Assessing Daylight for Crop Growth

SIE6001 - CAPSTONE PROJECT
Final Report
Assessment of Daylight Performance

for Crop Grow: A Case Study
FINAL REPORT
Tan Shi Jie Clorence
1802173
Sustainable Infrastructure Engineering (Building Services)

Engineering Cluster
Singapore Institute of Technology
AY 2020/2021
Master of Engineering Technology (MEngTech)
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SINGAPORE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Thesis Submission Form
Declaration of Authorship
PART 1: TO BE COMPLETED BY STUDENT
Name of Student: Tan Shi Jie Clorence Student ID Number: 1802173
Degree: Master of Engineering Technology in Sustainable Infrastructure Engineering (Building Services)
Thesis Title: Assessment of Daylight Performance for Crop Grow: A Case Study
Faculty Supervisor : Dr Chien Szu-cheng Cluster : Engineering
Industry Supervisor : Organization :

(if applicable)
I hereby confirm that:
1. this work was done wholly or mainly while in candidature for a degree programme at SIT;
2. where any part of this thesis has been previously submitted for a degree or any other qualification at
this University or any other institution, this has been clearly stated;
3. I have acknowledged the use of all resources in the preparation of this thesis;
4. the thesis contains/does not contain* Company’s proprietary and/or confidential information. I have
sought approval from my Industry Supervisor for the use of the Company’s information (if any) for my
thesis;
5. the work was conducted in accordance with the Research Integrity Policy and ethics standards of SIT
and that the research data are presented honestly and without prejudice. The SIT Institutional Review
Board (IRB) approval number is _________________________ (where applicable);
6. I have read and understood the University’s definition of plagiarism as stated in the SIT Academic Policy
Section 14: Academic Integrity
Plagiarism is the copying, using or passing off of another’s work as one’s own work without
giving credit to the author or originator, and also includes self-plagiarism. For example, reusing,
wholly or partially, one’s previous work in another context without referencing its previous use.
7. the thesis has been checked by Turnitin. I attach the signed Turnitin Originality Report.
23 July 2022
_______________________________ ________________________
Signature of Student Date
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PART 2: TO BE COMPLETED BY SUPERVISOR(S)
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is ready for examination.
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The thesis has been checked by Turnitin and is acceptable for submission.
CHIEN Szu-cheng
_____________________________ ___________________ 23 July 2022
___________________
Name of Faculty Supervisor Signature Date
_____________________________ ___________________ ___________________

Name of Industry Supervisor Signature Date
(if applicable)
* delete where inapplicable
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Contents
Acknowledgement............................................................................................................................................... 8
1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 9
2. Objectives and Scope ................................................................................................................................ 11
3. Literature Review ...................................................................................................................................... 12
3.1 Environment Condition for Crop Growth .......................................................................................... 12
3.1.1 Daylighting ................................................................................................................................. 12
3.1.1.1 Quantity ................................................................................................................................. 12
3.1.1.2 Quality ................................................................................................................................... 14
3.1.1.3 Duration ................................................................................................................................. 16
3.1.2 Atmospheric Factors .................................................................................................................. 16
3.1.2.1 Humidity and Wind ................................................................................................................ 16
3.1.2.2 Temperature .......................................................................................................................... 17
3.2 Polycarbonate Panel .......................................................................................................................... 17
3.2.1 Polycarbonate Type ................................................................................................................... 18
3.2.2 Thickness ................................................................................................................................... 19
4. Methodology ............................................................................................................................................. 21
4.1 Design and Modelling of the Architectural Structure ....................................................................... 21
4.1.1 Modelling Software - Revit ........................................................................................................ 21
4.1.2 Modification of Revit 3D Model ................................................................................................ 21
4.2 Daylighting Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 24
4.2.1 Computational Simulation Software - Dialux ............................................................................ 25
4.2.2 Daylighting Simulation Parameter............................................................................................. 25
4.2.2.1 Site Information ..................................................................................................................... 25
4.2.2.2 Climate Profile ....................................................................................................................... 26
4.2.2.3 Mosquito Netting .................................................................................................................. 27
4.2.2.4 Simulation Surface ................................................................................................................. 28
4.2.2.5 Polycarbonate Panel Specification ........................................................................................ 30
4.2.3 Performance Metrics for Daylighting ........................................................................................ 34
5. Results ....................................................................................................................................................... 35
5.1 A-frame Farm Unit 1 .......................................................................................................................... 35
5.1.1 Clear Sky .................................................................................................................................... 35
5.1.2 Overcast Sky .............................................................................................................................. 37
5.2 A-frame Farm Unit 2 .......................................................................................................................... 39
5.2.1 Clear Sky .................................................................................................................................... 39
5.2.2 Overcast Sky .............................................................................................................................. 41
5.3 Suspended Farm Unit ........................................................................................................................ 43
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5.3.1 Clear Sky .................................................................................................................................... 43
5.3.2 Overcast Sky .............................................................................................................................. 45
5.4 Planter Farm Unit .............................................................................................................................. 46
5.4.1 Clear Sky .................................................................................................................................... 46
5.4.2 Overcast Sky .............................................................................................................................. 48
6. Discussion .................................................................................................................................................. 51
6.1 Factors Affecting Sunlight Availability ............................................................................................... 51
6.1.1 Weather Condition, Height, and Position.................................................................................. 51
6.1.2 Sunlight and Shadow Effect ....................................................................................................... 52
6.2 Day Light Integral............................................................................................................................... 54
6.2.1 Impact due to Adjacent Building ............................................................................................... 55
6.2.2 Case Study on Combination of Clear and Overcast Sky............................................................. 57
6.3 Inaccuracy in Overall PPFD Result ..................................................................................................... 57
7. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................. 59
7.1 Future Work....................................................................................................................................... 59
7.2 Challenges and Learning Point .......................................................................................................... 59
7.3 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 60
References ......................................................................................................................................................... 62
Appendices ........................................................................................................................................................ 64
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Figures
Figure 1: Vertical Farming at Tampines HDB Block ........................................................................................... 10
Figure 2: Average Monthly Sunshine Hours in Singapore (Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS), 2022) ... 13
Figure 3: Sun path Diagram of Singapore (Tukiainen, Matti T.~J. and Gaisma.com, 2022) .............................. 14
Figure 4: Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) ......................................................................................... 15
Figure 5: Thermal and Optical Properties of Polycarbonate ............................................................................. 20
Figure 6: Scaffolding Design by Layher .............................................................................................................. 22
Figure 7: 3D Revit Model ................................................................................................................................... 22
Figure 8: Modification of Architectural Design ................................................................................................. 23
Figure 9: Modification of Architectural Design ................................................................................................. 23
Figure 10: Modification of Architectural Design ............................................................................................... 23
Figure 11: Detailed Scaffold Flooring ................................................................................................................ 24
Figure 12: Bots and Nuts ................................................................................................................................... 24
Figure 13: Modification of Revit Family Component ........................................................................................ 24
Figure 14: IFC file imported into Dialux ............................................................................................................. 25
Figure 15: Site Information................................................................................................................................ 26
Figure 16: Light Scene Setting in Dialux............................................................................................................. 27
Figure 17: 10 sets of light scenes....................................................................................................................... 27
Figure 18: Mosquito Netting at Perimeter ........................................................................................................ 28
Figure 19: Indication of farm unit at various positions ..................................................................................... 30
Figure 20: Overall position and corresponding surface title ............................................................................. 30
Figure 21: Raw Data of Light Transmittance Value ........................................................................................... 32
Figure 22: Degree of light transmission of polycarbonate ................................................................................ 33
Figure 23: Polycarbonate in the model ............................................................................................................. 33
Figure 24: Result overview ................................................................................................................................ 35
Figure 25: AFU1 – A, Clear Sky........................................................................................................................... 36
Figure 26: AFU1 – B, Clear Sky ........................................................................................................................... 37
Figure 27: AFU1 – A, Overcast Sky..................................................................................................................... 38
Figure 28: AFU1 – B, Overcast Sky ..................................................................................................................... 39
Figure 29: AFU2 – A, Clear Sky........................................................................................................................... 40
Figure 30: AFU2 – B, Clear Sky ........................................................................................................................... 41
Figure 31: AFU2 – A, Overcast Sky..................................................................................................................... 42
Figure 32: AFU2 – B, Overcast Sky ..................................................................................................................... 43
Figure 33: SFU – A, Clear Sky ............................................................................................................................. 44
Figure 34: SFU – B, Clear Sky ............................................................................................................................. 44
Figure 35: SFU – A, Overcast Sky ....................................................................................................................... 45
Figure 36: SFU – B, Overcast Sky ....................................................................................................................... 46
Figure 37: PFU – A, Clear Sky ............................................................................................................................. 47
Figure 38: PFU – B, Clear Sky ............................................................................................................................. 48
Figure 39: PFU – A, Overcast Sky ....................................................................................................................... 49
Figure 40: PFU – B, Overcast Sky ....................................................................................................................... 50
Figure 41: Location of PFU2 and PFU4 .............................................................................................................. 52
Figure 42: Sunlight and shadow effect at 11am on Room B and 3pm on Room A ........................................... 53
Figure 43: Illuminance contour at 11am and 3pm. ........................................................................................... 53
Figure 44: Solar and Shadow Diagram .............................................................................................................. 54
Figure 45: DLI of Room A ................................................................................................................................... 54
Figure 46: DLI of Room B ................................................................................................................................... 55
Figure 47: Overall shadow diagram at 11am and 3pm ..................................................................................... 56
Figure 48: Overall shadow diagram at 11am and 3pm ..................................................................................... 56
Figure 49: Sun path at 1pm ............................................................................................................................... 57
Figure 50: Illuminance at Roof A and Roof B (Clear Sky, 1 pm) ......................................................................... 58
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Tables
Table 1 – Polycarbonate Properties .................................................................................................................. 17
Table 2 – Cloud Coverage in Different Sky Condition........................................................................................ 27
Table 3 – Farm Unit Information ....................................................................................................................... 29
Table 4 – Polycarbonate Sample Panels ............................................................................................................ 31
Table 5 – Light Transmittance Value of Polycarbonate Sample ........................................................................ 33
Table 6 – Highest and lowest PPFD ................................................................................................................... 51
Table 7 - PPFD values of each measured surface of AFU1 – A .......................................................................... 51
Table 8 - Highest and lowest DLI ....................................................................................................................... 55
Table 9 – Average DLI of Room A & B................................................................................................................ 56
Table 10 – Comparison of DLI between Clear Sky and Combination of Clear & Overcast Sky ......................... 57
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Acknowledgement
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my academic professor, Dr. Chien Szu-Cheng, who
has provided valuable advice and support throughout the Capstone. This project is a continuation work
that will be developed based on the efforts of the previous students, Jarrod Chin and Nicholas Tang,
as well as the research assistant, Desmond Ong. Also, researchers, Barbara Ang and Dr. Youhanna,
have been very helpful in providing the necessary resources for me to conduct the research work.
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1. Introduction
Singapore is a relatively small country which has limited space of an approximately land area of 720
square kilometers. Food farms account for around 1% of the overall land usage since we have
competing land use demands. As a result, almost 90% of the country's food is imported from abroad.
To ensure self-reliance of a country, Singapore's government established the "30 by 30" objective,
which seeks to achieve 30 percent self-sufficiency in agricultural production by 2030. The "30 by 30"
objective denotes fulfilling 30% of our dietary support locally by 2030, up from less than 10%
currently. The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) would be the principal government entity in charge of
assisting the growing number of urban farms, such as those on roofs and in non-arable locations. This
will minimize food import reliance while also bolstering food constraints and production capacity. The
use of technology is a critical component in agricultural transformation (Agri-Food and Veterinary
Authority of Singapore, 2019). The activities of next generation farming community are no longer
bound by space, environment, or physical work. Food production will be greatly advanced through
innovative design, engineering, and configuration system, strengthening our food security.
Several agribusiness players are also sprouting up in unexpected places in Singapore. The succeeding
farming community have demonstrated that food production can take place all across the city using
innovative technologies. To stay relevant in the ever-changing field, SIT has the opportunity to work
with the Singapore Food Agency to be involved in the design and construction of an architectural
modular urban farming unit at an unconventional underutilize space in the campus. To withstand the
environmental effect, the structural members should be built to be resilient and multifunctional. The
principle of modular design is similar to building a toy construction using Lego. A building model is
break down into several separate segments which are smaller in size where it can be reassembled with
one another to return its useable state. Various prefabricated modules could be used to construct these
model prototype which yield benefit like time saving and better manage finances as well as resources.
In the present design context, they could be quite configurable, compact, versatile, and adaptive,
therefore they were included as basis for the design.
Case Study in Singapore

