Hydroponic Parking Garages

 

Hydroponic Parking Garages

Hydroponic Parking Garages, what are those? If you are familiar with hydroponic farming, you would understand that it is a technique used to grow any plant without using soil…. but this time it is in a public parking garage.

With the possibility of a driverless future, places where we store our cars, such as parking garages, will soon cease to serve a purpose. Also, with more people moving into urban cores there is more of a demand for access to fresh produce for consumption. This is a great opportunity to turn existing parking garages into urban farms. Imagine garage to table – fresh produce within an urban environment. Does this mean we can improve the access to fresh food for economically and agricultural disadvantaged communities?

As we move into a more advanced future, we must rethink how we efficiently develop and use our resources. With limited developable space and agricultural zoning restrictions, hydroponic parking garages may be one very good solution. Instead of spending thousands of dollars demolishing existing parking garages, why not repurpose them and give them new life; literally. Since hydroponic technology eliminates the need for soil, urban cores can benefit from having fresh produce in close proximity, reducing cost and the amount of time it takes to reach consumers. Food can be the sold to restaurants or at a farmer’s market, given to a local soup kitchen or church, the possibilities are endless. Hydroponic parking garages could possibly increase values of surrounding developments and provide a new revenue stream for the owner.

Idea: Rather Than spend millions of dollars to totally reposition a parking garage, building hydroponic farms in the vacant garages will create a much more affordable and immediate source of revenues for the building owner. If one were to plant basil and lettuce and sell wholesale to local stores the farm will provide around a 90% yield annually on the $115k starting cost.