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Argus Controls Webinar | Preventative Maintenance and Environmental Controls in the Greenhouse

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on . Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

Argus Controls Webinar — 

Indoor Ag-Con exhibitor Argus Controls  invites you to watch our “Preventative Maintenance and Environmental Controls in the Greenhouse” webinar that took place on September 18.

 

The panel of experts explain how an environmental control system can help growers in getting ahead of potential issues with their equipment. In addition, viewers can learn how automated greenhouse control systems can help optimize the equipment to make your processes as consistent and efficient as possible.

Some key topics discussed:

  • The importance of risk management and planning ahead in the greenhouse for extreme weather seasons/conditions
  • The relevance of understanding the equipment in your facility to make the most out of it
  • The impact and benefits of preventative maintenance in your greenhouse
  • The best time to perform a system audit
  • How can having a greenhouse automation system can help with preventative maintenance and system audits

For more information visit Argus Controls 

 

 

 

 

 

HortAmericas Short Course Online | Vertical Farming Systems – November 21, 2020

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on . Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

HortAmericas invites you to learn all the important aspects of growing plants in its upcoming short course,  VERTICAL FARMING SYSTEMS,  on November 21, 2020. From hydroponic growing system selection, use of artificial lighting to environmental control of all key variables in vertical farming systems. This is your time to master the use of artificial lighting!

Instructor: M.S. Karla Garcia

– Hort Americas Technical Service
– Master in Plant Sciences from The University of Arizona
– Recognition by ISHS in strawberry hydroponic research
– Editor: Book Roadmap to Growing Leafy Greens and Herbs
– CEO at Microgreens FLN

Saturday, November 21, 2020
Schedule: 10:00 AM TO 12:00 PM (Central Time)
Platform: ZOOM US
Price: $50 US

Once you have registered, HortAmericas will make contact to provide access to our LIVE session!

Course Content includes:
  • Plant factory: Advantages in yield and production
  • Hydroponics in vertical farming systems
    a) NFT
    b) DFT
    c) Ebb and flow
  • Leafy greens production (Lettuce, herbs, microgreens)
  • Understanding artificial lighting
    a) Light quality
    b) Light quantity
    c) Light calculations for vertical farming systems
  • Environmental control in plant factory
    a) Air flow
    b) Gas exchange
    c) Temperature
    d) Humidity
  • Advice in sales and product selection

Questions? send us an email at technicalservice@hortamericas.com if you have any further questions!

Hoogendoorn Introduces IIVO

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on . Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

Indoor Ag-Con Exhibitor News From Hoogendoorn Growth ManagementIndoor Ag-Con Exhibitor News Hoogendoorn: October 8, 2020, Hoogendoorn Growth Management organized an exclusive launch event to launch its biggest innovation yet: IIVO. Not just a new all-in-one process computer, IIVO is a next level climate computer.

Complexity made easy

IIVO provides smart technology for greenhouse growers. A combination of smart software and state of the art hardware. This truly unique system is capable of monitoring, controlling and maintaining any greenhouse. Allowing you to grow more, at higher quality while using minimal resources. Not only is the system highly effective, it is also extremely efficient and sustainable, generating maximum results. Whether you were born in a greenhouse, or never been in one. With self-learning controls and integrated security, it is undoubtedly the future of horticulture, and the first step towards automated growing.

Effortless growth

IIVO constantly and consistently monitors every aspect of your greenhouse environment, including climate conditions, irrigation and energy management. But the system is capable of so much more. The system collects and archives data to create a complete and holistic overview of the conditions inside your greenhouse. IIVO can then be used as an advanced control computer to determine the specific needs of your crop at any given moment.

Crop-specific approach

At the core of IIVO are the principles of Plant Empowerment: a unique cultivation method combining plant physiology and physics. An optimal balance of energy, water and assimilates creates stronger, healthier crops that are less susceptible to pests and diseases. A crop-specific approach that gives every crop exactly what it needs.

