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October 6, 2019

Questionnaire on Images and Definitions of Terminology:
Vertical Farm, Indoor Farm and PFAL

Japan Plant Factory Association(JPFA)
Research Committee on Productivity Improvement
Toyoki KOZAI, Chairman
Eri HAYASHI, Manager

Introduction

In response to global demand, an increasing number of people with diverse backgrounds have become involved in the business, system development, and research of plant factories with artificial lighting (PFALs). There are indeed various terms to describe this field other than PFAL: vertical farm, indoor farm/agriculture, city farm, urban agriculture, etc. Occasionally, the terminology differs among countries, organizations, and individuals and each term has slightly different definitions among individuals. We would like to take this opportunity to compare images and definitions of three major terms: PFAL, vertical farm, and indoor farm.


*The JPFA’s Research Committee on Productivity Improvement of PFALs supports PFAL operators by providing them with various indexes, definitions, and measurement methods of productivity.


 
Abbreviations
VF: Vertical Farm
IF: Indoor Farm
PFAL: Plant Factory with Artificial Lighting
1.Basic Information (may keep blank if prefer)
2.Your Resposibility for PFAL
3.Overall understanding and definitions of yours regarding respective terms, VF and IF.

＊Kindly reply with YES or NO to each question.
YES
NO
1) Do some of VFs (Vertical Farms) use solar light transmitted through transparent windows?
2) Do some of IFs (Indoor Farms) use solar light transmitted through transparent windows?
3) Does VF, as a matter of concept, include a rooftop greenhouse with environment control units?
4) Does IF, as a matter of concept, include a greenhouse with environment control units?
5)-1   Is VF, as a matter of concept, identical to IF?
4.Please enter comments, opinions, suggestions, etc., for Q3: overall understanding and definitions of yours regarding respective terms, VF and IF.
5.Questions regarding factors/types of respective plant production.

＊Kindly answer each of the questions below regarding VF and IF with
　　"Yes, mandatory",
　　"Yes, mandatory but with some exception",
　　"No, not mandatory but with some exception",
　　"No, not mandatory" or
　　"I don't know".

★ marked at the end of each question represents "Yes, mandatory", which is standard for PFALs in Japan.

VF
IF
1) Are all walls and roofs are optically opaque?　★
2) Is the cultivation room nearly airtight under normal operation conditions?　★
3) Are walls/floors are thermally well insulated?　★
4) Is the hydroponic cultivation system (NFT, DFT, Drip, etc.) used?　★
5) Do you use inorganic fertilizer only?　★
6)  Is water vapor transpired from plants condensed and collected at cooling panels of air conditioners for recycling use?
     ＊Please choose "YES, mandatory", if the facility you operate has the recycling system.
7)  Is the nutrient solution sterilized with filter, UV and/or ozone gas? 　★
　＊Please choose "YES, mandatory", if the facility you operate has the sterilizing system.
8) Is each group of environmental factors listed below maintained at their time-dependent setpoints independent of external weather conditions?

8)-1  Room air temperature, PPFD (photosynthetic photon flux density) and photoperiod　★
8)-2  CO2 concentration of cultivation room air　★
8)-3  pH and EC (electric conductivity) of nutrient solution 　★
8)-4  Vapor pressure deficit (VPD) or relative humidity of air
8)-5  Light quality (spectral distribution) and air current speed
9) Do you change clothes and shoes to disinfected ones when you enter the cultivation room through air shower room?　★
10)  Is room air pressure kept a bit higher than atmospheric air pressure outside to avoid dusts/insects entering the cultivation room?　★
6.Please enter any comments, questions, opinions and/or suggestions for Q5: Questions regarding factors/types of respective plant production are welcome.