[mattduke]

Maybe we need a section for "energy fantasies".

iht

[Precipice]

What would be the embodied emissions and/or energy of building one of these farm-scrapers vs the embodied emissions/energy of clearing land and building farm on a patch of land which could grow an equivalent amount of food??

Then you have to consider Malthus and Jevons- are these 'sky-farms' meant to replace existing land farms or will they just be constructed to enhance existing food production capacity??

The comment in the article about how an investment banker is willing to pay more for real estate than a tomato (or something along those lines) may be true for now. But what happens when the finance industry collapses and food really starts to get scarce- but then again if we get to that point, I doubt we will be able or willing to build more skyscrapers of any kind anyway.....

PS Perhaps the new energy fantasy thread can be called "Cornucopian Conceptions"?

[TreeFarmer]

Why not just use the roof to grow some vegetables or maybe fresh herbs in a sort of greenhouse type environment? That was the occupants could go there to be surrounded by greenery yet not be far from their apartments.

As for the overall concept, what if you build it and the guy with the land to your immediate south wants to build one as well? Do you try to sue and stop him because he will be blocking "your" sunlight?

Overall this building concept could only work in fantasy land.

TF