Skip to main content
Erschienen in: The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 3/2020

02.01.2020 | LCA FOR AGRICULTURE

Identifying eco-efficient year-round crop combinations for rooftop greenhouse agriculture

verfasst von: Martí Rufí-Salís, Anna Petit-Boix, Gara Villalba, Mireia Ercilla-Montserrat, David Sanjuan-Delmás, Felipe Parada, Verónica Arcas, Joan Muñoz-Liesa, Xavier Gabarrell

Erschienen in: The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment | Ausgabe 3/2020

Einloggen

Aktivieren Sie unsere intelligente Suche um passende Fachinhalte oder Patente zu finden.

search-config
loading …

Abstract

Purpose

Rooftop greenhouses (RTGs) are agricultural systems that can improve the food supply chain by producing vegetables in unused urban spaces. However, to date, environmental assessments of RTGs have only focused on specific crops, without considering the impacts resulting from seasonality, combinations of crops and nonoperational time. We analyze vegetable production in an RTG over 4 years to determine the crop combinations that minimize yearly environmental impacts while diversifying food supply.

Methods

The system under study consists of an integrated RTG (i-RTG) with a hydroponic system in Barcelona, in the Mediterranean region. By using life cycle assessment (LCA), we evaluate the environmental performance of 25 different crop cycles and 7 species cultivated during the period 2015–2018. Three functional units are used: 1 kg of edible fresh production, 1 unit of economic value (€) in the wholesale market and 1 kcal of nutritional value. The system boundaries consider two subsystems: infrastructure (greenhouse structure, rainwater harvesting system and auxiliary equipment) and operation (fertilizers and their emissions into water and substrate). In addition, we perform an eco-efficiency analysis, considering the carbon footprint of the crop cycles and their value at the wholesale market during their harvesting periods.

Results and discussion

Spring tomato cycles exert the lowest impacts in all categories, considering all three functional units, due to the high yields obtained. In contrast, spinach and arugula have the highest impacts. Regarding relative impact, the greenhouse structure presented a large impact, while fertilizer production had notable relative contributions in tomato cycles. Moreover, nitrogen and phosphorus emissions from fertigation are the main causes of freshwater and marine eutrophication. By combining the most eco-efficient cycles, we can see that growing two consecutive tomato cycles is the best alternative with the functional unit of yield (0.49 kg CO2 eq./kg), whereas a long spring tomato cycle combined with bean and lettuce cycles in the autumn/winter is the best scenario when using market (0.70 kg CO2 eq./€) and nutritional value (3.18·10−3 kg CO2/ kcal).

Conclusions

This study shows that increasing the diversity of the system leads to better environmental performance of greenhouse urban agriculture if suitable crops are selected for the autumn/winter season. The functional unit involving the economic value and the eco-efficiency analysis are useful to demonstrate the capability of the growing system to produce added-value vegetables under harsher conditions while categorizing and classifying the crops to select the most suitable combinations based on economic and environmental parameters.

Sie haben noch keine Lizenz? Dann Informieren Sie sich jetzt über unsere Produkte:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

  • über 102.000 Bücher
  • über 537 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

  • Automobil + Motoren
  • Bauwesen + Immobilien
  • Business IT + Informatik
  • Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
  • Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
  • Finance + Banking
  • Management + Führung
  • Marketing + Vertrieb
  • Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe
  • Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

Springer Professional "Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

  • über 67.000 Bücher
  • über 390 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

  • Automobil + Motoren
  • Bauwesen + Immobilien
  • Business IT + Informatik
  • Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
  • Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
  • Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe




 

