Underground Microgreen Farming in Athens, Greece: Design Concept and Investment Analysis

The use of the urban underground space has been regarded as a major contributor to urban environmental sustainability because it has consistently offered efficient solutions to the growing problems that modern cities face. Recently, underground development in urban areas has attracted more attention due to the increased pace of urbanization and the negative consequences associated with it. The range of underground space uses is constantly expanding as city authorities acknowledge the important role of underground development in their efforts to meet the sustainable development goals as well as improve the resilience of contemporary urban areas. On these grounds, underground farming has emerged as a new and quickly developing use of the urban underground space. Currently, examples of underground farming can be found mainly in developed countries aimed at ending hunger and achieving food security, owing to the safety and security features of the underground space against climate change and natural or man-made disasters. The focus of this paper is on microgreens. Using the urban area of Athens, Greece as a reference, the paper analyzes the design concept of an underground microgreen farm utilizing modern hydroponics. The underground farm is examined by means of a feasibility study. The results show that underground microgreen farming can be a profitable business opportunity, while at the same time improving food security for people living in overpopulated urban areas. Furthermore, underground microgreen farming provides additional benefits in terms of resource and energy efficiency and minimization of transport costs.