An advanced 6th storey vertical agriculture structure mounted to the façade of a HDB block (referred
to Figure 1) has been established in the Tampines neighborhood and it is managed by a local firm,
Netatech. Netatech feed the crops with precision drip irrigation technology which dramatically
decreases the quantity of water required to cultivate crops. This zero-net-energy vertical farm produces
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green crops such as Nai Bai and lettuce. Rice cultivation technique in the conventional paddy farm
requires a great deal of water and space, as well as being weather-dependent. In February 2022, the
first batch of rice is harvested from the vertical farming structure and numerous of people are stunned
to discover that rice can be cultivated in Singapore without the need for rice paddies.
Figure 1: Vertical Farming at Tampines HDB Block (Netatech Engineering, 2021)
Individuals in neighbouring locations are starting to take notice of this farm's accomplishment. For
future plan, the Town Council will be evaluating and assessing the feasibility of the installation of
similar farming structure in other HDB housing block. It is important to ensure there is sufficient
capacity to accommodate such infrastructure and that it does not cause inconvenience to residents,
such as obstructing their vision or invading on their privacy as stated by Masagos Zulkifli, the Minister
for Social and Family Development.
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2. Objectives and Scope
The objective of the project is to design an architectural system using a modular design approach and
determine the daylight feasibility of an outdoor urban farming prototype at an underutilized location
in our SIT compound.
As this project progresses to Phase II, the scope of work will focus on finalizing the architectural design
of the farming prototype, daylighting analysis and the management of the transition issues from the
design stage to the construction stage. Prior to transiting into the construction stage, the model drawing
would necessitated further fine-tuning. It is important to achieve optimization in the system integration
between the architectural components such as the scaffolding structure, polycarbonate façade, mesh net
and the plant system such as farming unit. As such, it is possible a new proposed design of some of the
components may be essential to allow the seamless integration of the overall structure. Several relevant
parties such as the vendors will be involved in the design and construction of the farming model. Should
there be any feedback and alternate design by them, the information shall be acquired and necessary
update has to be done to the 3D model. Light is one of the critical factors for the growing of crops and
plants. Hence, daylight shall be considered for the design of the farming prototype. Daylighting analysis
which comprises the sun path movement, shadow mapping as well as generating daylight modeling and
daylight autonomy findings according to weather will be carried out by using simulation tool.
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3. Literature Review
3.1 Environment Condition for Crop Growth
The growing environment and condition have a substantial effect on plant development. A plant's
progression and extend of growth are constrained by any environmental factors. Many issues of crops
and plants are caused by adverse environmental conditions, sometimes explicitly or implicitly. In rare
circumstances, unhealthy environmental factors cause direct harm to a plant. Environmental stress can
also impair a plant, posing a serious threat to the health of the plant or is more prone to pest assault
(Oregon State University, 2008).
3.1.1 Daylighting
Plants are classified as autotrophs since they are able to use light energy to synthesis or create their own
nourishment. A plant collects carbon dioxide, nutrients, and water via the pores in its roots. Next, the
sunlight provides energy that initiates a chemical change that decomposes the carbon dioxide and water
particles to form glucose which is a kind of sugar that plants require to survive. This whole process is
known as photosynthesis. When a plant receives insufficient sunlight, the rate of photosynthesis begins
to decline which the plant will tends to stretch upward and extends its stems to attain the necessary
sunlight. Plants that are not given enough light will end up losing their coloration and eventually perish.
As photosynthesis could not be carried out, the shoots that are subjected to very minimum sunlight will
become very pale. Due to the general absence of sunshine, the seedlings were unable to generate the
chlorophyll required to form a green tint. As such, it is important to understand the plant issues induced
by environmental stress such as the effects of the daylight element. Generally, plant growth is shaped
by 3 fundamental aspects of light which are quantity, quality, and duration.
3.1.1.1 Quantity
The amount of sunlight refers to its intensity or concentration of the light source and seasons also have
an impact on it. Typically, summer is the time period with the highest amount of daylight while there
is the least amount of daylight during winter. A plant's potential for producing food through
photosynthesis increases with the increment of the amount sunlight received by the plant. In the context
of an indoor area, the speed of plant development may be speed up by adjusting the amount of light
availability with the modification of the room setting. For example, with the use of reflecting surfaces
such as white background or additional illumination will allow the improvement of the volume of light
available to plants. However, outdoor plant does not have the luxury to make use of the interior or
artificial setting to improve the plant growth. Outdoor plant heavily relies on the sunlight availability
which is varied by two factors, sunshine duration and sun path.
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Sunshine Duration
Singapore is a tropical country that experiences hot and humid climate due to its proximity with the
sea and unique placement near the equator. Hence, it does not experience four seasons and it is summer
throughout the year. Being the country located near the equator, it has allowed Singapore to obtain at
least 12 hours sunlight per day throughout the year and the duration of daytime is fairly constant
throughout the year (Referred to Figure 2). Depending on the amount of cloud cover, the direct
sunshine may vary as according to different months. With more clouds occurring, the clouds will
obscure a portion of the sun, leading in less sunlight hitting the ground. For example, during wetter
months such as November and December, the sunshine duration may only last between 4 to 5 hours
per day while during drier period such as February and March, it can last up to 8 to 9 hours per day.
Figure 2: Average Monthly Sunshine Hours in Singapore (Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS), 2022)
Sun Path
Singapore's sun path normally goes from East to West, with 70 degrees above from the north during
the summer solstice, 70 degrees above from the south during the winter solstice, and mainly between
80 and 90 degrees overhead on other days (Referred to Figure 3). To allow the crop to photosynthesize
and further develop, they need sufficient quantity of sunlight. In these instances, the farming structure
envelope shall be designed in a way where it maximizes the direct sunlight from both East and West
direction. Nonetheless, the material of the structure envelope must be carefully considered in order not
to overheat up the plants as well.
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Figure 3: Sun path Diagram of Singapore (Tukiainen, Matti T.~J. and Gaisma.com, 2022)
3.1.1.2 Quality
The color (wavelength) of light is measured by its quality. A prism may split sunlight into bands of
red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, providing the whole spectrum of wavelengths.
Plants take in blue and red light as they have the major influence on their growing. The leaf
development is largely supported by blue wavelegth while blooming is stimulated by the blend of red
and blue light. Human perceive plants as green to humans is due to the reflection of green light on
plant instead of absorbing it. Plants prefer sunlight because it has a higher light quality. Plants generally
absorb light in the red and blue spectral ranges, which is abundant in sunshine. According to the
University of Minnesota Extension (2022), plants leverage the red wavelength of light for budding and
the blue spectrum for leaf development. Conventional fluorescent lights typically just produce light in
the blue spectrum promotes foliage evolution and is ideal for seedling propagation, whereas
incandescent lights mainly produce red spectrum light may emits excessive heat to be a useful ray of
energy for plants. Full spectrums grow lights are specifically designed to mimic sunlight so that it can
be used to grow indoor plants. Even thought the plant in this project will be located outdoor, it is
important to understand the fundamental on horticulture lighting and how the quality of light produced
by sun affects the development of the plant.
Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) is the quantity of light in the 400 to 700 nanometre
wavelength range (Referred to Figure 4) that is vital for photosynthesis to be carried out (Eaton et al.,
2021). It was first identified in the early 1970s by Dr. Keith McCree's study, which discovered it as
the quality of light vital for photosynthesis. PAR fluctuates with the seasons and changes by latitude
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and duration of day. In the summer, when the sun is at its highest such as noon time, the PAR
concentrations are at their peak. Anything and everything that inhibits sunlight, such as cloud cover,
tree shadowing, and buildings, blocks the flow of PAR accessible to plants. Even environmental effect
such as pollution of air reduces the quantity of sunlight that reaches plants which causes decrement of
the PAR level.
Figure 4: Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) (Light Science Tech., 2022)
Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density