Data Driven Growing

IIVO is designed to allow the further implementation of Data Driven Growing. Combining powerful algorithms, data from the growing environment and plant physiology, allowing you to make the best decisions for your plants. The continuous flow of data collected during cultivation generates real-time insights into the conditions within your greenhouse and the health of your plants. Insights that can be used to power artificial intelligence and machine learning to grow ever smarter over time.

Driven by innovation

As soon as IIVO is operational, millions of lines of code are put to work generating crop-specific insights. The software is built from scratch, by Hoogendoorn. No legacy coding, no workarounds. IIVO is shining a new light on the true potential of growing crops in controlled growing environments. The best technology, in a revolutionary, future ready system.

Ready, Set, Grow.

For more Indoor Ag-Con Exhibitor News Hoogendoorn, visit the company website. 

Ceres GS Presents The SunChamber™

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on . Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

Ceres GS Presents, The SunChamber™ – a Sealed Geothermal Growhouse, Powered by the Sun, the Earth, and Data

Indoor Ag-Con Exhibitor News From Ceres GSIndoor Ag-Con Exhibitor News Ceres GS:  Ceres Greenhouse Solutions , a company specializing in smart greenhouse design and engineering, has named their new sealed growhouse design, the SunChamber™ – characterized by its sun harvesting and climate control capabilities.

The SunChamber™ is more than a greenhouse, it’s a catalyst to a new way of food production. The SunChamber™ is a holistic system design for farmers looking to achieve maximum climate control in order to consistently yield the highest quality crop. The design includes the following components into one superior growing solution:

  • The Ceres EcoLoop™ geothermal HVAC system
  • A Ceres smart controller that monitors greenhouse conditions for continued optimization of the grow environment
  • QbD (Quality by Design) principles applied throughout both the grow houses and processing facility commonly called the headhouse
  • Ozone water treatment and water reclamation
  • Fertigation systems
  • Customized grow systems, including air purification, CO2 enhancement and clean in place (CIP) sanitation systems
Complete and Precise Climate Control Within Each Grow Environment

The sealed and insulated properties of the SunChamber™ envelope, combined with the full system automation of a Ceres smart controller, allow for complete and precise climate control within each grow environment. Growers can precisely monitor and adapt the growhouse according to the needs of the plants (i.e., genetics, evapotranspiration rates, etc.), while maintaining optimal Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD)—maximizing plant growth and yield while minimizing operating costs. VPD-based climate control significantly reduces energy consumption without compromising plant health. Full growhouse automation also reduces the need for labor and lowers the potential for human error.

The SunChamber™ is designed to be built on a modular scale to grow with your business. As each greenhouse is sealed from the rest of the facility, there is complete biosecurity as well as independent climate control in each greenhouse unit.

SunChamber™ design also integrates seamlessly with Ceres’ innovative and highly energy-efficient ground-coupled heat pump HVAC system called the EcoLoop™. The EcoLoop™ heats, cools and dehumidifies the SunChamber™ by utilizing the steady temperature of the earth. This geothermal HVAC system is up to 60% more efficient than a traditional HVAC system and can be replicated for each greenhouse environment. Additionally, the ground coupling component of the system allows for a 10% federal tax credit. For the time being, the EcoLoop™ functions exclusively with the Ceres SunChamber™, however Ceres may be expanding its use to other products and applications in the near future.

The SunChamber™ includes custom system integrations to align with each client’s individual growing needs. After understanding the client’s site information and growing goals, Ceres designs an optimized facility that combines all the technology and grow systems needed for the cultivator to achieve the highest possible yields for the lowest energy input.

Bringing the Sun Indoors

Ceres applies QbD (quality by design) principles to all SunChamber™ facilities. QbD is a systematic approach to product and product development in order to deliver safe, consistent products while emphasizing manufacturing efficiency. Some QbD design considerations include biosecurity, employee workflow, environmental consistency, measurability and manufacturing efficiency. These principles ensure less crop failure, a more user-friendly workflow, and the ability of the facility to become GMP certified if need be.

