A pioneering indoor farm powered by energy efficient LEDs has been hailed as a sustainable solution to the world's food crisis.
Philips has partnered with commercial grower Green Sense Farms (GSF) to develop the project, which promises to increase yields while reducing farming-related emissions and so-called food miles - the distance produce travels to the supermarket shelf from where it is grown.
Agriculture accounts for up to 30 per cent of global emissions and is likely to come under pressure to intensify as populations increase. Some estimates suggest that up to 70 per cent more food will be needed to cope with a predicted 2.5 billion extra people by 2050, many of whom will belong to the ranks of the economically powerful, high-consuming middle class.
But the UN estimates that 80 per cent of land suitable for growing food is already under agriculture, and this is likely to come under further pressure from extreme storms, droughts and flooding associated with climate change.
GSF has invested millions of dollars to renovate and equip a million cubic foot (28,300 cubic meter) indoor growing area consisting of 14, 25 foot (7.6 meter) tall growing towers in two climate-controlled grow rooms, which use Philips LED lights tailored to specific crops.
The Indiana-based company estimates the Chicago farm will provide consumers with 20 to 25 harvests of locally grown fresh vegetables a year, while using 85 per cent less energy, eliminating the need for pesticides, fertilizers or preservatives and producing little to no waste or greenhouse gases.
GSF intends to build similar farms at institutions such as college campuses, hospital complexes and military bases that serve large worker populations, growing plants, vegetables, fruits and herbs in skyscrapers, warehouse buildings and even tunnels and disused subways.
GSF is not the only company looking to build indoor farms. Swedish social enterprise Plantagon has plans to build a series of 54 meter high vertical farms in urban areas that can feed up to 30,000 people.