Designing an Aquaponic Greenhouse for an Urban Food

vi

Table of Contents

Abstract ............................................................................................................................................iii

Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................................... iv

Authorship ............................................................................................................................................ v

Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................ vi

Table of Tables ............................................................................................................................................ ix

Table of Figures ........................................................................................................................................... ix

Table of Equations .......................................................................................................................................x

Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................. xi

I.i Introduction .................................................................................................................................... xi

I.ii Aquaponic Growing Systems and their Potential to Contribute to Urban Food Security ............... xii

I.iii Methods .................................................................................................................................... xiii

Assessing the Stakeholder’s Needs ................................................................................... xiv

Understanding Aquaponic Greenhouse Systems and Evaluating Design Options ............. xiv

Designing the Greenhouse System ..................................................................................... xv

Building Out Prototype Aquaponic Growing System ......................................................... xvi

I.iv Findings ..................................................................................................................................... xvi

Stakeholder’s Needs .......................................................................................................... xvi

Design Considerations ....................................................................................................... xvi

I.v Proposed Aquaponic Greenhouse Design ..................................................................................... xxi

The Greenhouse Structure ................................................................................................ xxi

The Aquaponic Growing System...................................................................................... xxiii

Operating Schedule ......................................................................................................... xxvi

The Prototype Aquaponic System .................................................................................. xxvii

I.vi Conclusion and Recommendations ....................................................................................... xxviii

Chapter 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1

Chapter 2 Background ......................................................................................................................... 3

2.1 Food Security and Urban Food Production ................................................................................. 3

2.1.1 Urban Food Production ....................................................................................................... 3

2.1.2 Food Production in and around Worcester ......................................................................... 5

2.2 Aquaponics as an Approach to Urban Food Production .............................................................. 5

2.2.1 Biological & Nutrient Cycles in Aquaponic Systems ............................................................ 7

2.2.2 Benefits of Aquaponics........................................................................................................ 7

2.2.3 How common is Aquaponics in the United States and the North East? .............................. 8

2.2.4 Markets in the United States............................................................................................... 8

2.2.5 The Greenhouse Initiative ................................................................................................... 9

2.3 Aquaponic Greenhouse Design ................................................................................................. 10

2.3.1 Greenhouse Structure ....................................................................................................... 10