The thesis analyzes the feasibility of the business plan of the new model of production and distribution of vegetables. It is an idea to run a modern greenhouse farm on the roof of a hypermarket. In this greenhouse we grown intensively year-round vegetables as tomatoes or peppers and then sell it to the underlying hypermarket, where final consumers can buy it without any other intermediaries.

With our ever increasing global population it will be necessary for dense urban environments to develop methods of farming locally. Not only will urban agriculture be beneficial in aiding in the solution of this growing populations need for food production, but it can help to reconnect us to our food and their processes. This dissertation explores the education and reconnection of the public with the food production cycle through the experience of building integrated agriculture, vermiculture and aquaponic systems (cultivating plants and fish symbiotically). Pretoria’s Apies River is an ideal location for the establishment of a research facility of urban ecosystemic food production. The proposed urban agriculture program will allow for hands on research and development of emerging methods and technologies related to farming in the city environment while providing a platform for public education through interaction&inspiration. / Dissertation (MArch(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Architecture / unrestricted

Vårt jordklots klimat förändras till det sämre och har blivit allt mer oförutsägbart. Med enormt stor sannolikhet beror det på den utbredda förbränningen av fossila bränslen världen över som vi människor startade explosionsartat i och med industrialismen. Detta fastställer IPCC i sin 5:e klimatrapport. För att mänskligheten ska leva vidare på planeten behöver vi uppnå en hållbar utveckling. Denna utveckling grundar sig först och främst i tre aspekter nämligen ekonomisk, ekologisk och social hållbarhet. En etisk aspekt ser även ut att vara på väg att ansluta till de övriga tre, vilket skulle främja den sociala aspekten som varit underordnad de övriga två. Etiken skulle därmed kunna balansera begreppet hållbar utveckling. Matindustrin är inte hållbar. Ett industrialiserat jordbruk innehållandes konstgödsel, bekämpningsmedel i form av olika gifter samt genmodifierade grödor är inte hälsosamt varken för djur, natur eller människor för den delen. Eftersom det är en global industri sker transporter hit och dit över hela världen, vilket leder till att snittlivsmedlet i matvaruaffären transporteras cirka 2 400 kilometer från jordbruk till konsument. Antagligen är transporten ännu längre på grund av varors komplexa sammansättning. Många människor har i och med detta system fått ett dåligt förhållande till mat, och dess roll i våra liv är inte lika påtaglig som förr. De långa transporterna tillsammans med framställningen kräver offantliga mängder olja, vilket gör att vi rent av kan sägas äta denna svarta klibbiga sörja dagligen. Nästan åtta fat behövs för att föda en amerikan under ett år. De flesta länder världen över importerar huvuddelen av sin mat, vilket leder till en skörhet och utsatthet för dagens städer och länder. Om matindustrins leveranser skulle upphöra har de flesta västerländska storstäder mat till sina invånare som räcker för tre dagar. Var och en kan njuta av nio måltider, levererade från matvarubutikernas lager, innan den riktiga krisen bryter ut. På grund av sinande bränsleresurser kan det bli svårare att importera mat i framtiden, vilket gör att lokal produktion av mat inom våra städer är nödvändig. Vad kan då stadsodling lära stadsplaneringen för ökad samhällelig hållbarhet? Stadsodlandet är på stark frammarsch, främst i USA, Kanada, Storbritannien och Västeuropa. På sista tiden har stadsodlandet även fått ett uppsving i Sverige med positiv respons i media. Föreningsdrivna stadsodlingar gör anspråk på outnyttjade områden i städer och sluter vanligtvis avtal med kommuner. Dessa dyker upp här och där i landet och utgör ett alternativ till det mer traditionella odlandet på koloni- och odlingslotter i staden. Dessa har inget större ekonomiskt vinstintresse utan odlar för gemenskapens skull och för att de är trötta på att vara industriella ätare. Med ett pedagogiskt syfte vill föreningarna stärka de förlorade mänskliga sambanden mellan land och stad. Andra typer av stadsodlingar dyker även upp där verksamheten är mer företagsbaserad, vilket i störst utsträckning sker utomlands. Det har även börjat odlats på tak samt görs experiment på hur grödor kan odlas inomhus genom vertikal odling, antingen i futuristiska höghus av glas eller i övergivna befintliga byggnader. Grundidén för dessa vertikala inomhusodlingar bygger på att skapa slutna självförsörjande kretsloppssystem med innovativa, smarta och högteknologiska metoder. Drivkrafterna bakom stadsodlingsinitiativen grundar sig i klimatfrågan, en ohållbar matindustri, att minska transportbehovet och att på nytt stärka relationen mellan landsbygd och stad. Jag är övertygad om att jag med detta arbete har fått smygtitta in i framtiden när det handlar om att föda jordens växande storstadsbefolkningar. Det som är bäst lämpat för Sverige är de föreningsdrivna stadsodlingarna som först och främst bidrar med social hållbarhet. Ekologisk hållbarhet erhålls självklart också, och även ekonomisk om stadsodlandet får fäste och utvecklas. Den ekonomiska hållbarheten kommer inte först utan sker på sikt genom jobbskapande och stadsodlingens övriga positiva externaliteter. Jag har tillsammans med min handledare på Stockholm stad funnit den mest lämpliga placeringen och organisationsformen för en stadsodling på ett framtida idrottshallstak i Hjorthagen. Stadsdelen är den första delen som byggs av Norra Djurgårdsstaden som är tänkt att bli en klimatneutral stadsdel och ett spjutspetsområde när det handlar om hållbarhet. Med tanke på detta behövs stadsodling med produktion av ekologiska närodlade grönsaker. Det stadsodlingskoncept som jag framtagit kan stärka stadsodlingstänkande i planeringen av Norra Djurgårdsstaden. Trots denna placering, i en central stadsdel i Stockholm, är det inte här stadsodlandet gör störst nytta. Det är nämligen i miljonprogrammens förorter, där land möter stad, som odlandet i dagsläget i Sverige kan göra störst samhällsekonomisk nytta. Här bor ofta samhällets mest socialt utsatta och stadsodlingar kan få enormt stora konsekvenser och positiva följdeffekter i dessa områden. De kan bland annat främja integrationen. Stadsodling kan lära stadsplanering att på grund av klimatförändringar och en ohållbar matindustri är framtidens städer i behov av att i större utsträckning