With the new year just around the corner, Dr. Nadia Sabeh, President and Founder of Dr. Greenhouse, outlines her outlook on CEA in 2023. “First of all, with power interruptions across Europe and a recent United Nations report warning nine years to avert catastrophic warming, design teams for Controlled Environment Agriculture will focus on location (reducing land use and food miles), resources (energy and water) and processes (fertilizers and waste).” She also expects energy codes to bring greater transparency. “California’s new 2023 energy code will require farmers and indoor growers to reduce the energy consumption of new greenhouses and indoor facilities – any crop, any size. Farmers and growers in the other 49 states should closely watch the adoption of this energy code adoption.”
Greater investment
Dr. Nadia expects increased interest in sustainable agriculture and food security to lead to greater investment in the technology and plant varietals needed to make indoor crop production more accessible. “Financing for these developments will come from traditional lending institutions, as well as governmental and non-governmental organizations, utilities, eco-investors, and agripreneurs.” When it comes to the indoor facilities designed in 2023, she expects them to take greater consideration for the local communities they serve, including workforce development programs, food security and sovereignty needs, and varietals that provide nutrition and taste.
Impact of Tik-Tok?
“With consumers cooking at home due to inflation and the specter of a recession, Tik-Tok influencers will promote recipes whose ingredients (i.e., crops grown indoors) can benefit farmers’ sales. Not only can influencers promote the purchase of locally grown produce, but farmers and grocers can better forecast demand,” Dr. Nadia says.
For more information:
Dr. Greenhouse 
www.doctorgreenhouse.com