Airflow design for vertical farms: 5 tips

Added on 01 December 2023

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Airflow design for vertical farms: 5 tips

The pursuit of optimal crop yields and resource efficiency has led to groundbreaking innovations in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) facility design. The popularization of light-emitted diode (LED) fixtures in recent years has preceded a boom in vertical farming in both indoor and greenhouse environments. These tiered systems allow operators to maximize production by multiplying their cultivation canopy area.

One critical element that significantly influences the success of CEA operations leveraging vertical racking systems is airflow management. The efficient circulation and distribution of air within a cultivation facility play a pivotal role in maintaining optimal conditions for plant growth, health, and productivity.

Airflow design is an intricate process that interplays with lighting, irrigation, and environmental control systems. These tips will help CEA operators harness the full potential of vertical racking systems in CEA through improved airflow management.

Anders Peterson, Director of Horticulture at vertical and mobile racking system provider Pipp Horticulture, says one of the most common mistakes he sees at facilities he visits is operators, in an attempt to maximize revenues, “choking the room out” by not leaving space in front of, behind, and above the racks.

“No matter how many fans you put in that room, air is not going to mix and flow through that space when the canopy fills out,” he says. “You’ve just choked the room out with a giant hedge of vegetative plant material that no amount of airflow can penetrate.”