This floating hydroponics farm helps bring fresh water closer to coastal metropolises so they can feed themselves. Using oceanic salt water, the aquatic greenhouse is ideal for growing urban areas that don't have a lot of room for agriculture. Created by German industrial designer Philipp Hutfless, the Vereos would ensure cities could feed their citizens.
Inspired by a trip to Tokyo, Hutfless wanted to ensure his invention used minimal energy and water to operate. The 42-square-foot Vereos recycles freshwater, is solar-powered and has shelving for growing vegetables inside. The less water-invasive hydroponics farm uses a reverse osmosis plant to push salt water at high pressure through a membrane to create fresh water instead.
This thesis project has also been entered into this year's James Dyson awards.
Floating Greenhouse Solutions
The Vereos Hydroponics Farm is Designed for Coastal Megacities
Trend Themes
1. Floating Greenhouse Solutions - The trend of floating greenhouse solutions offers disruptive innovation opportunities in sustainable urban agriculture by utilizing oceanic salt water for hydroponic farming in coastal megacities.
2. Urban Agriculture - The trend of urban agriculture presents disruptive innovation opportunities in addressing the food security challenges of densely populated cities with limited land resources, such as through the use of hydroponics and vertical farming.
3. Sustainable Food Systems - The trend of sustainable food systems provides disruptive innovation opportunities in developing innovative solutions for reducing water and energy consumption in agriculture, as demonstrated by the Vereos hydroponics farm.
Industry Implications
1. Agriculture - The agriculture industry can explore disruptive innovation opportunities in the development and implementation of floating greenhouse solutions for sustainable food production in coastal megacities.
2. Renewable Energy - The renewable energy industry can leverage disruptive innovation opportunities by integrating solar power systems into hydroponics farms, such as the Vereos, to enhance energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
3. Environmental Technology - The environmental technology industry can capitalize on disruptive innovation opportunities by creating advanced water purification systems, like reverse osmosis plants, to support sustainable farming practices in water-scarce regions.