PAR is measured by the Photosynthetic Photon Flux (PPF) and the PPF value indicates the total
amount of PAR that is generated by any given light source each second (µMol/s). PPF is the second
crucial component in creating the ideal lighting for your cultivation area. The number of lights that
will be required for each area to satisfy the plant's light requirements will be evaluated or estimated by
using the PPF of a grow light. The Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density (PPFD) is a metric that
measures how much light reaches the crop canopy in the PAR zone (µMol/m2/s). PPFD not only
assesses the PPF value, but it also measures the surface area. It is the amount of light, also recognized
as the volume of photosynthetically active photons, that actually hits your plants within the PAR zone
on a specific surface per second (Light Science Tech., 2022).
Yield Photon Flux
Yield Photon Flux (YPF) is a measurement in which photons in the 360nm-760nm band are weighted
based on photosynthetic reaction of the plant. This measurement provides a more in-depth level
information than PAR which it extrapolates photons to the plant sensitivity curve per crop. The
Photosynthetic Photon Flux (PPF) may be changed by adding different weighting influences on
specific wavelengths and colours after the precise spectrum of the grow light is determined. The YPF
is the output of this process.
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Day Light Integral
The Day Light Integral (DLI) is a measurement of the overall quantity of light provided to a plant on
a daily basis. DLI is a tabulation of the approximate number of photons that hit plants and algae over
the course of a 24-hour photoperiod (mol/m2/d). In a simple term, it can also be recognised as the daily
dosage of light required for the plant.
3.1.1.3 Duration
Photoperiodism is a plant's response to variations in the duration of daylight and darkness in order to
finish the blossoming cycle. Plants behave to the duration of darkness differently depending on the
characteristic of the plant. whether they are short-day, long-day, or day-neutral. The time duration a
plant is brought into contact with sunlight is referred to as its photoperiod. In many plants, photoperiod
regulates blooming and flowering. Traditionally, it is believed that plant only grow and blossom in
continuous period of lit condition (Ann Marie VanDerZanden, 2008). It is later discovered that
photoperiodic can be the time duration of uninterrupted blackness (Khan Academy, 2022), depending
on the type of plant (short-day or long-day). As a result, plants are classified as short-day or long-day
according to the environment where it blossoms. Today, it is better known that the optimum growth
of the crop is heavily dependent on the amount of continuous darkness and not just the length of the
diurnal period. According to their sensitivity to the length of daylight or darkness, plants are labelled
as short-day (long-night), long-day (short-night), or day-neutral. For short-day plant, it usually
blossoms when the day length is fewer than 12 hours. This group contains of plants such as
chrysanthemums and Christmas cactus. On the other hand, long-day species only blossom if the day
is longer than 12 hours. This group includes numerous summer flowering species such as rudbeckia
as well as multiple crops like beet, radish and lettuce. Lastly, day-neutral plants blossom irrespective
of the time frame. Some plants transcend classification and can respond to a wide range of day spans.
For instance, Petunias bloom regardless of the day's length, albeit on longer days they bloom early and
quite profusely.
3.1.2 Atmospheric Factors

3.1.2.1 Humidity and Wind
The ratio of moisture in the atmosphere to the quantity of water the air can contain at the given
temperature and pressure is known as relative humidity. Warm air has a higher capacity for retaining
moisture than cold air. Water vapor travels from a high-relative-humidity environment to another
environment with a low-relative-humidity. Also, water is transported quicker when there is a huge
disparity in humidity. Based on a research article (Ann Marie VanDerZanden, 2008), the velocity of
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water flow has a direct impact on a plant's photosynthetic activity which therefore this is a crucial
element to consider. In the air gaps within photosynthetic tissues, relative humidity surpasses 100%.
Moisture from the inside of the leaf surges out towards the ambient atmosphere when a stoma expands.
As a result, a high-humidity bubble forms surrounding the stoma. By soaking this little patch of air,
the bubble reduces the relative humidity difference between the air gaps within the leaf and the
surrounding air. Hence, the rate of evaporative cooling decreases. Transpiration accelerates as the
humidity bubble is destroyed away by the wind. During sunny, dry or windy circumstance, the rate of
transpiration is often at its maximum. Vice versa, the rate of transpiration is minimum or stagnant
when there is no breeze, temperature is low or the humidity is high. Summer is often warm and sunny,
which partially explains why plants wilt so rapidly. Turgor pressure is weakened, and plants become
floppy when there is no regular source of water provided to the plants for root absorption which is
essential for the water transportation to the leaves.
3.1.2.2 Temperature
Several plant activities, such as photosynthesis, transpiration, respiration, reproduction, and blossoming,
are influenced by temperature. Photosynthesis, transpiration, and respiration all intensify as temperature
goes up to the acceptable range. Furthermore, temperature affects the evolution from vegetative to
reproductive growth when accompanied with daylight hours. With the changing temperature, it could
accelerate forward or hold back the shift, based on the environment and the characteristic of the plant.
It is important to note that even though plants require certain amount of solar heat to stay alive, it is
important not to overheat up the environment as it will cause the plant to wilt under heat stress.
3.2 Polycarbonate Panel

Conventionally, glass has been the most common material employed for glazing application. However,
it can be expensive to use glass as the glazing material if the more than 90% of the building envelop is
made up by glass. Besides glass, plastic sheeting such as polycarbonate and acrylic sheet are also often
used for glazing application. In today's outdoor urban farming design, polycarbonate is by far the most
preferred material (Tuflite, 2016). Polycarbonate is a form of thermoplastic that is sturdy, long-lasting,
and pliable which allow it to be customized to match any need. From light-diffusing capabilities to
sturdiness, it offers numerous benefits as shown in Table 1.
Table 1 – Polycarbonate Properties
Light Polycarbonate has similar optical transmission capabilities to glass panel,

Transmission providing it an edge against glass since it looks the same yet is substantially
lightweight and greater hard - wearing. It has a transmission of light of 88
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percent which makes it an ideal material for the structure envelope (UG
Plast, 2019).
Light Diffusion When sunlight enters a glass greenhouse at an angle, it is refracted, changing
direction and delivering direct light and heat to just a portion of the
greenhouse at any single instant. On the other hand, sunlight diffuses with
polycarbonate which allow equal distribution of light and heat to different
part of the internal structure. This also eliminate the needs to move the plants
every now and then.
Heat Insulation Polycarbonates tend to trap heat more effectively than glass. The entire
purpose of retaining heat is to keep plants warm and encourage quicker and
healthier development.
Mechanical and Polycarbonates are very robust and suited for massive weight carrying as it
Thermal does not caused much deformation under load. It has superior durability and
Characteristics it has low coefficient of heat expansion which allow it to better withstand
the outdoor temperature of a tropic country. Its high modulus of elasticity
properties makes its straightforward to fabricate and machine to different
shapes and sizes. It is also highly resistance to water and suitable for crop
protection.
UV Resistance Just like any other polypropylene, the polycarbonate gets degraded when
exposed to sunlight. Hence, it is important to apply UV protection layer at
the external surfaces. Such a criterion is required for high-quality materials.
The different option includes one-sided UV coating, two-sided UV coating,
or the incorporation of a protective layer within the structure. In the
circumstance where the protection is included in the composition, it should
account for more than 46 percent of the total and not less than 30 percent
(ClimaPod, 2021). As such, UV rays will not be absorbed by polycarbonate,
it also allows heat and light to pass through and enter the farming structure.
This arrangement keeps plants from being sunburned and boosts their
development.
3.2.1 Polycarbonate Type

