Efficiency and opportunities in vertical farming and greenhouse horticulture

Vertical farming is often portrayed as an energy-inefficient alternative to greenhouse horticulture, constrained by the physics of artificial lighting. Yet focusing on energy alone overlooks contexts where vertical farming can improve system-level sustainability through urban integration, circular resource use, and hybrid production models. Rather than a competitor to greenhouses, vertical farming can be best understood as a complementary technology whose value depends on the specific place, crop, and system design.