The vertical farm is designed to be sustainable, and to enable nearby inhabitants to work at the farm.
The extra cost of lighting, heating, and powering the vertical farm may negate any of the cost benefits received by the decrease in transportation expenses.
These horticultural building systems evolved from greenhouse technology, and paved the way for the modern concept of the vertical farm.
Because vertical farming provides a controlled environment, the productivity of vertical farms would be mostly independent of weather and protected from extreme weather events.
Vertical farms (in addition to "in vitro" meat facilities) could exploit methane digesters to generate a small portion of its own electrical needs.
By 2001 the first outline of a vertical farm was introduced and today scientists, architects, and investors worldwide are working together to make the concept of vertical farming a reality.