To satisfy the demands of various purposes, polycarbonate comes with different pattern and each has its
unique insulating attributes and R-values. The primary pattern includes corrugated sheet, solid flat sheet,
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and multiwall sheet. The corrugated and multiwall sheet are the more popular ones for agricultural
purpose.
Multiwall polycarbonate is a lightweight plastic that is highly recognized for being particularly tough,
extremely durable, its resistance of thermal and electric properties. Not only it is very strong, but it is
also extremely light weight too as according to UG Plast (2019). The multi-wall polycarbonate has a
cellular structure. It consists of numerous of wall within the configuration where the air gap will be filled
up between the walls and this enable the right temperature to be keep inside the structure. Such pattern
arrangement does not make the structural integrity to be lessen. In fact, such peculiar inner configuration
better allow the light to transmit into the internal space of the farming structure. Polycarbonate is
thermally insulating in either single or multiwall forms. Due to its internal structure, multiwall can
provide a greater influence on the thermal insulation than single wall. Example of multiwall structure
include 2-wall, 3-wall, honeycomb, and more.
On the other hand, corrugated sheet is a single-layer sheet with a ripple or frame contour which is very
similar to metal roofing sheet in term of appearance. Based on an article by a leading polycarbonate
supplier (Roofing Megastore, May 2018), corrugated sheets provide several of the advantages of solid
polycarbonate at a reduced cost, making them suitable for applications on a budget. These sheets will
also offer outstanding endurance and damage tolerance due to their perforated configuration. Corrugated
sheets, unlike multiwall or solid polycarbonate, are usually only extended in transparent form.
3.2.2 Thickness
The thickness of the polycarbonate panel will be subjected to the specific requirement of the farming
structure. As a general rule, thickness of 8 mm or more shall be sufficient under any conditions
(Greenhouse Emporium, June 2020). However, thickness does not always necessary result in better
insulation factor as certain polycarbonate is able to produce good insulation while having a relatively
low thickness due to its material and construction pattern. As discussed, heat preservation is generally
required in outdoor farming structure in order to keep plants in the right temperature. In opposed to glass,
polycarbonate will perform more effectively in heat preservation. R and U values are the thermal
indicators of the material and they are related to the thickness of the material. A low U value and high
R value indicates that low heat loss and high level of heat insulation. Besides thickness, the other factor
that will affect the physicial construction of the material is the structure pattern such as twin wall or
triple wall. As according to the polycarbonate (SUNLITE Plus) specification reference from Palram
(2022), it shows how the structure pattern and thickness affects both the thermal and optical properties
as shown in Figure 5. In comparison of the 8mm Twin-wall and 10mm Twin-wall, it shows that the 10
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mm Twin-wall has a higher R value which means that it has a better heat insulation factor. Since the
material is thicker, it also means that the light transmission will be slightly lower as compared to a
thinner material. The structure pattern also has an effect on the material properties whereby the 8mm
Triple-wall high as a higher degree of heat insulation as compared to the 8mm Twin-wall. In term of
light transmission, the 8mm Triple-wall is relatively lower than the 8mm Twin-wall due to its additional
wall which does not make it easier for light to transmit.
Figure 5: Thermal and Optical Properties of Polycarbonate (Palram, 2022)
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4. Methodology
4.1 Design and Modelling of the Architectural Structure
In the design and construction of the architectural modular urban farming prototype, it involves various
components which include the scaffolding structure, polycarbonate façade, mesh netting and farming
units. It is important to ensure that the different architectural components are compatible with one
another and well fitted together. Research on the design specification and material of the individual
components will be carried out to weight the pros and cons of the available choices. This will aid in
the selection of the system component in the final design of the prototype. Prior to construction of the
scaffold structure, the project was in the final design stage where it required further alteration and
amendment on the architectural drawing of the model upon discussion and feedback with various
stakeholders such as the scaffolding vendor. As such, this task required the use of drafting and Building
Information Modelling (BIM) software such as AutoCAD and Revit. The model is built by various
components such as scaffolding deck and horizontal ledger where each component is known as the
system family in Revit. Hence, besides modelling the overall model, it is also essential to amend these
components individually to ensure the size and shape is fitted to the requirement.
4.1.1 Modelling Software - Revit

It might be tricky to envision a complete design work during the planning stage of the project and
particularly during circumstance where the designer is inexperienced with development procedures.
The emergence of digital architectural design has streamlined this by offering representations of a
completely assembled structure would look from the interior and externally. Revit allows complete
structures or portions of buildings to be actually constructed virtually with the powerful function of
development of detailed and accurate building designs. Such modelling tool allows 3D digital
representation of a building model which provides a better depiction of a space's architectural and
operational characteristics.
4.1.2 Modification of Revit 3D Model

This project has engaged the scaffolding vendor, Layher, to supply the scaffold material for the farming
structure. The concept of scaffolding is adopted for this project as scaffolding units are particularly
compact due to their modular characteristic. They can be readily erected and removed as needed. Also,
scaffoldings can be made in a variety of sizes to accommodate a particular project design. Upon
sending the primary design for the farming structure, Layher built the design via their in-house design
software and made some modification to our design in order to achieve the optimum model for the
farming structure as shown in Figure 6.
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Figure 6: Scaffolding Design by Layher
Upon obtaining their revised design, it has to be updated in Revit of the latest scaffold design. The
revised scaffold design will be mimicked into the 3D Revit model (Referred to Figure 7) as
accordingly.
Figure 7: 3D Revit Model
In Figure 8, it shows the latest architectural design of the outdoor urban farming structure which was
further developed as according to the scaffolding design recommended by Layer. The modification
includes the removal of the roof polycarbonate at the fourth row. In order to fulfil the requirement of
consistent modular design, the entire modular at the fourth row was also removed. To ensure the
integrity of the steel structure, it is also recommended to add on diagonal steel bar in-between each
row of modular.
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Figure 8: Modification of Architectural Design
To eliminate the unnecessary resources, the side door and side staircase were also advised to be
removed as shown in Figure 9. There will a staircase leading to the second level of the structure
and the staircase has disallow the installation of the deck of the standard width. In order to fit next
to the staircase, the width of the deck has altered from the standard 0.32 metre to 0.19 metre as
shown in Figure 10.
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As the daylighting simulation software is not entirely compatible with the Revit model, it is inevitably
some of the model component is required to go through modification to allow the simulation to run.
However, it is important that the modification will not disrupt the final simulation results. For
instances, the scaffold flooring is a detailed component (Referred to Figure 11) that causes the
simulation to run efficiently due to certain error generated from the scaffold flooring. Hence, it will be
replaced with a regular cement flooring which will not affect the simulation result as the analysis
focuses on the on the surface area of the planter box instead of the floor. Also, to allow the simulation
to speed up, unnecessary component such as the bots and nuts of the scaffold structure will also be
removed (Referred to Figure 12) as well as modifying the family component (Referred to Figure 13).
Figure 11: Detailed Scaffold Flooring
Figure 12: Bots and Nuts
Figure 13: Modification of Revit Family Component
4.2 Daylighting Analysis

The photovoltaic environment has a significant impact on agricultural photosynthesis in urban farming
where it is a critical determinant in plant development and rate of production. Hence, it is important to
ensure that the location of the farming prototype is feasible where it allows all of the farming units to
receive sufficient daylight. Analysis of the spatio-temporal attributes of daylighting and the effect of
the different weather conditions on daylighting will also be conducted. Daylighting analysis will also
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aid in the selection of the crop to be grow at the designated location due to the fact that the plant growth
of different crops is susceptible to different amounts of daylight. This task required the use of
simulation software where it will generate the data needed for the analysis.
4.2.1 Computational Simulation Software - Dialux

Dialux is a professional light planning tool where user can use it to design, compute, and evaluate
lighting condition for both indoor and outdoor locations. An empty layout for the outdoors and
buildings can be developed to begin a new lighting design project. Upon completing the scaffold
design in Revit, it can also be exported out as Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) file as Dialux support
importation of IFC file. Once imported into Dialux, it is able to show the site layout including the
scaffold structure (Refer to Figure 14) just like the 3D model built in Revit.
Scaffold
Structure
Figure 14: IFC file imported into Dialux
Should the lighting design is constructed on a CAD drawing, the user has the freedom to upload it to
the Dialux program as it supports formats like DXF and DWG. With the use of dynamic graphics and
artificial colors, information concerning the distribution of light can be obtained. Photometric values
are computed using calculation surfaces and points.
4.2.2 Daylighting Simulation Parameter