The SunChamber™ is bringing the sun indoors by combining controlled environment agriculture with the productivity of sunlight. In a time when crops are more and more vulnerable to changes in the climate, the SunChamber™ provides year-round crop security and consistency. This also means more yield per square foot than traditional agriculture. On top of biosecurity, growing in a SunChamber™ will reduce water, land and energy usage, and will make local food production more accessible.

For more Indoor Ag-Con Exhibitor News Ceres GS  like the SunChamber™, email Ceres Greenhouse Solutions at  info@ceresgs.com 

Argus: Automated Irrigation Techniques

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on . Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

Argus Indoor Ag-Con Exhibitor News:

Argus Controls Seeding Knowledge video discusses irrigation techniques and the advantages of automating this process.  In the video Jeff Neff, Senior Applications Technician at Argus Controls, discusses considerations that can be important when deciding which system to choose.  He also covers advantages of automating this process.  Other topics include key considerations for implementing automated irrigation by using irrigation solutions for controls systems for horticulture, including greenhouse control systems and indoor control systems.

 

Irrigation is a necessary process for plant growth. While it can be done manually, automating this process could bring several benefits to growers. As with all types of automation, there are options to choose from, especially while using controlled environmental systems.

Computerized Control System for Horticulture

A fully computerized control system for horticulture incorporates all features of the simpler systems. It also adds support for a much wider range of input sensors, crop water use models. And,  most importantly, efficient irrigation system capacity management. Another approach, before considering a fully computerized controls system, consists of relying on sensors alone. This may not be the best method as they can, on occasion, fail. However, if they are combined with a modeling system, the result is optimal.

Another reason to use an automated system is the ability to include fertigation automation, which a simple solution normally cannot offer. One of the benefits of using an automated system is that it saves on labor costs by eliminating the need for employees to constantly monitor and water plants.

In addition to labor costs, hand watering could also affect the quality of the product. Using an automated system improves how production is controlled.

Using an automated system improves how production is controlled. On the other hand, there are certain applications where automated irrigation is not beneficial, such as in conservatories where there is a variety of plants, each with their own needs.

Factors To Consider

Automating irrigation in a horticultural facility is not an easy task. There are a number of factors to consider when planning and designing your irrigation or fertigation solution. Automating irrigation in a horticultural facility is not an easy task. There are a number of factors to consider when planning and designing your irrigation or fertigation solution.

Argus Controls has developed its own nutrient injection system that can provide anything from a single-tank formulation to many separate fertilizer recipes and feed strengths on the same irrigation system. This is all handled seamlessly by the Argus fertigation management software. Continuous improvement and development of solutions for the horticultural industry are a key and the future of irrigation controls promises more intricate, smarter systems with more sensitive sensors. This nutrient system has proven to be quite successful in diverse horticultural facilities, including when using Cannabis control systems.

For more Argus Indoor Ag-Con exhibitor news, check this site again soon or visit www.arguscontrols.com 

Urban Fresh Farms Launches New ZipGrow Facility In Dubai

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on . Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.


ZipGrow_UrbanFreshFarms_Dubai_2_IndoorAg-ConIndoor Ag-Con Exhibitor News From ZipGrow:

With more than 80% of food being imported into the UAE, Urban Fresh Farms, Dubai’s newest indoor vertical hydroponic farm from ZipGrow™, is doing its part to contribute to a more sustainable local food system.

A 1,000 square foot ZipGrow™ ZipFarm™ was recently installed in Urban Fresh Farm’s facility in the Industrial center of Dubai. In addition, it will soon be producing pesticide free fresh herbs and leafy greens for the local market. Urban Fresh Farms is a new company, founded by people who always had an interest in sustainable agriculture. But, they thought they did not have the knowledge or financial backing to get into the industry.

