The indoor growing pods at Canadore College

This interview details The indoor growing pods at Canadore College, an indoor farming company based in Canada. The interview is with Angela Proudfoot, Project Administrator Sustainable Food & Clean Water at Canadore College. 

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What is the origin story of the indoor growing pods at Canadore College?

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This was an initiative our college brought in to research the performance of the growing pods with the idea of finding solutions for food insecurity in the North.

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The concept was to test for ourselves the endurance and prove the capacity for diverse growth in the harsher climate this building would exist in.

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We have had great success with food growth year-round in the grow pods and have been in discussions with various Indigenous and remote communities that feel they would benefit from them.

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What are some of the biggest challenges facing the indoor growing pod research at Canadore College in the future?

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Keeping up with the demand for produce and space for growing requests for projects.

What is the current size of your growing area?

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The original growing pod is 200 square feet.

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We have the capacity to add more vertical growing space which keeps it small with the ability to produce more.

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How much do you pay for electricity (kWh)? Is it mainly from the grid or renewables?

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The building runs off solar energy, so no electric bills.

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Do you use CO2 in your operation today -- if so, how much and what do you pay for it?

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No we don't, but we have discussed it and may implement it in the future.

How can people learn more about the indoor growing research at Canadore College?

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I can provide a couple of handy links for anyone interested in reading more about our operation.

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You can also contact Jesse Russell our Project Leader of Sustainable Development at jesse.russell@canadorecollege.ca.

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https://www.canadorecollege.ca/sustainable-canadore/initiatives/off-grid-grow-pods

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https://www.canadorecollege.ca/about/the-canadore-story/grow-pods-at-canadore-begin-to-produce

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