Henry Gordon-Smith

Keynote speaker on vertical farming at the Ministry of Primary Industries Annual Conference

I gave a 45 minute presentation on the state of the vertical farming industry, case studies, best practicces, market drivers, and failed projects.

With a rapid increase in the number of vertical farming
operations worldwide, it seems like this might be a
viable market to get into. Learn what all the hype is
about, technical examples of different vertical farming
systems, potential business models, and key factors in
success and failure. Also participate in a discussion on… Show more

I gave a 45 minute presentation on the state of the vertical farming industry, case studies, best practicces, market drivers, and failed projects.

With a rapid increase in the number of vertical farming
operations worldwide, it seems like this might be a
viable market to get into. Learn what all the hype is
about, technical examples of different vertical farming
systems, potential business models, and key factors in
success and failure. Also participate in a discussion on why
vertical farming might not be the next mainstream
agricultural innovation that some claim it to be. Show less

Worked with the organizers of Seeds&Chips to select the best 15 innovations in vertical farming from around the globe. Gathered slides, managed speakers, and moderated event with 150+ person audience.

I moderated 8 pitches from young food security entrepreneurs.

I was selected as the first-ever speaker on vertical farming to speak at AUSVEG. I presented on the state of the industry and applications of the technology to Southern Australian growers. Audience was approximately 200+ persons.

I delivered a 10-minute speech on urban agriculture in NYC and served as a panelist along with Councilman Espinal, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, and others. President Adams announced a $1 million commitment to an urban agriculture incubator during the panel.

I spoke for 40 minutes on the state of vertical farming and its applications in the Middle East.

I served as a judge for LAUNCH Food and reviewed dozens of food security solutions only to recommend a few for the summit finals in San Francisco. I still serve as a mentor to some of the teams and remain a member of the Council.

Invited by IKEA and the Association for Vertical Farming to share knowledge on vertical farming that would benefit the large multinational keen to develop solutions for every person. I assisted the organizers and facilitated several break-out sessions with IKEA executives and managers.

Contributed on a panel discussion to inform 80+ urban agriculture enthusiasts in the Boston area of the potential of emerging agriculture technologies to make urban farming more profitable.

The Agritecture Design Workshops comprise of three teams, each matched with the goal of demonstrating creativity, sustainability, and feasibility when integrating agriculture into cities.

Organized and facilitate an interactive design workshop on the topic of sustainable urban agriculture.

Together with Max Loessl we conducted our 2nd workshop for TFF Challenge participants. This time, in Zurich, Switzerland we introduced the basics of vertical farming and then gave 5 teams each a hypothetical challenge with their VF to find a solution to. Teams had to discuss the challenge, gain consensus with their team on a solution, and then pitch that to a make-believe board of directors (Max and I).

The results were surprising: teams understood the challenges facing vertical farms… Show more

Together with Max Loessl we conducted our 2nd workshop for TFF Challenge participants. This time, in Zurich, Switzerland we introduced the basics of vertical farming and then gave 5 teams each a hypothetical challenge with their VF to find a solution to. Teams had to discuss the challenge, gain consensus with their team on a solution, and then pitch that to a make-believe board of directors (Max and I).

The results were surprising: teams understood the challenges facing vertical farms well and develop viable solutions. Explore the hypothetical challenges introduced to the teams here: tffverticalfarming.tumblr.com Show less

Agritecture workshops match professional architects, growers, entrepreneurs, engineers, marketers, designers, and sustainability managers to develop concept urban farms in the cities where they are held.

They are co-organized with local volunteers and sponsors. In this case, Mobius-Co Creations and Jain Irrigation sponsored the Fresno workshop. Support is offered by the Association for Vertical Farming.

Served as a panelist discussing the future of agriculture to 200+ Future Farmers of America Association members.

Agritecture workshops bring together interdisciplinary teams of professionals to generate knowledge-transfer and drive the urban agriculture industry forward. This was the 3rd workshop on this subject that I organized.

Agritecture workshops bring together interdisciplinary teams of professionals to generate knowledge-transfer and drive the urban agriculture industry forward. This was the 4th workshop on this subject that I organized.

Organized and facilitated an interdisciplinary workshop for local and regional professionals from Downtown Muskegon Heights Michigan. The goal of the workshop was to develop unique business and development concepts for three sights in the blighted areas of Downtown Muskegon Heights. Together with my Colleague Shay Reza, Esther Dyson, and Andrea Riegler we recruited 16 local and regional professionals to participate. This was part of the Way to Wellville Challenge to reinvigorate health in… Show more

Organized and facilitated an interdisciplinary workshop for local and regional professionals from Downtown Muskegon Heights Michigan. The goal of the workshop was to develop unique business and development concepts for three sights in the blighted areas of Downtown Muskegon Heights. Together with my Colleague Shay Reza, Esther Dyson, and Andrea Riegler we recruited 16 local and regional professionals to participate. This was part of the Way to Wellville Challenge to reinvigorate health in communities across the United States. Show less

Spoke on the exponential nature of vertical farming at Singularity University. Shared my vision of the trends in the emerging industry and where there is room for disruption.

