School Of Science And HealthGreenhouse Technology for Food SustainabilityWestern Sydney University Unit Code: 301097.1
Discipline: HORTICULTURE
Student Contribution Band: 2
Level: 2
Credit Points: 10
Assumed Knowledge
Students entering this unit should have knowledge of least one of the following subject areas: horticultural production systems; environmental sustainability analytics; technological design and development; consumer behaviour and/or marketing principles; health promotion and/or human nutrition.
About this Unit
Greenhouses are enclosed structures that optimise temperature, light, water and carbon dioxide to maximise plant production. Also called ‘greenhouse horticulture’, these advanced systems integrate technologies across disciplines (e.g. horticultural, environmental and material sciences; mechanical engineering and design; robotics and computing programming) to create futuristic indoor environments that increase the quantity and quality of plant-derived foods. Controlled environments can significantly reduce reliance on inputs (fertiliser, pesticide, energy and water) and reduce environmental impacts (including ‘food miles’). This unit explores a range of greenhouse technologies in Australia and overseas—from simple low-cost options, through to cutting-edge technology in energy and water-efficient production. Students will observe current status and future trends in the industry to examine how advanced technologies can improve sustainability measures along with the reliability of horticultural output. Students will consider how innovative horticultural enterprises can provide consumers with greater capacity to adopt more sustainable diets.