planeras med maten i åtanke. Denna planering skapar en nödvändig ”food security” och behöver ledas från politisk nivå där även näringslivet och allmänheten deltar för dialogskapande, vilket är A och O för att uppnå hållbar utveckling. Alla varianter av stadsodling bidrar på sitt sätt till en hållbar stadsutveckling och tillsammans kan de ge effekter för samtliga hållbarhetsaspekter. Genom möjligheter att på ett hållbart sätt föda världens framtida urbana befolkning, i samverkan med krafter att dela på saker, kan stadsodling bidra till minskad klimatpåverkan. En sak är säker. Att låta matindustrin fortsätta förse oss med mat som vanligt, samtidigt som vi fortsätter med dagens konsumtionssamhälle, går inte. / Earth´s climate is getting worse and has become more unpredictable. It is extremely likely that this change occure due to the widespread burning of fossil fuels around the world, which humans started explosively through industrialization. IPCC determines this statement in their 5: Th climate report. If humanity intends to continue living on this planet we need to achieve a sustainable development. This development is based first and foremost on three aspects namly economical, ecological and social sustainability. An ethical aspect also seems to be on it´s way connecting to the other three, which would foster the social aspect that has been subaltern the other two. Ethics should by that be able to balance the term sustainable development. The food industry is not sustainable. An industrial agriculture consisting of fertilizers, pesticides and genetically modified crops are not healthy for neither animal, nature nor people. Since the industry is global transportation takes place all over the world. These transportations makes the average grocery product travel 1 500 miles from agriculture to consumer. This distance is probably longer due to the complexity of contents in grocerys. Many people have, thanks to this system, a bad relationship to food and its role in our lives is not what it used to be. Long transportation systems together with processing requires for prodigious amounts of oil, which makes us literarly eating oil. Almost eight oil drums are needed to feed an average American each year. Most of the countries worldwide are importing the majority of there food, which leads to fragility and vulnerability when considering today's cities and countries. If food industry shipments would cease most of the major western cities face food storages enough to feed their residents for three days. Everyone can enjoy nine meals before the real crisis erupts. Because of dwindling fuel resources there might be more difficult to import food in the future, which makes local food production within our cities nessessary. What can urban farming teach urban planning for increased social sustainability? Urban farming is gaining ground, especially in USA, Canada, Great Britain and Western Europe.   Lately urban farming has experienced a boost in Sweden as well, with positive respons in the media. Associations that runs community farms claims unused areas in cities and usually contracts are closed with municipalities. They pop up here and there around the country and represent an alternative to the more traditional cultivation on allotments. These farming associations have no major interest in economic profits, instead thay farm for a more solidary community and because they are tired of being industrial eaters. With an educational purpose these associations wants to strengthen the lost human conections between land and city. Different sorts of urban farming also takes place where operations are more business based, which mainly occurs abroad. Rooftops are also, since some years, more frequently used for farming. Another interesting movement is vertical farming that takes place inside, either in futuristic skyscrapers of glas or in existing abandoned buildings. The main idea for these vertical indoor farms is closed self-sufficient systems based on innovative, smart and high technology methods. The main forces behind urban farming initiatives are the climate issue, an unsustainable food industry, to decrease the need of transportation and to once again strengthen the relationship between urban and rural areas. I am convinced that this project has let me take a look at a future way to feed the world’s rapid growing urban population. The most suitable way for urban farming in Sweden is community farms runed by associations, which primarily contributes to social sustainability. Ecological sustainability is obviously a result as well and if urban farming is here to stay we will also get economical sustainability. This last aspect will not occur immediately but instead happen in a longer perspective thanks to positive externalities evolved from urban farming. Together with my supervisor at Stockholm municipality has the best location for a community farm been located on a future gym rooftop in Hjortagen. This neighbourhood is the first part being built of the Stockholm Royal Seaport, which is supposed to be climate neutral and a leading-edge area when it comes to sustainability. Considering this urban farming is needed, with ecological localy produced vegetables. I have created an urban farming concept which can strengthen how planners think of urban farming in the future planning of Stockholm Royal Seaport. Despite this location close to the city center this is not the place where urban farming creates greatest benefits. The greatest socio-economic benefits are instead created in “Miljonprogrammets” suburbs, where land meets city. Societies most disadvantaged are often living here, which opens possibilities for urban farming to create major positive consequent effects in these areas. It can for instance promote integration. Urban farming can teach urban planning that due to climate change and an unsustainable food industry cities are in a greater need to be planned having food in mind. This planning creates food security and needs to be led through politics where also private businesses and public participation are important actors to promote dialogue, which is nessessary for reaching sustainable development. All urban farming initiatives contribute in their own way to sustainable cities and together they can have an effect on every aspect of sustainability. The opportunities to in a sustainable way feed the world´s future population, together with forces of sharing, urban farming can reduce climate change. One thing is for sure. Allowing the food industry to continue to deliver us food as usual, and at the same time consume as we do today, is not possible.

