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Vertical Future has partnered with Vertical Farm Systems (VFS), a new company established to work on Singapore’s Advanced Vertical Farming (SAVE) project.
The SAVE Farming project will fuel Vertical Future’s research and will be a key step in the company’s contribution to the “30 by 30” initiative. The initiative is the Singapore government’s aim to produce 30% of the food consumed in Singapore domestically – of which more than 90% is currently imported. Vertical farming and optimized food production will be vital to ensure increased food supply with reduced environmental impact and land use.
VFS is a subsidiary of HSL, an experienced infrastructure construction company focusing on water, energy, food and environmental infrastructure projects in Asia. With more than 1,000 employees and a 28-year history, HSL brings significant infrastructure and high-level engineering experience, knowledge and expertise to VFS and will be a critical part of the SAVE Farming project. The project was funded by both Innovate UK and Enterprise Singapore (ESG) to expand research and development (R&D) links between the two countries.
By focusing on the development and application of improved water recycling and air cooling technology, SAVE Farming aims to dramatically improve the energy performance of vertical farms, especially in challenging climates in countries such as Singapore. The introduction of these technologies is crucial, given the recent increases in the cost of energy, water and consumables. SAVE farming will develop a supplement to Vertical Future’s advanced vertical farming systems to further reduce the amount of energy and water needed to produce crops. By combining different approaches, the project will also reduce vertical farming’s reliance on heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC). The combined efficiencies achieved within the SAVE Farming project have the potential to reduce production costs by up to 30% compared to current benchmarks, making quality crops more affordable.
The new, fully integrated system will be tested and deployed on two farms in two different climates. The first is at Vertical Future’s research and development center in London, and the second is in Singapore, located at HSL’s “AgriHub”, where the two parties have already committed to building a farm for commercial production. During the early development of the system, the UK team will focus on the use and uptake of nutrients before integration with existing Vertical Future systems, after which parallel trials with the Singapore team will continue.
The crops in the scope of the project will be full size spinach, Pak Choi, Baium, Basil, Coriander and Shiso, which represent the crop types popular in Singapore. Non-indigenous varieties, such as basil, are currently imported from Europe, and others are imported from surrounding countries such as Vietnam.
The project will be instrumental in accelerating the deployment of vertical farming systems in Asia and help drive sustainable food production globally.
Jamie Burrows, CEO and founder of Vertical Future, said: “We are extremely excited to be working with HSL, through VFS, to enhance aspects of our system offering, while also addressing specific issues in Singapore and the wider ASEAN region. This collaboration is designed to encourage the deployment of improved integrated systems across the ASEAN region, including large-scale farms in Singapore. This will be crucial if Singapore is to meet its ’30 by 30′ target. The support of ESG and Innovate UK is a huge confidence in Vertical Future’s proprietary hardware and software and its continued evolution. Vertical Future looks forward to working with VFS and deepening our relationship to advance the global vertical farming industry and collaborate with the wider CEA industry.”
Charles Kuek, CEO of HSL and VFS, said: “The SAVE Agriculture project between Vertical Future and VFS is a major step in Singapore’s agricultural history. energy and water efficient system, will help us move towards a more sustainable future. We look forward to continuing our journey with Vertical Future and starting to build our collaborative commercial production farm to further improve local food security.”
For more information:
The vertical future 
www.verticalfuture.com
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