Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) is a revolutionary polymer developed as a lightweight, heat resistant film to serve as a coating for the aerospace industry. It displays high corrosion resistance and strength over a wide temperature range. The material is thin yet very strong, weldable and repairable. Its most important property, in the case of Nutrient Farm's mission, is that it allows UV light through it. Most agricultural growing structures use polycarbonate roofing because it is cheap, not as heavy as glass and easy to install, but unfortunately it blocks UV radiation.
Nutrient Farm slow-grows food, the way Nature intended. That means soil agriculture and as close to uninhibited sunlight as possible. Full-spectrum is desired because it contains Ultraviolet light, which is essential for making plants more medicinal and nutritionally-dense. Filtering light frequencies with polycarbonate, fluorescent, or other indoor grow bulbs just can’t compete with what plants would naturally receive outdoors for spectrum and lumens.
Nutrient Farm’s Greenhouse is the first building in the World to receive a triple-layer of ETFE glazing. Our designers had to go to Japan and Germany to source enough material to construct this project. The fastener hardware required custom fabrication to support the original roofing system, as it has never been done before. The reason for the three layers of roof glazing is energy efficiency. This building is off-grid, so insulation is crucial for energy retention and climate control.
We have visions beyond natural agriculture. In a future post, we will detail our plans to use aquaculture ponds to irrigate produce orchards, amplifying the possibilities of soil-based agriculture. For now, we're happy to announce that the glazing is complete. One step closer is constructing the ultimate, cutting-edge, off-grid greenhouse utilizing wisdom and technology to create the healthiest produce around!
“You are what you eat, eats.”
Nutrient Farm
