Over the last forty years, municipalities across the state have undergone rapid development
because of the rapid influx of residentsthat has more than doubled the population of Florida.
The steady growth of the state has resulted in unchecked urban sprawl, sudden
gentrification, and diminished access to fresh organic foods. As these problems become
more prevalent, city residents are faced with rising prices that make living a happy, healthy
lifestyle unaffordable for an average family. While concerns grow, localities are falling
behind on implementing sustainable agricultural initiatives, such as community gardens,
to combat these issues. Failures to implement community gardens as a potential solution
can be attributed to three main concerns: lack of knowledge, resources, and people.
We are seeking to overcome the three main concerns hindering community gardens to combat the
larger issues of food insecurity, sustainable agriculture, and diminished quality of life.
Our self-sufficient hydroponic greenhouse is an entirely self-contained system with many sub-systems
involved in ensuring it has all the resources necessary to continue operation. The primary function
of the greenhouse is to house three independent hydroponic systems, each growing a
different crop using the nutrient film technique for growth. The second function of the
greenhouse is to collect and divert rainwater into a purification reservoir to be distributed
to each of the plant systems with the proper nutrient concentrations specified for each plant.
The third function of the greenhouse is to utilize photovoltaic cells to capture solar energy
and provide power for the systems.