4.2.2.1 Site Information
The site location that will be fed into the simulation process for the daylighting study will be based on
the weather file. The weather file is retrieved from the EnergyPlus weather data, and the data is based
on the ASHRAE International Weather for Energy Calculations (IWEC) data for Singapore Solar
radiations and transmittance are computed hourly using earth-sun geometry and periodic
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meteorological conditions such as cloud factors to enhance the accuracy of the weather data. In Figure
15, it describes the details of the weather information for Singapore.
Figure 15: Site Information
4.2.2.2 Climate Profile

i. Date and Time
Solstics are usually observed by countries form all across the world, with the exception of people who
stay at the far north in December or too far south during June which the sun lies below the horizon.
Since Singapore is positioned near the equator and is a tropical country, it receives plenty of sunlight
throughout the year. As discussed in the literation review, month of March experiences the highest sun
hours of 195 while the month December experiences the lowest sun hours of 140. This is primarily
due to the Northwest monsoon season, which sees increased rainfall across the country, resulting in
less daylight hours in December. As the sun shines straight above on equinoxes at the equator, shadows
produced by the sun at midday are minimal, if not non-existent. The sun casts relatively long shadows
at midday on solstices than on any other day of the year as the sun has dropped beyond the horizon.
As such, during solistic, the sun is either 23.5 degrees south of the equator or 23.5 degrees north of the
equator (referred to Figure 10). The impact is significantly less noticeable in the tropical. The variation
in day length will not be perceptible because Singapore is only around one degree north of the equator.
As such, the simulation will be carried out on the following day and time:
• Date: 21 March
• Time: 0900, 1100, 1300, 1500 and 1700
ii. Sky Condition

The average cloud coverage is weighted by its ratio of the sky occupied by opaque clouds (National
Weather Service). In a forecast, sky condition refers to the prevailing state as defined by the amount
of impenetrable cloud in term of octants (eighths) covering the sky. In the simulation, it will focused
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on two types of sky conditions as covered in Table 2.
Table 2 – Cloud Coverage in Different Sky Condition
Sky Condition Cloud Coverage

Clear 0/8 to 1/8
Overcast 7/8 to 8/8
The users are allowed to generate various lighting scenarios as according to the project requirement.
For the daylighting, the user can preset the preferred sky type, date and time and location of the project
site as shown in Figure 16.
Figure 16: Light Scene Setting in Dialux
As such, there is a total of 10 sets of light scenes for the simulation which consist of the 5 timing for
each weather condition as shown in Figure 17.
Figure 17: 10 sets of light scenes
4.2.2.3 Mosquito Netting

In the proposed design, the mosquito netting is implemented to prevent insect or mosquitoes from
intruding the crop within the farm structure. It is intended to be placed at both of the vertical perimeters
as well as the horizontal perimeter at the back of the structure as shown in Figure 18.
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Figure 18: Mosquito Netting at Perimeter
It is expected that the 10 sets of light scenes twice, one will be under the condition of netting installed
and another without the netting installed. As reference to the light measurement conducted (Yonhanna,
2022) as referred to Appendix A, it is observed that the installation of mesh netting caused a reduction
of 17% in the time-averaged illuminance. When running the light scene for condition of netting
installed, the light transmittance level of the polycarbonate will be set to a reduction of 17% of its
original value to mimic the presence of the mosquito netting.
4.2.2.4 Simulation Surface

The simulation will focus on the light condition at the second level of the farm structure where the
grow system will be located. There will be a set of grow system that will be put in place in each of the
modular room located at the outer left and right on the second floor. In this case, the room located at
the left is called room A while room B referred to the room on the right. Based on the design carried
out by the prior student (Nicholas Tang, 2021), there are three types of farming unit which are namely
A-frame Farm Unit (AFU), Suspended Farm Unit (SFU) and Planter Farm Unit (PFU) in each set of
growth system. The details of the individual farm unit are listed in Table 3.
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Table 3 – Farm Unit Information
Name: A-frame Farm Unit
Dimension (L x W x H):
1100 x 650 x 1240 (mm)
No. of Surfaces: 5, each at different

height
Quantity: 2 per room
Name: Suspended Farm Unit (SFU)
2500 x 200 x 2035 (mm)
No. of Surfaces: 6, each at different

height
Name: Planter Farm Unit (PFU)
1100 x 300 x 437 (mm)
No. of Surfaces: 1
In Figure 19, it shows the indication of the type of farm unit at the various position. The placement of
the farm unit in room A and B are mirrored. In Figure 20, it shows the overall position of the farm
unit and its corresponding surface title. The daylight simulation will focus on the amount of sunlight
received at the top surface of every row of the farming unit.
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Figure 19: Indication of farm unit at various positions
Figure 20: Overall position and corresponding surface title
4.2.2.5 Polycarbonate Panel Specification

The thermal efficiency and daylight properties of outdoor urban farm can be calculated using the
obtained photophysical information collected for the structure envelope material to achieve essential
relevant data for determining the specific type of polycarbonate in outdoor urban farming design.
Spectrophotometry is a technique for measuring a material's reflectance and optical transmittance in
the different wavelength range. In the process, a spectrophotometer will be used to monitor the quantity
of photons passed through samples material. The intensity of light transmitted by the sample will be
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compared to a reference measurement of the incoming source of light where spectrophotometer detects
light over the visible range.
In Table 4, it shows the various polycarbonate sample panels of different characteristics. The samples
are all of 8mm thickness with unique surface profile. As such, their degree of light transmittance,
absorbance and reflectance ability are comparable. However, it is important to do a comparison
analysis to ensure that the final selection of the panel provides optimum daylighting and is the most
suitable choice to install at the designated location.
Table 4 – Polycarbonate Sample Panels
PC1 PC2
PC3 PC4
PC1B PC5
PC6A PC6B
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PC7
The light transmittance value within the visual range of wavelength (400 to 700 nm) will be the area
of focus as it is the light condition that allows plants to develop. In Figure 21, it shows the raw data
of the light transmittance value with interval of 5nm of each sample panels, and it is important to obtain
average value of light transmittance produced by the individual panel in order to get a sense of the
common value given be the set.
Figure 21: Raw Data of Light Transmittance Value
The light transmittance value of the different polycarbonate panels samples is calculated and the
average value were obtained. In Table 5, it shows that all the panels except PC 4 and 5 have relatively
high level of transmittance ability. Among all, PC1B flat provides the highest transmittance value.
Even though PC1B flat has the highest light transmittance value, it is important to measure its
functionality and suitability to fit into the structure as well as the location.
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Table 5 – Light Transmittance Value of Polycarbonate Sample
Samples PC1 PC3

curve PC1 flat PC1B PC1B flat PC2 curve PC3 flat PC4
Transmittance 87.9 88.1 89.3 89.6 86.6 87.3 88.3 15.4
Samples PC6B PC7
PC5 PC5 flat PC6A PC6A flat PC6B flat PC7 flat
Transmittance 37.1 71.9 85.8 86.1 84.9 86.2 87.5 88.0
With different light transmittance, the overall result of the daylight condition in the scaffold structure
will vary as accordingly. The light transmittance value will be adjusted based on the analytical
properties of the chosen sample in the simulation program. In this case, the material – Polycarbonate
is created in the program and the degree of transmission is pre-set to 89% (as shown in Figure 22)
based on the highest light transmittance value acquired earlier. Once the material is created, it will be
applied to the polycarbonate in the model as shown in Figure 23.
Figure 22: Degree of light transmission of polycarbonate
Figure 23: Polycarbonate in the model
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4.2.3 Performance Metrics for Daylighting
Plants take up visible light in the 400-700 nm range and use it to transform carbon dioxide and water
into oxygen and glucose. The degree of absorbance in each wavelength is determined by the plant's
cellular structure, which varies somewhat from plant to plant. There are 2 main metrics that allow a
better understanding of the performance of the horticulture light which are PPFD and DLI. According
to research study, leafy vegetables such as Kai Lan and Nai Bai with PPFD of 500 µMol/m²/s resulted
in plants with thicker leaves and larger leaf areas (Pituwala, 2016). Depending on the type of leafy
vegetable, the DLI can range from 6 to 18 mol/m²/d and for another leady vegatble such as Bok Choy,
it requires approximately 10 mol/m²/d (Chirs, 2021).
At the end of the simulation, the result will be shown in the unit of Lux. However, in horticulture
lighting, it is the PPFD that will be the topic of interest. Hence, the result shall be converted to PPFD.
The conversion factor from illuminance to PPFD varied according to the different light source. In the
case, the light source in focus will be sunlight and the conversion factor are extracted from Apogee
Instruments (2022):
• Conversion factor for Sunlight: 0.0185
The following equation demonstrates the relationship between PPFD and DLI:
3600
DLI = PPFD x light hours per day x ( )
1000000
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5. Results
In this section, it will reveals the result of the daylighting simulation based on the following light
scenes that was discussed in methodology. Each sub-section will be evaluated based on the PPFD
values acquired from each surface of the designated farm unit at different weather condition. In Figure
24, it shows the result overview of the simulation appeared on the targeted surfaces.
Figure 24: Result overview
5.1 A-frame Farm Unit 1

