Uploaded September 2017 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
In Peru, the rivers that are used for irrigation are highly polluted with arsenic, lead or cadmium content. This ends up in the soil, where it leaches into the crops. To eliminate poisoning the population with heavy metals and other toxins, hydroponic technology looks like it could be the most viable option for growing safe and organic food locally.
To tackle the idea of creating a sustainable and healthy way of growing vegetables in a country where the polluted water is causing contamination of the majority of vegetables that people are eating. This bought about the creation of Air Orchid. The project aims to demonstrate that pollution-free food can be grown and behaviour can be changed through innovative engineering.
Air Orchid is a hydroponic lettuce farm that uses water generated from a billboard. The billboard extracts water from the air where it is then dehumidified and filtered. Once filtered the water is then transported through nutrient lined PVC pipes to feed the lettuce. Hydroponic farming generates five times more nutrients and sunlight than soil based farming, while optimizing production of quality and space.
Each week roughly 2400 heads of lettuce are grown and then given to the locals and passers-by for free.
Jessica Ruas, UTEC marketing director said “Currently, organic products are gaining significance, compared to chemically treated products. UTEC wanted to work out the most efficient way to grow a crop of 2,000 heads of lettuce using the clean water generated by the panel. In addition to growing lettuce, the billboard still produces 96 liters of drinking water a day to provide for the surrounding community.”
In Peru, the rivers that are used for irrigation are highly polluted with arsenic, lead or cadmium content. This ends up in the soil, where it leaches into the crops. To eliminate poisoning the population with heavy metals and other toxins, hydroponic technology looks like it could be the most viable option for growing safe and organic food locally.
To tackle the idea of creating a sustainable and healthy way of growing vegetables in a country where the polluted water is causing contamination of the majority of vegetables that people are eating. This bought about the creation of Air Orchid. The project aims to demonstrate that pollution-free food can be grown and behaviour can be changed through innovative engineering.
Air Orchid is a hydroponic lettuce farm that uses water generated from a billboard. The billboard extracts water from the air where it is then dehumidified and filtered. Once filtered the water is then transported through nutrient lined PVC pipes to feed the lettuce. Hydroponic farming generates five times more nutrients and sunlight than soil based farming, while optimizing production of quality and space.
Each week roughly 2400 heads of lettuce are grown and then given to the locals and passers-by for free.
Jessica Ruas, UTEC marketing director said “Currently, organic products are gaining significance, compared to chemically treated products. UTEC wanted to work out the most efficient way to grow a crop of 2,000 heads of lettuce using the clean water generated by the panel. In addition to growing lettuce, the billboard still produces 96 liters of drinking water a day to provide for the surrounding community.”
