How Zebrafish Capital and Temasek Polytechnic Are Redefining Sustainable Food Parks in Cities

Zebrafish Capital, Singapore, and the School of Engineering at Temasek Polytechnic have continued to deepen their collaboration in the field of sustainable urban food systems. Building on the previous phase of research on sustainable food ecosystems and vertical farming facility models, the latest phase of joint research has further extended to park-level infrastructure and operational systems, forming a more implementation-oriented and systemised solution.

This phase of research was jointly carried out by Temasek Polytechnic’s Integrated Facility Management (IFM) and Business Process & Systems Engineering (BZE) programmes. The research focus has expanded from standalone agricultural production units to a broader framework encompassing resource circulation, building systems, and facility management within a sustainable food park.

From Production Systems to Park-Level System Integration

Compared to the previous phase, which focused on production systems centred on Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), this stage further extends upward to integrate agricultural production with park-level infrastructure. The research emphasises the coordination between resource flows, energy flows, and operational systems.

The study indicates that in high-density urban environments, sustainable food production should not be regarded as an isolated agricultural unit, but rather as an integral part of urban infrastructure—closely integrated with building systems, energy systems, and facility management.

Establishing a Closed-Loop System of “Waste–Energy–Agriculture”

This phase introduces an anaerobic digestion system to process organic waste generated during the operation of the food park. Through anaerobic fermentation, waste is converted into biogas and digestate:

· Biogas can be used for on-site energy supply

· Digestate can be reused as fertiliser for agricultural production and landscaping

This system enables a transition from “waste treatment” to “resource recovery”, integrating agricultural production, energy utilisation, and environmental management into a unified cycle, and significantly improving overall resource efficiency within the food park.

Engineering Design of Green Wall Systems at the Building Level

At the building level, the research develops a systematic and engineering-based approach to green wall design. Unlike traditional landscape-oriented greening methods, this project evaluates multiple design options across structural configuration, material selection, and maintenance considerations, ultimately forming a hybrid structural solution that balances stability and maintenance efficiency.

Using Building Information Modeling (BIM), the placement, structure, and maintenance pathways of the green wall are simulated and optimised to ensure its feasibility for implementation. The green wall is positioned on the east and west façades of the building to effectively reduce solar heat gain, thereby lowering energy demand for cooling.

The system functions not only as a landscape element, but also as an integral component linking building energy efficiency with ecological systems.

IoT-Enabled Facility Operation and Maintenance System

At the operational level, the study incorporates a sensor-based, IoT-enabled intelligent management system to monitor and control irrigation, environmental parameters, and equipment performance in real time.

In addition, different technical approaches to equipment selection and system integration were analysed, including integrated solutions and modular configurations, in order to balance cost, reliability, and maintenance support capability.

Through this system, facility operations transition from experience-based management to data-driven standardised management, improving system stability and long-term operational efficiency.

From Standalone Units to Urban Infrastructure Systems

With the completion of this phase, the project has evolved from a single agricultural production unit into a comprehensive system encompassing resource circulation, building systems, and facility management.

This transformation indicates that sustainable food parks are no longer merely spaces for agricultural production, but urban infrastructure units equipped with capabilities in energy circulation, environmental regulation, and intelligent operation.

Building on the previously developed standardised production model, the system can be modularly configured and expanded, and adapted to different regions based on local energy structures, policy environments, and market demands, enabling cross-regional replication and application.

Zebrafish Capital’s continued collaboration with Temasek Polytechnic is progressively advancing sustainable food systems from “production models” to “system engineering”, and from conceptual validation to implementation-ready solutions.

As the research continues to deepen, a sustainable food park system tailored for high-density urban environments is gradually taking shape. Its core focus is no longer solely on “how to grow food”, but on “how to build a stable, long-term urban system for food and resource production”.