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

Anhänge
Nur mit Berechtigung zugänglich
Literatur
Zurück zum Zitat Amani P, Schiefer G (2011) Review on suitability of available LCIA methodologies for assessing environmental impact of the food sector. Int J Food Syst Dyn 2:194–206 Amani P, Schiefer G (2011) Review on suitability of available LCIA methodologies for assessing environmental impact of the food sector. Int J Food Syst Dyn 2:194–206
Zurück zum Zitat Audsley E, Brander M, Chatterton JC et al (2010) How low can we go? An assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from the UK foodsystem and the scope reduction by 2050. Report for the WWF and Food ClimateResearch Network Audsley E, Brander M, Chatterton JC et al (2010) How low can we go? An assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from the UK foodsystem and the scope reduction by 2050. Report for the WWF and Food ClimateResearch Network
Zurück zum Zitat Brentrup F, Küsters J, Kuhlmann H, Lammel J (2004) Environmental impact assessment of agricultural production systems using the life cycle assessment methodology: I. theoretical concept of a LCA method tailored to crop production. Eur J Agron 20:247–264CrossRef Brentrup F, Küsters J, Kuhlmann H, Lammel J (2004) Environmental impact assessment of agricultural production systems using the life cycle assessment methodology: I. theoretical concept of a LCA method tailored to crop production. Eur J Agron 20:247–264CrossRef
Zurück zum Zitat De Zeeuw H (2011) Cities, climate change and urban agriculture. Urban Agric Mag 25:39–42 De Zeeuw H (2011) Cities, climate change and urban agriculture. Urban Agric Mag 25:39–42
Zurück zum Zitat Goedkoop MJ, Heijungs R, Huijbregts M, De Schryver A, Struijs J, Van Zelm R, ReCiPe 2008 A life cycle impact assessment method which comprises harmonised category indicators at the midpoint and the endpoint level; First edition Report I: Characterisation http://www.lcia-recipe.net. Accessed 6 Jan 2009 Goedkoop MJ, Heijungs R, Huijbregts M, De Schryver A, Struijs J, Van Zelm R, ReCiPe 2008 A life cycle impact assessment method which comprises harmonised category indicators at the midpoint and the endpoint level; First edition Report I: Characterisation http://​www.​lcia-recipe.​net. Accessed 6 Jan 2009
Zurück zum Zitat Halberg N, Dalgaard R, Rasmussen MD (2006) Miljøvurdering af konventionel og økologisk avl af grøntsager Livscyklusvurdering af produktion i væksthuse og på Halberg N, Dalgaard R, Rasmussen MD (2006) Miljøvurdering af konventionel og økologisk avl af grøntsager Livscyklusvurdering af produktion i væksthuse og på
Zurück zum Zitat ISO (2006) ISO 14040: Environmental management – life cycle assessment – principles and framework ISO (2006) ISO 14040: Environmental management – life cycle assessment – principles and framework
Zurück zum Zitat ISO (2012) ISO 14045: Environmental management — Eco-efficiency assessment of product systems — Principles, requirements and guidelines Management. 2012 ISO (2012) ISO 14045: Environmental management — Eco-efficiency assessment of product systems — Principles, requirements and guidelines Management. 2012
Zurück zum Zitat Milà i Canals L, Muñoz I, Hospido A et al (2008) Life cycle assessment (LCA) of domestic vs. imported vegetables. Case studies on broccoli, salad crops and green beans. Comp assess environ community Nutr impacts Consum fruit veg prod local overseas 46:1464–8083 Milà i Canals L, Muñoz I, Hospido A et al (2008) Life cycle assessment (LCA) of domestic vs. imported vegetables. Case studies on broccoli, salad crops and green beans. Comp assess environ community Nutr impacts Consum fruit veg prod local overseas 46:1464–8083
Zurück zum Zitat Möller Nielsen J (2007) Rapport - Energin i svensk växthusodling 2007 - TOMAT Möller Nielsen J (2007) Rapport - Energin i svensk växthusodling 2007 - TOMAT
Zurück zum Zitat Orsini F, Gasperi D, Marchetti L et al (2014) Exploring the production capacity of rooftop gardens (RTGs) in urban agriculture: the potential impact on food and nutrition security, biodiversity and other ecosystem services in the city of Bologna. Food Secur 6:781–792. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-014-0389-6 CrossRef Orsini F, Gasperi D, Marchetti L et al (2014) Exploring the production capacity of rooftop gardens (RTGs) in urban agriculture: the potential impact on food and nutrition security, biodiversity and other ecosystem services in the city of Bologna. Food Secur 6:781–792. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1007/​s12571-014-0389-6 CrossRef
Zurück zum Zitat Prasad PVV, Staggenborg SA, Ristic Z (2008) Impacts of drought and/or heat stress on physiological, developmental, growth, and yield processes of crop plants. In: Response of crops to limited water: understanding and modeling water stress effects on plant growth processes. American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America, pp 301–355 Prasad PVV, Staggenborg SA, Ristic Z (2008) Impacts of drought and/or heat stress on physiological, developmental, growth, and yield processes of crop plants. In: Response of crops to limited water: understanding and modeling water stress effects on plant growth processes. American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America, pp 301–355
Zurück zum Zitat Sanyé-Mengual E, Oliver-Solà J, Montero JI, Rieradevall J (2015a) An environmental and economic life cycle assessment of rooftop greenhouse (RTG) implementation in Barcelona, Spain. Assessing new forms of urban agriculture from the greenhouse structure to the final product level. Int J Life Cycle Assess 20:350–366. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-014-0836-9 CrossRef Sanyé-Mengual E, Oliver-Solà J, Montero JI, Rieradevall J (2015a) An environmental and economic life cycle assessment of rooftop greenhouse (RTG) implementation in Barcelona, Spain. Assessing new forms of urban agriculture from the greenhouse structure to the final product level. Int J Life Cycle Assess 20:350–366. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1007/​s11367-014-0836-9 CrossRef
Metadaten
Titel
Identifying eco-efficient year-round crop combinations for rooftop greenhouse agriculture
verfasst von
Martí Rufí-Salís
Anna Petit-Boix
Gara Villalba
Mireia Ercilla-Montserrat
David Sanjuan-Delmás
Felipe Parada
Verónica Arcas
Joan Muñoz-Liesa
Xavier Gabarrell
Publikationsdatum
02.01.2020
Verlag
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Erschienen in
The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment / Ausgabe 3/2020
Print ISSN: 0948-3349
Elektronische ISSN: 1614-7502
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-019-01724-5

Weitere Artikel der Ausgabe 3/2020

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 3/2020 Zur Ausgabe

LCI METHODOLOGY AND DATABASES

Life cycle assessment of ferro niobium

LCA FOR ENERGY SYSTEMS AND FOOD PRODUCTS

Life cycle assessment of California unsweetened almond milk