"When we set out to build the world's first underground farm, the first step was to define the key design criteria that would guide our decision-making process. Once we had defined the problem and started the engineering process, we were met with a series of challenges that kept us on our toes. In this blog post, I hope to present both our design drivers and challenges, as well as key updates from the last few months," writes greenforges on their blog.
The farm must ensure the safety of the personnel at all times as well as the hygiene of the plants inside.
Personnel: the farm is designed so that personnel has little interaction with the underground system during planting, harvesting, and in between. This is accomplished by automating the extraction and retraction of the grow modules, requiring only rail-protected on-surface contact.
Food: The farm is designed to ensure the health and hygiene of the plants while minimizing the risk of contamination or infestation. This is accomplished by incorporating food-grade components into all machine components, as well as sanitation and pest-control systems.
Read the complete article at www.greenforges.com.