Module Information

Module Identifier
BEM0705
Module Title
Controlled Environment Agriculture 4: (Design)
Academic Year
2024/2025
Co-ordinator
Semester
Distance Learning
Other Staff

Course Delivery

 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment Report  50% pass rate 1500 Words  100%
Supplementary Assessment Report  50% pass rate 1500 Words  100%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

Identify the challenges involved in CEA system design

Identify suitable business models and/or synergistic relationships which could improve the circularity of resources in a CEA enterprise.

Brief description

Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) is a technology-based approach to food production, allowing growers/food producers and agri-tech businesses to optimise growing conditions and resource usage. CEA has the potential to increase business resilience and food security in the face of factors such as climate change and land availability. This module will focus on the design considerations for CEA infrastructure, CEA system control and the potential for co-location and circular economy solutions.

Content

Through a series of online lectures, guided reading and quizzes, students will look at:
- Design considerations for CEA infrastructure
- The challenges involved in CEA system design
- The key components of CEA system technology, recognising the interconnected role of each component
- Approaches to achieve system integration
- Functional CEA system design.

CEA system control
• The parameters that could be monitored and controlled in an automated CEA system
• How data capture, machine learning and web-based systems could be applied to CEA systems for improved efficiency
• The range of imaging techniques that could be used to monitor plants in CEA systems

The potential for co-location and circular economy solutions
• The importance of circular economy principles in the agri-food supply chain
• Key components of a CEA enterprise which enable the application of circular economy principles
• Suitable business models and/or synergistic relationships.
.

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Creative Problem Solving The assessment will pose questions that present theoretical problems for the students to solve.
Critical and analytical thinking Students will be expected to synthesise complex information
Digital capability Students will be required to examine and synthesize quantitative data from a range of publications and databases to develop answers for their assessment.
Real world sense Students will appraise suitable business models and/or synergistic relationships which could improve the circularity of resources in a CEA enterprise.
Subject Specific Skills Types, benefits and challenges of CEA. Appraisal and evaluation of the different methods

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 7