5.1.1 Clear Sky
In Figure 25, it shows the PPFD value of the 5 surfaces of AFU1 at Room A under the presence of
netting and without netting based on the 5 timings during a clear sky condition. It is observed that all
surfaces exhibit very similar trend in the graph throughout the measured time. All of the surfaces start
out with relatively low PPFD values in the morning, then PPFD starts to climb significantly at midday.
It reached its peak at 3pm, then starts to fall gradually but still reaches a greater value than it did in the
morning at 5pm.
At 3pm, both surfaces of AFU1 (i) and (ii) are attaining one of the highest values as compared to the
rest of the surface. Without the presence of netting, they both attained a value of approximately 1400
µMol/m²/s while under the presence of netting, they both attained a value of 1100 µMol/m²/s. On the
other hand, AFU1 (iv) and (v) are getting relatively smaller PPFD of average value of 950 µMol/m²/s
without the presence of netting and 700 µMol/m²/s under the presence of netting. The difference
between the highest and lowest PPFD at 3pm is approximately 425 µMol/m²/s.
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Figure 25: AFU1 – A, Clear Sky
In Figure 26, it shows the PPFD value of the 5 surfaces of AFU1 at Room B under the presence of
netting and without netting based on the 5 timings during a clear sky condition. It can be seen that
every surface has a remarkably similar pattern throughout the measured period on the graph. Beginning
at 9am, the PPFD of every surface progressively increased until it peaked at 11am. When it gets close
to noon, the value starts to decline, and throughout the afternoon, the PPFD stays rather low.
At 11am, AFU1 (i) attained the highest PPFD value of approximately 950 µMol/m²/s and followed by
AFU1 (ii) which attained a value of approximately 850 µMol/m²/s in the setting without netting.
Likewise, both of these surfaces are one of the highest under the presence of netting. However, AFU1
(ii) has a value of 700 µMol/m²/s which has a slightly higher value than (i) which obtained a value of
650 µMol/m²/s in this scenario. On the other hand, AFU (iv) and (v) are getting relatively smaller
PPFD of average value of 700 µMol/m²/s without the presence of netting and 600 µMol/m²/s under
the presence of netting. The difference between the highest and lowest PPFD at 11am is approximately
250 µMol/m²/s.
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Figure 26: AFU1 – B, Clear Sky
5.1.2 Overcast Sky

netting and without netting based on the 5 timings during an overcast sky condition. It is observed that
all surfaces exhibit very similar trend in the graph throughout the measured time. Due to the cloudy
sky, the PPFD value at any time does not exceed 100 µMol/m²/s and the PPFD value does not vary
much between different timing. Nonetheless, all of the surfaces start out with relatively low PPFD
values in the morning which rise gradually over time. It reached its peak at 1pm and began to
progressively decline for the rest of the afternoon.
other hand, AFU1 (v) is getting relatively smaller PPFD value of 62 µMol/m²/s without the presence
of netting and 52 µMol/m²/s under the presence of netting. The difference between the highest and
lowest PPFD at 1pm is approximately 16 µMol/m²/s.
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Figure 27: AFU1 – A, Overcast Sky
netting and without netting based on the 5 timings during an overcast sky condition. It can be seen that
every surface has a remarkably similar pattern throughout the measured period on the graph. Due to
the cloudy sky, the PPFD value does not consistently fluctuate across different timings and never
surpasses 100 µMol/m²/s. Nonetheless, all of the surfaces start out with relatively low PPFD values in
the morning which rise gradually over time. It reached its peak at 1pm and began to progressively
decline for the rest of the afternoon.
other hand, AFU1 (v) is getting relatively smaller PPFD value of 51 µMol/m²/s without the presence
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Figure 28: AFU1 – B, Overcast Sky
5.2 A-frame Farm Unit 2

5.2.1 Clear Sky
morning at 5pm.
At 3pm, AFU2 (i) attained the highest PPFD value of approximately 850 µMol/m²/s and followed by
AFU2 (ii), (iii) and (iv) which all attained a value of approximately 760 µMol/m²/s in the setting
without netting. In comparison of AFU2 (i) and (ii), there is a clear variation of 90 µMol/m²/s where
(i) is higher than (ii). However, in the scenario where the netting is present, AFU1 (ii) has a value of
684 µMol/m²/s which has a slightly higher value than (i) which obtained a value of 663 µMol/m²/s.
The gap between them in this scenario apparently is much smaller than in the case where netting is not
present. On the other hand, AFU1 (v) is getting relatively smaller PPFD of average value of 370
µMol/m²/s without the presence of netting and 304 µMol/m²/s under the presence of netting. The
difference between the highest and lowest PPFD at 3pm is 430 µMol/m²/s on average.
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Figure 29: AFU2 – A, Clear Sky
At 11am, AFU2 (i) attained the highest PPFD value of approximately 1384 µMol/m²/s and followed
by AFU2 (ii) and (iii) which attained a value of approximately 1327 µMol/m²/s in the setting without
netting. Likewise, all of these surfaces are one of the highest under the presence of netting. AFU2 (i)
and (iii) obtained very similar value of 1240 µMol/m²/s on average while (ii) which obtained a value
of 1070 µMol/m²/s in this scenario. On the other hand, AFU (iv) and (v) are getting relatively smaller
PPFD of average value of 430 µMol/m²/s without the presence of netting and 348 µMol/m²/s under
the presence of netting. The difference between the highest and lowest PPFD at 11am is approximately
923 µMol/m²/s.
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Figure 30: AFU2 – B, Clear Sky
5.2.2 Overcast Sky

At 1pm, both surfaces of AFU2 (i) has attained one of the highest PPFD values of 139 µMol/m²/s
without the presence of netting while under the presence of netting, it attained a value of 115
µMol/m²/s. On the other hand, AFU2 (v) is getting relatively smaller PPFD value of 51 µMol/m²/s
without the presence of netting and 42 µMol/m²/s under the presence of netting. The difference
between the highest and lowest PPFD at 1pm is approximately 80 µMol/m²/s.
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Figure 31: AFU2 – A, Overcast Sky
netting and without netting based on the 5 timings during an overcast sky condition. It can be seen that
At 1pm, AFU2 (i) attained one of the highest PPFD values of 79 µMol/m²/s without the presence of
netting while under the presence of netting, it attained a value of 66 µMol/m²/s. On the other hand,
AFU1 (v) is getting relatively smaller PPFD value of 53 µMol/m²/s without the presence of netting
and 44 µMol/m²/s under the presence of netting. The difference between the highest and lowest PPFD
at 1pm is approximately 24 µMol/m²/s.
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Figure 32: AFU2 – B, Overcast Sky
5.3 Suspended Farm Unit

5.3.1 Clear Sky
In Figure 33, it shows the PPFD value of the 6 surfaces of SFU at Room A under the presence of
morning at 5pm.
At 3pm, both surfaces of AFU1 (i) and (ii) are attaining very similar value which achieves one of the
highest values as compared to the rest of the surface. Without the presence of netting, they both attained
a value of approximately 866 µMol/m²/s. However, in the scenario where the netting is present, AFU1
(i) has a value of 774 µMol/m²/s which has a slightly higher value than (ii) which obtained a value of
719 µMol/m²/s. On the other hand, AFU1 (v) and (vi) are getting relatively smaller PPFD of average
value of 765 µMol/m²/s without the presence of netting and 634 µMol/m²/s under the presence of
netting. The difference between the highest and lowest PPFD at 3pm is approximately 120 µMol/m²/s.
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Figure 33: SFU – A, Clear Sky
In Figure 34, it shows the PPFD value of the 6 surfaces of SFU at Room B under the presence of
At 11am, SFU (i) attained the highest PPFD value of approximately 890 µMol/m²/s in the setting
without netting and 737 µMol/m²/s under the presence of netting. On the other hand, SFU (vi) acquired
relatively smaller PPFD of average value of 550 µMol/m²/s without the presence of netting and 430
µMol/m²/s under the presence of netting. The difference between the highest and lowest PPFD at 11am
is approximately 323 µMol/m²/s.
Figure 34: SFU – B, Clear Sky
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5.3.2 Overcast Sky
In Figure 35, it shows the PPFD value of the 6 surfaces of SFU at Room A under the presence of
At 1pm, SFU (i) has attained one of the highest PPFD values of 210 µMol/m²/s without the presence
of netting while under the presence of netting, it attained a value of 173 µMol/m²/s. On the other hand,
SFU (v) and (vi) are getting relatively smaller PPFD value of 47 µMol/m²/s on average without the
presence of netting and 39 µMol/m²/s under the presence of netting. The difference between the highest
and lowest PPFD at 1pm is approximately 148 µMol/m²/s.
Figure 35: SFU – A, Overcast Sky
In Figure 36, it shows the PPFD value of the 6 surfaces of SFU at Room B under the presence of
netting and without netting based on the timings during an overcast sky condition. It can be seen that
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At 1pm, SFU (i) has attained one of the highest PPFD values of 101 µMol/m²/s without the presence
of netting while under the presence of netting, it attained a value of 87 µMol/m²/s. On the other hand,
SFU (v) and (vi) are getting relatively smaller PPFD value of approximately 60 µMol/m²/s without the
presence of netting and 50 µMol/m²/s under the presence of netting. The difference between the highest
and lowest PPFD at 1pm is approximately 39 µMol/m²/s.
Figure 36: SFU – B, Overcast Sky
5.4 Planter Farm Unit

