Researchers at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) have advanced to the Shepherd Phase of the Homegrown Innovation Challenge. They now have 18 months to develop and demonstrate a small-scale proof of concept to create and deliver a market-ready system to reliably, sustainably and competitively produce berries out of season in Canada.

“I worry about climate change a lot, and what makes me optimistic is working at a university where I see innovations that give us hope. We have some hard decisions to make, but we also have the tools we need – and this project is such a beautiful example,” says Dr. Deborah Henderson, director of the Langley-based ISH, one of three research institutes at KPU.

The KPU team’s proposal is to grow strawberries and blackberries inside high-tech greenhouses in a pesticide-free, carbon-neutral environment with support from industry collaborators and Simon Fraser University researchers.

“We believe we’ve chosen the berries which will enter the market with the greatest ease, be the most attractive for producers and consumers alike, and facilitate future berry varieties to be produced out of season,” says Henderson.

KPU researchers have outfitted an ISH greenhouse compartment at KPU Langley with a unique combination of cutting-edge technology focused on plant health and clean energy to create a prototype suitable for widescale rollout in greenhouses across Canada. 

Sensors and robotic technologies driven by artificial intelligence will control the growing environment while monitoring for pests and diseases, which will be treated with non-chemical solutions. Clean energy will be harvested and stored between seasons, waste heat will be recovered, and carbon dioxide will be extracted from the air to enrich the plant environment.

Source:  Kwantlen Polytechnic University October 5, 2023 news release