Transformative Potential of Vertical Farming—An Urban Planning Investigation Using Multi-Level Perspective

Jost Buscher (), Julija Bakunowitsch and Kathrin Specht
Additional contact information
Jost Buscher: Research Group Urban and Regional Planning, Department of Spatial Planning, TU Dortmund University, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
Julija Bakunowitsch: Research Group Urban and Regional Planning, Department of Spatial Planning, TU Dortmund University, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
Kathrin Specht: ILS—Research Institute for Regional and Urban Development, 44227 Dortmund, Germany

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 22, 1-19

Abstract: Due to different global trends, such as climate change and urbanization, challenges to the food supply in cities have become more permanent. As a new form of efficient and climate-resilient food production, vertical farming addresses these challenges but is not yet fully embedded in the context of urban planning. Thus, from the perspective of urban planning, this investigation aims to assess the potential of vertical farming in the context of large-scale transformation. Therefore, this paper uses the multi-level perspective. In this context, vertical farming is a so-called niche innovation at a lower level that forces establishment in the superordinate regime—here, urban planning. By using the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOTs) methodology, this paper presents the advantages and disadvantages of vertical farming, as well as its implications for urban planning. A final comparison of these aspects leads to six conditions paired with recommendations, which are considered necessary for the successful stabilization of this niche innovation.

Keywords: vertical farming; urban planning; urban sustainability; transformation research; multi-level perspective (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/22/15861/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/22/15861/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:22:p:15861-:d:1278435

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().