“Coaching for building integrated greenhouses”

The GROOF consortium has released its new initiative supporting the accelerated adoption of the Building Integrated Greenhouse concept by offering up to 10 early adopted one-year individual and collective coaching programs. 

Through thematic days and individual coaching sessions, this guidance will enable project leaders to, among other things, predict outputs, reduce construction costs, optimize their design, evaluate alternative business models, bolster their network, develop local and international relationships, and navigate the regulatory requirements.

This new open call will focus on 4 countries in the Northwest Europe region: the UK, the  Netherlands, Ireland, and Germany. GROOF partners have welcomed three associated partners who are joining the consortium to further the initiative:  

• The Netherlands: Association for Vertical Farming (AVF) is a non-profit organization enabling international exchange and cooperation to accelerate the development of the Vertical Farming industry.

• The United Kingdom: The UK Urban AgriTech (UKUAT) is a cross-industry group devoted to promoting technology-led urban agriculture and fostering collaboration between its members.

• Ireland: The South Kerry Development Partnership (CLG) is a community-led regional economic development company that explores new opportunities and helps individuals access local employment.

Conditions to apply
GROOF is offering a one-year coaching program for projects fulfilling the following criteria:

➢ The project must involve the integration of a greenhouse into a new or existing building on either its roofscape or its facade.

➢ The greenhouse component may serve any defined function (educational, social, amenity) and must employ an appropriate horticultural growing technique (hydroponics, aquaponics, soil-based vegetable gardens).

➢ The project must be based in an urban or peri-urban environment in one of the 4 target territories: the UK, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Germany.

➢ The project must demonstrate an ambition to reduce overall building CO₂ emissions as one of its key drivers. 

➢ The project should be at an early design phase and be able to demonstrate that the building owner has given its promoters their approval to pursue its development. 

➢ Ideally, the project will have already benefitted from discussions with the local authority and have been designed up to a conceptual level. The key project team members should already be identified 

➢ GROOF strongly recommends that all projects have potential alternative sites in reserve should any factor prevent the development of their favored site.

The deadline to submit your application is the 24th January 2022 at 12pm (GMT).