"Growers can start a predefined recipe, ensuring consistency and efficiency"

Best of both worlds

Priva is combining knowledge from  building automation and horticulture in the facility focused on indoor and vertical farming. Dennis Louwe, Program Manager of Indoor Growing, says: "For irrigation, we rely on our expertise and techniques for greenhouse horticulture. We have been specialists in greenhouse industry for more than 65 years."

The Dutch company, however, is not only active in horticulture. They are also specialists in building automation for 40+ years. Priva's knowledge and techniques from both industries can be seamlessly combined for the upcoming indoor- and vertical farming industry. "From building automation, we use our platform for controlling the climate in facilities like offices, hospitals, shopping malls and musea, but now also for growing crops," Dennis adds.

In the R&D facility, special attention is given to ensuring an optimal growing climate throughout the multilayer facility. Priva uses a technique where air is 'pushed' through the layers, from left to right. "Our system can refresh the air 40-60 times per hour, ensuring optimal climate conditions," Fred explains. This way of climatization eliminates microclimates and provides consistent conditions across the entire farm. Growers can customize settings such as airflow speed and light intensity based on their crop needs.

Optimization at the core

"Priva's integrated approach allows growers to create and manage crop recipes with precision," says Fred. From day zero to the day of harvest, the grower defines their recipe. This includes parameters such as day and night temperature, humidity levels, CO₂ concentration, light spectrum dynamics, and irrigation strategy. The system syncs with lighting solutions from different brands, enabling growers to adjust color recipes tailored to specific crops.

"With just the press of a button, the grower can start a predefined recipe, ensuring consistency and efficiency," Dennis adds. Training sessions are available to help growers optimize their use of the system and handle daily maintenance effectively.

When it comes to high-value crops like medicinal crops, Priva ensures redundancy and reliability. "For such crops, farms often have 8-9 separate climate chambers, allowing for continuous production and regular cleaning cycles," Dennis explains. Each chamber operates independently with dedicated controllers, minimizing risks and ensuring uninterrupted production.

Getting more energy efficient

The R&D facility at Priva's headquarters is not only for showcasing all new Priva innovations but also for external parties to conduct tests or see how crops like lettuce and herbs are grown using the newest techniques. "We showcase what we have to offer and are also happy to show how stable the systems are running here."

Energy is one of the challenges nowadays, especially for indoor and vertical farms. Currently, Priva is testing its Energy Cost Optimizer, Priva ECO. This technique, with a background in building automation, was made ready for use in greenhouse horticulture last year. Dennis says: "We made a digital twin of the facility and are now working to grow more energy-efficient by using insights such as actual energy prices and more data on what the facility actually needs in terms of energy input."

Fred highlights the role of heat pumps in managing moisture and temperature: "We aim to minimize electricity use while maintaining optimal conditions. For instance, after dehumidifying, we heat the air back to the desired temperature, ensuring efficiency without 'overcooling' the crops."

Cloud-driven approach

Priva's technology is built around data. Priva One, introduced last year, integrates all data for a company-wide perspective. "Everything is logged and stored in the cloud," says Dennis during the tour of the R&D facility. Growers can access detailed reports on climate conditions, water usage, and system performance, ensuring transparency and informed decision-making. Fred concludes: "Our goal is to integrate every element of a farm seamlessly, creating a unified experience for growers, but more importantly, for the crops inside the farm." By updating the R&D facility, Priva has taken a new step to accelerate innovation in indoor and vertical farming.

The last decade Priva, as a company, has already built up a lot of experience in this relatively young market. "We guide/advise customers in the preliminary phase and protect them from mistakes that have been made in the past", says Dennis. Outside the R&D facility, the world map shows where indoor and vertical farms are running with Priva techniques.

In partnership with Vertical Farm Daily