Urban agriculture in post-industrial countries is commonly represented in form of shared community gardens or individual gardening lots. However, within the last years, an increasing number of commercial urban farming enterprises around the globe have started their operations. While recreational projects have received much attention, the commercial and entrepreneurial remained mainly uninvestigated. Using a grounded theory approach, this explorative dissertation aims to contribute to an understanding of farming as a new urban profession and the motivation of commercial urban farmers (CUFs) to grow in the city, rather than the countryside. Based on ten semi-standardized in-depth interviews, this study reveals first, that CUFs merge the commonly rural occupation of farming and their desire for autonomic labor with the urban lifestyle as self-made growers, without significant relevant personal or educational background in farming, using alternative growing techniques. Second, the study finds two CUF categories: urbanists, who perceive themselves as actors in sustainable urban development and pursue urban growing activities to contribute to this target; and bargainers, who regard urban growing as a means to an end to progress to small-scale rural agriculture. This suggests that CUFs must engage in inner negotiations between their economic capabilities, the geographic location, and the more society oriented visions they commit themselves to. This research conceptualizes urban farming as tool to fulfill not only food and sustainability goals, but that could also function as basis for sustainable small-scale growing in the countryside.

In Europe, 45% of vegetables and fruit have been lost before consumption. The main reason for the loss is suboptimal food, which is perfect based on safety and security but imperfect according to appearance or packaging. In this project, I want to find out new possibilities in urban development by suggesting a participative food supply chain.  It aims to inspire a paradigm of urban development and shift people’s attitudes towards suboptimal food. The participative supply chain includes food production, distribution, and retail/consumption. By participating in the food supply, residents and visitors can understand how the food system works, grow their food and help with food processing. With interaction and collaboration workers, they can value more about the food they consume and even change their eating patterns.

