of substrate bags where the plant is grown, a tank with a pumping system, filtration, flow regulation valve, pressure gauges, and an ozonation system to eliminate microorganisms and pathogens.
  • Irrigation water recirculation system that captures runoff water in the lower area of the plurality of bags from the rows in multiple levels of bags on one or both sides of both the plurality of internal and perimeter vertical modular panels, conducting it to a network of horizontal gutters and vertical and horizontal pipes to the irrigation system tank for recirculation.

Producers acquire skills in the productive and labor fields, enabling them to develop economic activities aimed at ensuring their livelihoods and those of their families, with a labor energy consumption of 90%.

The hydroponics market in Mexico is driven by the preference for organic foods, innovation in hydroponic systems, and an increase in initiatives to develop the agricultural sector. The market size reached a value of approximately USD 52.17 million in 2023. The market is estimated to grow at a compound growth rate of 11.20% during the 2024-2032 period, reaching a value of USD 135.63 million in 2032.

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  • About the Entrant

  • Name:
    Luis Hector Alberto Martinez Ruanova
  • Type of entry:
    individual
  • Software used for this entry:
    AutoCAD