Technology like LED grow lights are contributing to rapid growth in the utilization of abandoned structures to build high-yield indoor vertical farms.
Growing tomatoes in an old storage container? How about cannabis cultivated in the old factory at the edge of town where companies previously churned out automotive parts? Imagine a future where most of your produce was grown indoors. This process often includes a system called vertical farming, where crops are stacked vertically in rows inside empty warehouses, skyscrapers, or any other buildings that are no longer used for their original purpose.
Vertical horticulture facilities continue to surge globally as farmers of all types of crops, from tomatoes and lettuce to cannabis, move their operations indoors. These farms capitalize on the benefits of a climate-controlled environment that offers reduced pest control investment and less labor and required water. Often constructed inside abandon old manufacturing facilities or in derelict mines, these indoor farms are impervious to seasonal changes – allowing for year-round production of crops.
Light is essential for crop growth, and while fluorescent was the original lighting source of voice for indoor farms years ago, the light-emitting-diode (LED) is now the primary source in most indoor farms. Artificial lighting not only expands the number of hours that plants can be exposed to light when using LEDs, but the light also produces little heat plus a variable color spectrum that can significantly improve plant health and yield. Providing light in spectrums at 450, 660, and 730 nm, LED grow lights are optimal for all vegetation types while enabling adjustment for the best light for individual crops.
LED grow lights optimize the production of the crops and reduce energy consumption costs by 35-50% over traditional light sources like fluorescent and HPS. LED also gives off little heat, reducing the cost of climate control for indoor vertical farming operations.
The IQ Sky is a 6-bar light fixture designed for vertical systems, with various installation settings for your unique indoor growing structure. This powerful, full-spectrum light source is intended for full-term plant growth from the vegetative stage to the higher light required in the bloom stage.