The goal of this work is to join the area of Ponava to the structure of the city, to envive the area and finally topresenr Ponava as the place more than suitable for living working and recreation.

Energiförsörjningsteknologier behöver avanceras, oberoende av var i världen och i vilket syfte. Fossila bränslen bidrar till kraftiga växthusgasutsläpp när de förbränns och kretsloppet för dessa råvaror är en långsam process. Biogas är en av möjligheterna till utveckling då denna teknik i många fall kan använda råvaror mer tillgängliga för utvinning än de fossila, vilket möjliggör lokala energilösningar som kan bidra till att minska transporter, men framförallt mindre klimatpåverkande utsläpp. Detta då biogasens energikapacitet ligger i just mängden metan som gasen innehåller, vilket medför att teknologins utveckling strävar mot att ta tillvara på så mycket av denna växthusgas som möjligt, samtidigt som den stora biprodukten, koldioxid, är grön och ej bidrar till ökad växthuseffekt.Syftet med denna rapport är att bidra till utvecklingen av småskalig biogasproduktion, som idag ej är tillräckligt utvecklad för att kunna erbjuda självklara alternativ i situationer som har en god potential. Dessa situationer uppstår i exempelvis gårdsmiljöer där mycket avfall genereras i form av gödsel och jordbruksrester som är en utmärkt råvara för biogasproduktion. Men biogasanläggningar är idag optimerade för storskaliga verksamheter, som avloppsverk där stora volymer kommunalt avfall från hela städer hanteras. Mindre biogasanläggningar får problem med lönsamheten då volymerna idag är kraftigt kopplade till biogasavkastningen, men problem uppstår även vid drift och service av själva anläggningen då dessa är långt ifrån standardiserade och oftast platsbyggts för ändamålet.Biogas på ännu mindre skala, exempelvis i situationer med vanligt hushållsavfall har även det en potential då det i hushållen idag förbrukas väldigt mycket livsmedel, vatten och energi som med ett mer slutet kretslopp kan ta tillvara på mer resurser och på så sätt kan minska sitt ekologiska fotavtryck. Detta ledde till frågeställningen om hur det med en odling-och gårdsverksamhet kan, med hjälp av biogas, produceras en tillräcklig mängd mat och energi för att försörja ett hushåll.Arbetet inleddes med en litteraturstudie för att sammanställa data över viktiga parametrar och relevant bakgrundsinformation då mycket antaganden och schablonvärden behövde användas. Varje komponent i systemet fick input- och outputvärden gällande yta, energi, vatten m.fl. för att tillslut kunna uppskatta en landareal tillräcklig för matförsörjning, med eller utan energibalans.Resultaten från denna rapport visade att redan vid 593 m2 kunde ett hushålls matproduktion och förbrukning försörjas i ett år. Vidare utfördes en känslighetsanalys på viktiga variabler för att uppskatta hur ett framtida arbete med frågan bör utformas. / Around the world, energy supplying technologies need to advance regardless of its purpose of use. Burning of fossil fuels are the number one source of increase in greenhouse effect and its lifecycle is too long to be an option for the future. One of the more sustainable options is the production and use of biogas which utilizes more convenient resources like sewage waste, manure and domestic waste. This enables more local energy solutions and reduces the need for transport, but also contributes far less to the elevation and concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The main component is methane which is also a potent greenhouse gas, but methane is also the one thing that is combustible in the gas and therefore the technology advances in utilizing more and more of this and reducing the loss fractions.Therefore, the purpose of this report is to contribute in the development of small-scale biogas production since most of the operating conditions today are optimized for large scale plants like sewage treatment plants, which handles much larger volumes of waste from whole towns and regions. The smaller scale operations are often in farm environments that have a lot of raw materials and wastes from their daily operations like manure and crop residues. Today these sizes struggle with profitability since biogas yield is strongly linked to production volume, and often maintenance becomes a problem because of on-site builds.The potential of biogas production is even located in smaller operations like household and domestic environments, mainly because of the high fraction of waste that originates in these sectors of society. Food waste and sewage are two important fractions that are being utilized today but mainly in scientific efforts or large-scale operations. This led to the question of how these two smaller-scale situations could work together, and how production of biogas could aid in becoming self-sufficient in food and energy consumption.The report started off with an overview of the literature on the subjects to help create a foundation for the many assumptions and template calculations that were required to model this situation. Each component in the system where given input- and output variables regarding energy, water and spacing required. This was then used to model a total area where it could take place.The results showed that already at 593 m2 you could grow enough food for a household to be self-sufficient for a year. This was without concern of energy usage which led to exceeding costs at about 540 000 SEK yearly, with a self-sufficiency rate of about 31 %. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis was conducted on a few selected variables that was considered more uncertain which showed a variance in both total area and heating costs.

