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Abstract:
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Today, the use of natural resources, the increasing need for energy, and the rise in pollution are becoming matters of concern for developed nations. Although today’s buildings are more efficient than those from the last century, they continue to waste tremendous amounts of energy and water. Furthermore, 80% of the land available for agriculture on the Planet is already farmed. The agricultural footprint can be catastrophic if we take into consideration that the world´s human population could reach 10.6 billion people in less than 40 years; an increase of almost 40%. Aside from an improved aesthetic, the presence of urban plant life positively affects an area’s ecological, economic and social functions. A goal for Vertical Farms is the eventual ability to grow produce in city centers in order to avoid transportation issues and to preserve existing natural life by slowing deforestation. The purpose of this Thesis is to develop and quantify an improvement for an existing building. The chosen building is the 1954-58 Seagram Building in New York, designed by the German Architect Mies Van der Rohe. The goal for this improvement is to replace the totality of the original façade window to a new Vertical Farm Façade. By approximating the benefits of improving the main façade of the famous Mies Van der Rohe Seagram Building, considering the benefits of the use of new irrigation technologies, and understanding the benefits of vegetation in Double-Skin façades, this Thesis explores an initial approximation of the energetic benefits that would result from implementation of a Vertical Farm Façade. |
