Adopting circular strategies in different vertical farms yields comparable environmental impact reductions
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Vertical farms are an emerging industry that can enhance urban food self-sufficiency but must align with environmental goals. This study assesses whether circular economy strategies improve the environmental performance of two European VFs—VF 1 in Spain and VF 2 in Sweden—with differing technological maturity and geographical contexts. Life cycle assessment shows that energy use is the main contributor to environmental impacts, accounting for up to 88% in both cases. Circular strategies such as closed-loop irrigation, waste heat reuse, and material recycling reduce impacts by 7–77%. To compare their maturity level, scenario analyses (Current, Linear, Improvement) reveal that VF 1 offers higher potential for future gains (e.g., 29% reduction in global warming impacts), compared to VF 2 (34% reduction potential). These findings underscore the relevance of broader changes in upstream production systems, technology maturity and site-specific conditions in shaping the sustainability of VFs, and emphasize the need for further research into context-dependent factors influencing their environmental performance. • Energy use drives up to 88% of vertical farm environmental impacts. • Circular strategies cut impacts by 7–77%, varying by context. • Vertical farms shows up to 24% improvement potential in the future • Tech maturity and local conditions shape VF sustainability outcomes.
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,000
Funders: Foundation for the Advancement in Research in Medicine, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Skogs- och Jordbrukets Forskningsråd, European Commission, Svenska Forskningsrådet Formas, Generalitat de Catalunya, Vetenskapsrådet, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, University of the East, Departament d’Agricultura, Ramaderia, Pesca i Alimentació, Generalitat de Catalunya, European Regional Development Fund, Agencia Estatal de Investigación
Awards: G1175115578, How to flap a wing: Testing how kinematics determine aerodynamic performance in birds., G2064873908, G2262748287, G2462415295, G279363373, G3005324705, G300979063, G3480869486, G3546882995, G391826385, G4055268548, G425668148, Improving the resource-efficiency and environmental performance of urban-vertical farms through circular-based production methods, G4526231891, G502109063, G5080475149, G5338730000, G586857820, G69051668, G7084143925, G7434936867, Circular vertical farms to reduce environmental impacts in cities (ECOFARM-CITY), G8596518188
OpenAlex ID: W7148527714