Invited by the City of Paris to speak on urban agriculture in NYC. I spoke on considering the whole spectrum of urban agriculture from soil-based to high tech vertical farming. I explored 6 case studies in NYC analyzing their contributions to the environment, economy, society, and aesthetic of the City.

What are the trends in technology for advancing economically feasible sustainable vertical farming? What are the implications of these trends? What is a viable strategy or roadmap for making vertical farming more economically feasible, sustainable and resource efficient?

Moderator: Henry Gordon-Smith, Board Member, The Association of Verticle Farming and Founder, Agritecture.com

Agritecture workshops bring together interdisciplinary teams of professionals to generate knowledge-transfer and drive the urban agriculture industry forward. This was the 2nd workshop on this subject that I organized.

Max and I co-facilitated a workshop on "Envisioning Food Security Utopias" where we had 30 participants imagine a completely food secure world that satisfied the 5 A's of food security. To wrap up the workshop we discussed the benefits of thinking big and being bold as a means to develop new solutions to existing global grand challenges.

Agritecture workshops bring together interdisciplinary teams of professionals to generate knowledge-transfer and drive the urban agriculture industry forward.

Together with a teacher at McIntosh Middle School, our team organized a hydroponics DIY workshop as part of Sarasota Eat Local Week. 20 students were taught the basics of hydroponics and then split into 4 teams to build their own systems. By the end of the day students were able to explain hydroponics to their parents.

You’ve heard the buzz about urban farming. You’ve seen hashtagged photos of beautiful cityscapes behind beds of greens. But what’s the deal? Can you really grow enough food in cities to feed its residents? What are the different type of farms - from backyard gardens to rooftops to indoor hydroponics - that are being created in NYC? What opportunities and challenges are arising as urban farming continues to grow as a movement, locally and globally?

This was the first of The Association for Vertical Farming "Infodays" where experts are invited to present data, models, and trends in vertical farming to a public audience that is new to the subject. In Munich, we presented to municipal leaders as well as locals interested in this emerging form of agriculture.

Since January 2013, Columbia University MS student Henry Gordon-Smith has been developing a model vertical farm with his faculty adviser Dr. Dickson Despommier. The following brief is a snapshot of the project’s results. It is by no means exhaustive, but does contribute to the dialogue on urban agriculture and especially how data and design play a role in sustainable urban agriculture. The brief introduces a vertical farming complex for Block 2361, a site in the south Bronx, NY that could feed… Show more

Since January 2013, Columbia University MS student Henry Gordon-Smith has been developing a model vertical farm with his faculty adviser Dr. Dickson Despommier. The following brief is a snapshot of the project’s results. It is by no means exhaustive, but does contribute to the dialogue on urban agriculture and especially how data and design play a role in sustainable urban agriculture. The brief introduces a vertical farming complex for Block 2361, a site in the south Bronx, NY that could feed 2,500 local residents every day, create 60 full-time jobs, and improve green infrastructure. Show less

The Capstone Workshop is the final degree requirement of Columbia University’s Master of Science in Sustainability Management program. The workshop serves as culminating educational experience for the students in the program to apply practical skills and analytical knowledge learned through the program's curriculum into an applied project, giving students hands-on managerial experience. "Living on the Edge" is the name of the Capstone Workshop project.

…So what is “living on the… Show more

The Capstone Workshop is the final degree requirement of Columbia University’s Master of Science in Sustainability Management program. The workshop serves as culminating educational experience for the students in the program to apply practical skills and analytical knowledge learned through the program's curriculum into an applied project, giving students hands-on managerial experience. "Living on the Edge" is the name of the Capstone Workshop project.

…So what is “living on the edge”?

The linkages between urban and rural are most intensely demonstrated on the urban-periphery, or the “edge”. On the urban-periphery, an intermittent flux of people and resources creates communal uncertainty. People living on the edge cannot depend on urban and rural resource flows.

While life in peri-urban areas can present greater challenges, it can also present greater opportunities, especially for those who are able to draw simultaneously on the comparative advantage of urban and rural areas.

This “zone of decentralized sustainable technologies” offers an opportunity to stimulate “leap frog” alternative sustainable technologies.

