MicroHabitat urban farms do not only grow on rooftops! In fact, some vegetable gardens, especially those of our industrial clients, are often more on the ground, for example on a grassy area or adjacent to the front of buildings. The goal is to create an engaging project that helps attract and retain talent, create a sense of community, provide healthy food for teams, support a local organization and optimize unused space into a biodiversity oasis.
Furthermore, industrial sites are frequently located in food deserts, so it is important to create a space where healthy food is put forward.
A good example of how our industrial clients benefit from urban farms is the ABB Group. MicroHabitat installed an urban farm in the Montreal Technoparc for the ABB Group back in 2017. These pioneers in developing new technologies have been committed to reducing their ecological footprint and taking care of our environment for years. With the desire to limit the transportation of food, ABB is growing fresh produce in a place that was previously unused, where the veggies and herbs are consumed by the employees.
The ABB urban farm aims to create a healthy, soothing and educational living space for the company’s team and members. The harvests produced are made available in the cafeteria in order to enhance their staff’s meals with tasty, healthy and locally grown food.
“Implementing sustainable amenities makes happier and more engaged employees and customers. Our urban farmers follow sustainable and circular practices such as the use of organic fertilizers and no pesticides. This garden initiated by ABB at the Montreal Campus and managed by Microhabitat is quite simply a model garden with various assortment of vegetables. This innovative concept is truly an example that inspires towards a green, resilient and community based future, which lines up with ABB sustainability goals”
-Israel Mukanda, former environment, health and safety specialist at ABB
Another good example of an industrial company who wanted to contribute to a healthier environment is PolyExpert. As a result of the efforts made by PolyExpert to reduce their environmental footprint, their team and members are especially keen not only to share their experience and learning, but also to encourage other players in the manufacturing sector to commit to sustainable development through urban farming.
With the desire to measure and control greenhouse gas emissions, PolyExpert has become a real ally in the mitigation of global warming. The choice of partnering with MicroHabitat was a natural ecological and sustainable initiative for PolyExpert.
“Thanks to the MicroHabitat team, an ecological urban farm of 50 pots has been installed directly on our roofs. This summer we will see all kinds of vegetables ripen right above our heads. Through the implementation of this sustainable initiative, PolyExpert wishes to contribute to a sustainable society and support biodiversity.”
-PolyExpert Team
As you can see even for industrial clients, an urban farm is a good way to contribute to a healthier environment through sustainable practices. If you want to know how your company can benefit from an urban farming project, get in touch with one of our experts!