5.4.1 Clear Sky
In Figure 37, it shows the PPFD value of each surface from PFU1, PFU2, PFU3 and PFU4 at Room A
under the presence of netting and without netting based on the 5 timings during a clear sky condition.
It is observed that PFU1 and PFU3 exhibit very similar trend in the graph throughout the measured
time where they start out with relatively low PPFD values in the morning, then PPFD starts to climb
significantly at midday. It reached its peak at 3pm, then starts to fall gradually but still reaches a slightly
greater value than it did in the morning at 5pm. Meanwhile, the graph also shows that PFU2 and PFU4
display a fairly consistent development during the course of the given time. In contrast, the PPFD value
PFU2 and PFU4 remained quite low throughout the day and does not has much variation at different
timing.
At 3pm, both surfaces of PFU1 and PFU3 are attaining very similar value which achieve one of the
highest values as compared to the rest of the surface. Without the presence of netting, they both attained
a value of approximately 1406 µMol/m²/s. In the scenario where the netting is present, they both
attained a value of 1166 µMol/m²/s. On the other hand, PFU2 and PFU4 are getting relatively smaller
PPFD of average value of 37 µMol/m²/s without the presence of netting and under the presence of
netting. The difference between the highest and lowest PPFD at 3pm is approximately 1423 µMol/m²/s.
Page 46
Figure 37: PFU – A, Clear Sky
In Figure 38, it shows the PPFD value of each surface from PFU1, PFU2, PFU3 and PFU4 at Room B
under the presence of netting and without netting based on the 5 timings during a clear sky condition.
It can be seen that PFU1 and PFU3 has a remarkably similar pattern throughout the measured period
on the graph where beginning at 9am, the PPFD of every surface progressively increased until it peaked
at 11am. When it gets close to noon, the value starts to decline, and throughout the afternoon, the PPFD
stays rather low. The graph also reveals that PFU2 and PFU4 display a pretty steady development
throughout the course of the indicated time. Contrarily, the PPFD value PFU2 and PFU4 remained
consistently low throughout the day and did not vary significantly with time.
At 11am, both surfaces of PFU1 and PFU3 attained the highest PPFD value of approximately 1270
µMol/m²/s in the setting without netting and 1058 µMol/m²/s under the presence of netting. On the
other hand, PFU2 is acquiring relatively smaller PPFD value of 43 µMol/m²/s while PFU4 is getting a
much higher value than PFU2 which is 459 µMol/m²/s without the presence of netting. However, under
the presence of netting, the difference between PFU2 and PFU4 is not as huge as compared the without
netting where PFU2 obtained 35 µMol/m²/s and PFU4 obtained 95 µMol/m²/s.
Page 47
Figure 38: PFU – B, Clear Sky
5.4.2 Overcast Sky

In Figure 39, it shows the PPFD value of each surface from PFU1, PFU2, PFU3 and PFU4 at Room A
under the presence of netting and without netting based on the 5 timings during an overcast sky
condition. It is observed that all surfaces exhibit very similar trend in the graph throughout the
measured time. Due to the cloudy sky, the PPFD value at any time does not exceed 100 µMol/m²/s
and the PPFD value does not vary much between different timing. Nonetheless, all of the surfaces start
out with relatively low PPFD values in the morning which rise gradually over time. It reached its peak
at 1pm and began to progressively decline for the rest of the afternoon.
At 1pm, PFU3 has attained one of the highest PPFD values of 64 µMol/m²/s without the presence of
PFU2 is getting relatively smaller PPFD value of 27 µMol/m²/s without the presence of netting and 23
µMol/m²/s under the presence of netting. The difference between the highest and lowest PPFD at 1pm
is approximately 33 µMol/m²/s.
Page 48
Figure 39: PFU – A, Overcast Sky
In Figure 40, it shows the PPFD value of each surface from PFU1, PFU2, PFU3 and PFU4 at Room B
under the presence of netting and without netting based on the timings during an overcast sky
condition. It can be seen that every surface has a remarkably similar pattern throughout the measured
period on the graph. Due to the cloudy sky, the PPFD value does not consistently fluctuate across
different timings and never surpasses 100 µMol/m²/s. Nonetheless, all of the surfaces start out with
relatively low PPFD values in the morning which rise gradually over time. It reached its peak at 1pm
and began to progressively decline for the rest of the afternoon.
At 1pm, PFU3 has attained one of the highest PPFD values of 60 µMol/m²/s without the presence of
PFU2 is getting relatively smaller PPFD value of approximately 25 µMol/m²/s without the presence
Page 49
Figure 40: PFU – B, Overcast Sky
Page 50
6. Discussion
6.1 Factors Affecting Sunlight Availability
The provision of adequate daylight introduced into the area is one of the most crucial elements to
ensure effective vegetable development. In this simulation research, the main 3 factors that influences
the sunlight availability revolved around the weather condition, position and height of the farm unit.
Upon analyzing the overall PPFD values of all farm unit surface, it is concluded that the highest PPFD
value obtained can be as high as 1400 µMol/m²/s and as low as 20 µMol/m²/s depending on the
environmental condition. In Table 6, it shows a breakdown of the highest and lowest PPFD based on
each condition.
Table 6 – Highest and lowest PPFD
Condition Highest Farm Unit Surface Lowest Farm Unit Surface

PPFD PPFD
1. Clear Sky, No Net 1406 PFU3 - A 37 PFU2 – A
2. Clear Sky, Net 1166 PFU3 - A 35 PFU2 – B
3. Overcast, No Net 210 SFU (i) - A 25 PFU2 – B
4. Overcast, Net 173 SFU (i) - A 20 PFU2 - B
6.1.1 Weather Condition, Height, and Position

The analysis shows that wet weather has influenced the amount of sunlight received by the plant. For
example, by comparing the highest PPFD value between condition (1) and (3), the PPFD has dropped
tremendously by 85%.
To prove that the height of the farm unit surface has an influence on the sunlight acquired, we will be
using AFU1 – A on a clear sky with netting condition to show the differences in PPFD. The time
selected will be at 3pm where the highest amount of sunlight is received throughout the day. Table 7
shows the PPFD values of each measured surface of AFU1 – A.
Table 7 - PPFD values of each measured surface of AFU1 – A
Condition Time Farm Unit Surface PPFD

Clear Sky, Net 3pm AFU1 (i) - A 1111.15
AFU1 (ii) - A 1102.75
AFU1 (iii) - A 975.52
AFU1 (iv) - A 728.64
AFU1 (v) - A 697.56
Based on the Table 7, it illustrates that the higher the height of the farm unit, the higher the PPFD it
receives. Nonetheless, the variation between the top few surfaces does not varied much in PPFD.
Page 51
Also, the analysis has also shows that within the same condition, the position of the farm unit affects
the quantity of sunlight received. For example, in condition (1) of Table 6, it shows that PFU3 – A has
a much higher PPFD than PFU2 – A which is located away from PFU3 -A. Although both of the farm
units have the same height, the difference in position has caused result to the variation in the amount
of sunlight received. To further understand the impact of positioning caused on sunlight availability, a
more thorough investigation has been conducted based on the chapter 4 - result. It shows that all
scenarios, PFU2 and PFU4 at both Room A and B received relatively low PPFD at all times. In Figure
41, the PFU2 and 4 in both rooms have been highlighted to show its positioning.
Figure 41: Location of PFU2 and PFU4
They are located in the inner corner towards the middle platform as compared to the rest of the farm
unit which are placed near to the perimeter of the farm structure. By locating near the perimeter of
farm structure, it allows more direct sunlight with minimum obstruction to penetrate. Since PFU2 and
4 are located further from the vertical perimeter, this may be the reason that is has relatively low PPDF.
Even though they are position along the horizontal perimeter at the back, it is facing a taller building
located at the back of the structure which covered up the amount of sunlight availability.
6.1.2 Sunlight and Shadow Effect

Another observation identified in the result is that the peak PPFD occurred at different timing for room
A and. It is identified that room A has a peak of PPFD in the afternoon at 3pm while PPFD in room B
peaked in the morning at 11am. In Figure 42, it shows the sunlight and shadow effect at both room in
their peak PPFD timing. In Figure 43, it also shows the illuminance contour of both room at the same
time.
Page 52
Figure 42: Sunlight and shadow effect at 11am on Room B and 3pm on Room A
At 11am, it is clear that room B are absorbing more illuminance as the contour shows the red and
orange shading while room A is not absorbing as much sunlight which shown in green and yellow
contour. This is vice versa for 3pm (Referred to Figure 43).
Figure 43: Illuminance contour at 11am and 3pm.
A more thorough investigation has been conducted to understand the difference in the timing. A
shadow analysis has been performed to find out the sun path at the different timing influences the
shadows of the farm structure and its surrounding. Solar and shadow diagram has been generated to
show the shadow effect due to the farm structure and its surrounding building. It is observed that the
sun at 11am is located at the east nearing the top as shown in Figure 44. This has resulted the farm
structure casting a shadow that covered the left side of its main body which restricts the farm structure
from the sun's direct radiation. Next, it is observed that the sun at 3pm is located at the west nearing
the top. This has also caused the farm structure to throw a shadow that covers the right portion of its
main body, shielding it from the sun's direct rays.
Page 53
Figure 44: Solar and Shadow Diagram
6.2 Day Light Integral

