Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture · 2012 · 96 citations · 22 references
EngineeringAgricultural EngineeringSustainable AgricultureCrop ProductionGreenhouse EngineeringLife Cycle AssessmentEnergy Efficiency In GreenhousesGreenhouse Crop Production SystemsGreenhouse DesignPackaging Of VegetablesSustainable PackagingAgricultural Production AssessmentEnvironmental Impact MitigationGreenhouse Tomato ProductionProduct Life Cycle AssessmentRooftop Crop ProductionSustainable CitiesSustainable Greenhouse DesignSustainable Greenhouse Production
Urban growth increases food transport, prompting agro‑urban systems such as rooftop greenhouses to integrate production into buildings. The study quantifies and compares the environmental impact of the existing linear supply chain with a rooftop greenhouse system using a life‑cycle assessment of tomato production. The authors performed a life‑cycle assessment of tomato production in a rooftop greenhouse versus the conventional linear system. The assessment indicates that the rooftop greenhouse cuts per‑kilogram environmental impacts by 44.4–75.5%, lowers energy demand by up to 73.5%, and achieves savings from packaging reuse (55.4–85.2%), transport minimization (7.6–15.6%), and reduced product loss (7.3–37%), positioning RTGs as a strategic factor for low‑carbon Mediterranean cities, with Barcelona projected to save 66.1 t CO₂eq ha⁻¹ and 71.03 t ha⁻¹ by avoiding woodland conversion. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.
Abstract BACKGROUND: As urban populations increase so does the amount of food transported to cities worldwide, and innovative agro‐urban systems are being developed to integrate agricultural production into buildings; for example, by using roof top greenhouses (RTGs). This paper aims to quantify and compare, through a life cycle assessment, the environmental impact of the current linear supply system with a RTG system by using a case study for the production of tomatoes. RESULTS: The main results indicate that a change from the current linear system to the RTG system could result in a reduction, per kilogram of tomatoes (the functional unit), in the range of 44.4–75.5% for the different impact categories analysed, and savings of up to 73.5% in energy requirements. These savings are associated with re‐utilisation of packaging systems (55.4–85.2%), minimisation of transport requirements (7.6–15.6%) and reduction of the loss of product during transportation and retail stages (7.3–37%). CONCLUSIONS: The RTG may become a strategic factor in the design of low‐carbon cities in Mediterranean areas. Short‐term implementation in the city of Barcelona could result in savings of 66.1 tonnes of CO 2 eq. ha −1 when considering the global warming potential, and of 71.03 t ha −1 when considering that the transformation from woodland to agricultural land is avoided. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
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G. Psacharopoulos · Acta physiologica scandinavica. Supplementum · 1992 · 450 citations
Green facades—a view back and some visions
Manfred Köhler · Urban Ecosystems · 2008 · 397 citations
Architecture, Architectural Engineering, Building Science +10