Vertical Farming In Dubai

“We, as a group, always found vertical farming really interesting. The team knew there would be a strong demand for it in the Dubai area”, said Scott Naude, co-founder of Urban Fresh Farms. “As a result, we were hesitant to jump in at first.  But, the combination of ZipGrow’s technology and ongoing training, the increasing demand for higher quality and fresh produce, and the Middle East’s booming tech sector all aligned perfectly for us to begin this venture.”

As with the rest of the world, COVID-19’s impact on the local supply chain has also impacted the Dubai area. It has caused food selections to be  limited in local grocery stores during the peak of lockdowns.

“Around the world we are hearing from all our growers that food retailers are actively looking for local food goods to supply,” explains Eric Lang, President of ZipGrow Inc. “We are also hearing from government’s around the world, including in the UAE, who want to actively seek out ways to reduce supply chain lengths to ensure a more consistent and high-quality food stream.”

Hydroponic Growing In the Middle East

Hydroponic growing, as an industry, is still recently new to the Middle East region. The UAE government is a leader in the Middle East region, and in 2018 launched a National Food Security Strategy 2051, led by the Minister of State for Food and Water Security, Her Excellency Mariam bint Mohammed Al Mheiri. This strategy aims to increase local food production in the UAE.  What’s more, it simultaneously maximizing the use of modern technologies to bring fresh and sustainable food to the region.

“There’s also a demand for healthy eating options. This  has given rise to a number of excellent meal plan services and  all-in-one meal ingredient boxes.  IThis is creating a need for the best, freshest vegetables to be readily available” adds Naude. “We’re planning on starting out growing primarily herbs such as basil, parsley and coriander. We hope to have our first crop available in December.”

Urban Fresh Farm and ZipGrow Inc. plan to use this new facility to showcase this vertical farming technology to the UAE and wider Middle East region. Naude adds; “We’re excited about our ongoing partnership with ZipGrow Inc. There is so much educational content available, as well as a fantastic team. So even for someone like myself who is new to all of this, ZipGrow provides all the tools needed to get growing.”

Look for more Indoor Ag-Con Exhibitor News From ZipGrow on this page. And visit  www.ZipGrow.com and www.UrbanFreshFarms.ae for more information. 

ABOUT ZIPGROW

ZipGrow Inc. is an international leader in indoor, vertical farming technology. Our flagship product, the ZipGrow™ Tower, is a core component of many of the world’s most innovative farms; from indoor hydroponic warehouses to vertical aquaponic greenhouses and high-density container farms.

Netled and SweGreen Collaborate In Sweden

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on . Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

Netled’s Vertical Farming System Delivered To In-Store Farm in ICA Focus Supermarket

Netled Swegreen Indoor Ag-ConIndoor Ag-Con exhibitor Netled  news:  Netled has delivered a vertical farming system to its partner SweGreen’s project in Sweden. SweGreen has agreed on providing ICA Focus, one of Sweden’s biggest supermarkets in Gothenburg, an automated in-store farming solution. The greens are grown within the store and harvested directly off the shelf. This kind of in-store farm is first-of-its-kind in Sweden and globally unique in size as well as production capacity.

Netled is specialized in developing and selling high-technology vertical farming systems. Its mission is to enhance vertical farming by providing the best technology, expertise, and guidance for vertical farming projects and actors all around the world. The collaboration with SweGreen has been outstanding and produced valuable next steps towards hyper-local vertical farming.

Netled’s CEO Niko Kivioja comments: “We have followed the markets for ultra-local vertical farming for quite some time now and seen that our technology has clearly many opportunities for the current markets. This first project we have executed with and according to the wishes of our Swedish partner SweGreen is a great reference for us. Their business model, Farming as a Service, is elegant and easy to implement by supermarkets. Our team is proud to be partners with SweGreen, making fresh production close to consumers possible.”

Look for more Indoor Ag-Con exhibitor Netled news as we update this page.

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