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Coconut Coir as a Vertical Textile in Soilless Growth Systems

DeRose, Haley Nicole
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6893-3320
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1619537140131192

Abstract Details

2021, MS, Kent State University, College of Architecture and Environmental Design.
Coconut coir is an inert fibrous material found between the hard, internal shell and the outer coat of a coconut and is considered a waste-product of the coconut oil industry. Because of the global demand for sustainable, renewable, and reusable products, coconut coir has risen as a natural alternative in many markets. With its high-water absorption, lignin content, density, bending capacity, and neutral pH, coconut coir has become an ideal alternative for soilless growing media. However, it remains unstudied in vertical systems, where less space, energy use, and water consumption are prevalent. This thesis posits that coconut coir can be used as a vertical farming textile to promote curly cress microgreens growth. This study seeks to identify the use of coconut coir as a reusable media to encourage food production and sustainable architecture. Implementing reusable waste-products like coconut coir into architectural design may provide an impact on design materials and the way designers integrate sustainability. Considering food production as an architectural application may provide designers with opportunities to economically strengthen cities' food accessibility and diversity while supporting a mission for sustainability. This study utilizes an experimental approach through growth trials for two commercial brands of coconut coir mats to provide data about the germination and treatment of curly cress microgreens in a vertical system. The analysis revealed data that involved mat types, treatment manipulations, and trial repetition. The research was conducted for four successive trials, with two different mat brands, and three different treatments per brand. The research found that curly cress microgreens have the potential to grow on soilless coconut coir media. The study also concluded that germination may be further increased without surface manipulation or an additional adhesive. The study further investigated the efficacy of coconut coir as a knitted media textile in an architectural application on a lightweight deployable structure. The impact of the lightweight growing structure may play a role in food scarcity and the incorporation of agriculture in architecture. Woven and knit coconut coir media textiles were designed and tested for their ability to support growth of microgreens vertically. The study found that curly cress microgreens have the potential to grow on both woven and knit coconut coir textiles. A 5:1 scaled prototype of a possible architectural application was physically modeled to test the feasibility of the knit media textiles deployment.
Diane Davis-Sikora (Advisor)
Reid Coffman, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Petra Gruber, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
182 p.
Architecture
coconut coir; media textile; soilless system; microgreens; architecture; sustainability

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • DeRose, H. N. (2021). Coconut Coir as a Vertical Textile in Soilless Growth Systems [Master's thesis, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1619537140131192

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • DeRose, Haley. Coconut Coir as a Vertical Textile in Soilless Growth Systems. 2021. Kent State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1619537140131192.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • DeRose, Haley. "Coconut Coir as a Vertical Textile in Soilless Growth Systems." Master's thesis, Kent State University, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1619537140131192

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

kent1619537140131192
647
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This open access ETD is published by Kent State University and OhioLINK.