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The project promises In 2011, the UA assumed ownership of One of those challenges is making large-scale
Biosphere 2. Now that the experimental world indoor farming efficient enough to be profitable.
to be a perfect is no longer sealed, the lungs will be used by Murat Kacira, a professor of agriculture and
Paul Hardej and Civic Farms. Hardej envisions biosystems engineering at the CEAC, says that
marriage between the domed structure stacked high with racks water use can be 10 or 15 times more efficient in
of vegetables — more than 20,000 square feet controlled environments compared with open
the UA’s controlled- of them — arugula and kale and lettuce, all farm fields. That kind of efficiency affects more
flourishing in nutrient-rich water under the than the bottom line. “[Controlled-environment
environment powerful glow of LED lights. agriculture] could become a primary alternative
If all goes as planned, the project not only in locations where people might be really
expertise and the will be a commercially viable farming operation, challenged in terms of access to a clean supply of
with produce selling in Tucson and Phoenix, water, a power supply or other materials needed
business savvy of but also will provide invaluable, hands-on for food production.”
training for students through the UA’s Controlled “We’re not saying that food grown under
Civic Farms. Environment Agriculture Center (CEAC). Up to controlled-environment conditions is going to
half of the lungs’ space will be devoted to its be the sole source of food production to feed the
research projects. ever-increasing population,” Kacira continues.
The project promises to be a perfect marriage “But we are saying that this would be a
between the university’s controlled-environment technology platform to help provide food needed
expertise and the business savvy of Civic Farms. by people, while optimally using resources.”
“We are a unique group of entrepreneurs,” Hardej Under the agreement, Civic Farms will lease
says of his company, “one of the few groups that the space at the Biosphere for $15,000 per year.
has actual experience in designing, building and In return, the company will pledge $1 million to
operating vertical farms. Our real-life experience upgrade the facility and another $250,000 to hire
gave us the idea that we need to solve some of the student researchers. The students will operate
problems with partners, rather than on our own.” under the auspices of the CEAC, and the project
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