Clients: Isla Urbana, Sistema Biobolsa, The Yansa Group Show less

The task was to create a LEED platinum dormitory for the Harbor School on Governor’s Island whose design also satisfied the school’s objectives. As the new structure would be located on the island, waste, energy, and water-use reduction were priorities, in addition to the parameters of LEED platinum certification. After learning the necessary components of a building that meets the certification requirements, we began conceptualizing the elements of the structure. The final design had enough… Show more

The task was to create a LEED platinum dormitory for the Harbor School on Governor’s Island whose design also satisfied the school’s objectives. As the new structure would be located on the island, waste, energy, and water-use reduction were priorities, in addition to the parameters of LEED platinum certification. After learning the necessary components of a building that meets the certification requirements, we began conceptualizing the elements of the structure. The final design had enough dormitory space for 400 students, met the LEED requirements to achieve platinum certification, and was net-zero. The building utilized passive design and solar placement (placing a structure in a way that makes the most of solar thermal gains) to achieve its goals. Solar thermal systems were used for hot water production and solar PV's were used for energy to cool the structure in the winter. Wind power and rainwater collection were also components of the design. Co-generation was mechanically engineered to guarantee the net-zero target. The dormitory also produced a portion of its own food through a solar thermal greenhouse and aquaponics tanks, thus achieving the additional goals set out by the client.

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The Agritecture Design Workshops comprise of three teams, each matched with the goal of demonstrating creativity, sustainability, and feasibility when integrating agriculture into cities.

Led a team of consultants guiding an exciting new urban agriculture accelerator towards launching on time. My team helped with a number of parts of the Square Roots project development. My main contributions were on strategy and recruiting 10 entrepreneurs for the first cohort.

The AVF Award is the first and biggest global competition for Vertical Farming design concepts.

Urban Agriculture is a rising industry, attracting top talent to invent new ways to grow food in cities and at home. Technology plays a leading role in this, especially LED grow lights, sensors, automation, and robotics. Thanks to our competition sponsor, Illumitex, the knowledge of vertical farming is being democratized to university students across the globe. Contestants who enter the… Show more

The AVF Award is the first and biggest global competition for Vertical Farming design concepts.

Urban Agriculture is a rising industry, attracting top talent to invent new ways to grow food in cities and at home. Technology plays a leading role in this, especially LED grow lights, sensors, automation, and robotics. Thanks to our competition sponsor, Illumitex, the knowledge of vertical farming is being democratized to university students across the globe. Contestants who enter the competition powered by Thought for Food will benefit from four guidance webinars provided by Illumitex and the AVF about the technologies and techniques for vertical farming. The field of the future is right around the corner and it might include you when you reach new heights with us.

Follow the progress with #AVFaward and get to know the teams at Facebook.com/averticalfarm Show less

We consulted the executive team of Farm.one, NYCs most unique vertical farm, on how to best implement their pilot vertical farm. My team and I assisted with design, crop selection, site selection, and recruiting. Farm.one now grows rare and nutritious culinary herbs and ICE in lower Manhattan, NYC. Visit their website www.farm.one and contact CEO Rob Laing to learn more.

Designed a rainwater collection system to allow farmers in Ciudad Vieja, Guatemala to harvest additional crops during the six month dry season. Coordinated with the local NGO, AGAIG, and another Columbia student group for assistance in collecting data and to facilitate communication with the residents of Ciudad Vieja. Evaluated the existing water infrastructure, analyzed historical precipitation data , considered the topography of the region and the soil types, and evaluated all possible social… Show more

Designed a rainwater collection system to allow farmers in Ciudad Vieja, Guatemala to harvest additional crops during the six month dry season. Coordinated with the local NGO, AGAIG, and another Columbia student group for assistance in collecting data and to facilitate communication with the residents of Ciudad Vieja. Evaluated the existing water infrastructure, analyzed historical precipitation data , considered the topography of the region and the soil types, and evaluated all possible social factors in the design of the rainwater collection system. Show less

Cost benefit analysis of placing a substation in a wetland in New York city. First, a cost benefit analysis was conducted of all the financial and environmental costs and benefits for all stakeholders considering ecosystem based services including: filtration, protection against sea level rise, biodiversity, CO2 sequestration, altruistic value added and recreation. These were then compared to the benefits of providing zero emission energy for 30 years, temporary jobs for 20 and three full-time… Show more

Cost benefit analysis of placing a substation in a wetland in New York city. First, a cost benefit analysis was conducted of all the financial and environmental costs and benefits for all stakeholders considering ecosystem based services including: filtration, protection against sea level rise, biodiversity, CO2 sequestration, altruistic value added and recreation. These were then compared to the benefits of providing zero emission energy for 30 years, temporary jobs for 20 and three full-time permanent jobs. The second CBA addressed the practice of mitigation banking by citing one current bank in the Meadowlands of New Jersey to determine if the most suitable option would be to develop the wetland in Breezy Point and reconstruct it in a 2:1 ratio in the nearby vicinity. Show less