Canada: Lufa Farms opens rooftop greenhouse atop Montreal shopping centre
Facility on Marché Central Walmart and Decathlon building is company’s first of its kind
Tyler Choi
Business editor
Sustainable Biz
Apr 2, 2024
Excerpt:
While the Marché Central mall greenhouse is not Lufa Farms’ biggest, it will be its most efficient, Giaccone said.
Lufa Farms started construction in 2023, finishing in mid-February 2024 after six to seven months of work by FDA Construction.
Plants are grown hydroponically with the assistance of approximately 20 staff members. Customers can purchase vegetables from Lufa Farms’ online marketplace, and have it delivered or picked up in over 350 partner locations in Quebec.
The Ultra-Clima air filter system and high-intensity LED lights will boost productivity by up to 40 per cent compared to other greenhouses of similar sizes, she added.
Energy efficiency will be supported with double-walled insulated glass to minimize heat loss and a diffused glass roof to distribute heat evenly.
Its hydroponic system will reuse the water supply and recirculate captured rainwater and snowmelt.
To reduce soil use, the cucumbers will be planted in a mix of fibres – half coconut husk chips and half coconut fibres stripped from the husk, while peppers will be grown in coconut husk chips.
Synthetic pesticides will be barred from the greenhouse. Rather, Lufa Farms will use natural pest control by introducing predatory insects such as praying mantises and wasps.