No description available.

In the late twentieth century, global economic forces changed the face of many North American cities. Cities which were built upon industry, that had provided both job certainty and economic vitality, faced questions of survival in response to shrinking population and urban blight. Unprepared for these drastic changes and unable to address them survival gave way to resignation. Buffalo, New York is an example of a once successful and vital city that continues to experience de-population due to the collapse of its industries. The collapse not only created economic repercussions but also effected the city’s built environment. Many of the Buffalo’s urban monuments, testaments to the ambition of the city, now sit empty; as do the working class neighbourhoods that surround them. The Thesis examines the role which architecture can play in understanding, strategizing and re-envisioning the life of deteriorating cities. Focusing on the City of Buffalo, the design centers on the New York Central Terminal. It proposes a radical repurposing of the Terminal to create a new urban hub which will spur the re-building of the city’s urban fabric. The design outlines a staged 25 year strategy for the de-construction of sparse areas and the strengthening of critical urban networks, thus creating a strong framework upon which a new physical fabric for the city can build and develop overtime. The Terminal, once a significant rail hub is re-envisioned as a revitalized hub for the new city. A key connective point within this urban framework, it encapsulates a variety of program moved from the surrounding neighbourhood to the site. The Terminal will act as an architectural catalyst for change, working within the larger urban strategy to spur a natural re-growth and densification of the city. The thesis presents the radical re-thinking of the architect’s role in the twenty-first century. As current economies and industries face change the urban climate is adapting from one of constant growth to one of strategic re-use. Skeletons of once successful cities lay across the North American landscape. Their urban artifacts: the grain mill, steel manufacturing plant and rail yards, which once supported whole cities as both providers of employment and definers of cultural identity, now stand as empty reminders of a prosperous past. The Thesis shows how these buildings , like the New York Central Terminal can be given a renewed cultural significance and powerful roles within the revived urban life of their cities.

In the late twentieth century, global economic forces changed the face of many North American cities. Cities which were built upon industry, that had provided both job certainty and economic vitality, faced questions of survival in response to shrinking population and urban blight. Unprepared for these drastic changes and unable to address them survival gave way to resignation. Buffalo, New York is an example of a once successful and vital city that continues to experience de-population due to the collapse of its industries. The collapse not only created economic repercussions but also effected the city’s built environment. Many of the Buffalo’s urban monuments, testaments to the ambition of the city, now sit empty; as do the working class neighbourhoods that surround them. The Thesis examines the role which architecture can play in understanding, strategizing and re-envisioning the life of deteriorating cities. Focusing on the City of Buffalo, the design centers on the New York Central Terminal. It proposes a radical repurposing of the Terminal to create a new urban hub which will spur the re-building of the city’s urban fabric. The design outlines a staged 25 year strategy for the de-construction of sparse areas and the strengthening of critical urban networks, thus creating a strong framework upon which a new physical fabric for the city can build and develop overtime. The Terminal, once a significant rail hub is re-envisioned as a revitalized hub for the new city. A key connective point within this urban framework, it encapsulates a variety of program moved from the surrounding neighbourhood to the site. The Terminal will act as an architectural catalyst for change, working within the larger urban strategy to spur a natural re-growth and densification of the city. The thesis presents the radical re-thinking of the architect’s role in the twenty-first century. As current economies and industries face change the urban climate is adapting from one of constant growth to one of strategic re-use. Skeletons of once successful cities lay across the North American landscape. Their urban artifacts: the grain mill, steel manufacturing plant and rail yards, which once supported whole cities as both providers of employment and definers of cultural identity, now stand as empty reminders of a prosperous past. The Thesis shows how these buildings , like the New York Central Terminal can be given a renewed cultural significance and powerful roles within the revived urban life of their cities.