In Figure 45, it shows the mean value of the DLI attained by each farm unit surface under different
conditions at Room A and Room B. Each condition is represented by the designated color legend
which indicate the sky condition and the net setting:
• Green legend represents the condition of clear sky with no net
• Blue legend represents the condition of clear sky with net
• Maroon legend represents the condition of overcast sky with no net
• Orange legend represents the condition of overcast sky with net
Based on the histogram result, it shows how the different weather and presence of netting affect the
achievable amount of DLI. A trend can be observed throughout the individual farm unit surfaces in
the graph where the condition of clear sky with no net (green) has the highest DLI among the four
determined conditions while overcast sky with net (orange) has the least DLI.
Figure 45: DLI of Room A
Page 54
Figure 46: DLI of Room B
Upon further analyzation, the farm unit surface that received the highest and lowest DLI have been
identified. In Table 8, it shows the highest and lowest DLI under each condition as well as its
corresponding average PPFD and farm unit surface.
Table 8 - Highest and lowest DLI
Room A
Highest Farm Unit Lowest Farm Unit
̅̅̅̅̅̅̅ DLI
PPFD Surface ̅̅̅̅̅̅̅
PPFD DLI Surface
Clear Sky, No Net 400.53 17.30 AFU1 (i) - A 25.94 1.12 PFU2 - A
Clear Sky, Net 325.09 14.04 AFU1 (i) - A 21.53 0.93 PFU2 - A
Overcast, No Net 156.95 6.78 SFU (i) - A 20.59 0.89 PFU2 - A
Overcast, Net 130.12 5.62 SFU (i) - A 17.09 0.74 PFU2 - A
Room B
Highest Farm Unit Lowest Farm Unit
̅̅̅̅̅̅̅
PPFD DLI Surface ̅̅̅̅̅̅̅
PPFD DLI Surface
Clear Sky, No Net 317.32 13.71 AFU2 (i) - B 96.81 4.18 PFU2 – B
Clear Sky, Net 288.60 12.47 AFU2 (i) - B 21.20 0.92 PFU2 – B
Overcast, No Net 75.42 3.26 SFU (i) - B 18.68 0.81 PFU2 – B
Overcast, Net 65.14 2.81 SFU (i) - B 15.43 0.67 PFU2 - B
Based on the result, it is concluded that the average difference between the lowest DLI and the highest
DLI obtained under a certain condition is about 84.3%. This has shown that the sunlight availability
on the various surfaces is very inconsistent. The inconsistency most likely is the result due to the
impact of shadow as well as unfavorable position and height that was discussed earlier.
6.2.1 Impact due to Adjacent Building
Another observation that can be identified is that the average DLI under all conditions at room A is
generally higher than room B as shown in Table 9. As such, a more detailed investigation has been
conducted to find out the causes of such differences. A bigger scope of view of the shadow effect on
Page 55
the farm structure due to its surrounding building has been captured to better understand the impact of
the adjacent building.
Table 9 – Average DLI of Room A & B
Average DLI Variation

Room A Room B
Clear Sky, No Net 10.98 9.68 11.84%
Clear Sky, Net 9.11 7.77 14.71%
Overcast, No Net 2.75 2.09 24%
Overcast, Net 2.28 1.75 23.25%
In Figure 47 and 48, it shows the how the adjacent building cast over their shadows during the
identified peak hours for room A and B. At 11 am, it supposed to be the time where Room B received
the highest amount of sunlight yet it is observed that it has been slightly covered by the shadows from
the adjacent building component. The University Tower (UT) of the site is comparatively higher than
the University Student Centre (USC). Also, the farm structure is situated at a closer proximity towards
the UT than USC.
Figure 47: Overall shadow diagram at 11am and 3pm
Figure 48: Overall shadow diagram at 11am and 3pm
Page 56
6.2.2 Case Study on Combination of Clear and Overcast Sky
In reality, there are certain days that it consists of both clear and overcast sky at different time
especially in a tropical county like Singapore. Hence, a scenario that is based on the overcast sky in
the morning and clear sky in the afternoon has also been done up for one of the farm unit surfaces. In
this case, the farm unit surface that received the highest DLI was chosen and it is SFU (i) – A. The
DLI obtained in this case is compared to the DLI obtained in a full day clear sky condition as shown
in Table 10.
Table 10 – Comparison of DLI between Clear Sky and Combination of Clear & Overcast Sky
DLI
Clear Sky Clear & Overcast Sky
SFU (i) – A 17.30 9.97
Since it considers various sky conditions at different times of the day rather than assuming a full-day
sky condition, this approach yields more reliable findings. Therefore, it is the most practical way while
attempting to comprehend the efficiency of the grow of crop in both the best and worst circumstances.
By comparing the two values, the difference is approximately 42%. We can deduce that in a practical
scenario, the DLI is only able to hit the minimum level for the farm unit surface located at the favorable
position. As such, it means that the rest of the farm unit are likely not able to receive sufficient daylight
during such combination weather.
6.3 Inaccuracy in Overall PPFD Result
Upon analyzing the overall result, it is discovered that the result does not align with the Singapore
climate condition. Based on the sun path, the sun should be positioned at over the head at noontime
providing a maximum of illuminance to the plants as shown in Figure 49.
Figure 49: Sun path at 1pm
However, the result has showed that the PPFD stay relatively low at an average value of approximately
Page 57
50 µMol/m²/s. This is strange phenomenon as it does not match with the assumption. As such, an
investigation is conducted to re-look into result and simulation model. The first suspected cause is due
to human error in converting the result from lux to PPFD. Upon checking, there is not mishaps in the
process of retrieving the final result. The second suspected cause is due to errors or fault in the
simulation process. It is find out that the Dialux software did not fully capture the roof component as
daylight relevant building opening. As part of the methodology, the Revit model was modified to
implement daylight relevant building opening at all perimeter and roof of the scaffold structure prior
to export out as IFC file. The IFC file is imported into Dialux and daylight relevant building opening
are found which allow the daylight to be capture into the structure. Hence, the result of the illuminance
on the individual surface was able to capture since the daylight relevant building opening allow the
daylight to penetrate in. In the noon time, the sun is positioned over the head which shines directly
down to the roof. Therefore, in this investigation, the illuminance resulted from daylighting on the
surface of the roof will be focused and calculated accordingly based on the clear sky condition at 1pm.
Upon calculation, the result shows a relatively low value at the roof surface which indicate not much
sunlight is shining onto the roof.
Figure 50: Illuminance at Roof A and Roof B (Clear Sky, 1 pm)
Despite the lack of sunlight penetration via the roof, it obtained a range of average DLI value between
7.77 to 10.98 mol/m²/d under different condition (Referred to Table 9). On a good day without netting,
it can obtain as high as 17.30 mol/m²/d of DLI. Hence, we can conclude that by including roof skylight
penetration, the value is likely to increase at a much greater rate.
Page 58
7. Conclusion
7.1 Future Work
As discussed in the final point of the discussion, it is highly suspected that the roof is not taken into
account of a daylight relevant building opening in Dialux. Once it is not consider as daylight relevant
building opening, the programme treats the building element as an opaque object and does not transmit
light beyond its surface. The design was initially carried out in Revit which the family component such
as roof and polycarbonate were created as a generic model and does not belong to daylight relevant
building opening. Even though I have conducted modification in Revit to ensure the compatibility in
Dialux, it appears that the roof is still not recognized as the daylight relevant building opening. This
has led to some inaccurate result as the daylight simulation is processed under the condition of sunlight
penetration via polycarbonate facade and not through the roof. Hence, the future work shall include
daylight simulation consisting of both daylight penetration from both the polycarbonate at the façade
as well as the roof. With the future work implemented, a more accurate PPFD value will be acquired
to understand the amount of light received for the crop. DLI can be recalculated with the new set of
PPFD values. By obtaining the new value of DLI, it will determine whether the crops have sufficient
or excess sunlight. Only then, we will be able to propose necessary measure to increase or reduce the
illuminance. In the case where there is excessive sunlight, the implementation of netting with higher
intensity or extra netting for specific farm unit that received surplus sunlight shall be carried out. On
the other hand, should there be inadequate amount of sunlight, the implementation of artificial
horticulture lighting can aids in producing sufficient lighting in the unfavorable position where light
cannot fully pass through.
7.2 Challenges and Learning Point
Throughout the capstone project, I got heavily involved in a topic that I was not familiar with as there
are not much lighting modules involved back in our Bachelor’s programme. I was only given the
opportunity to get more in touch with daylighting through the ‘Lighting Technology’ module in Master
programme. Since I do not come with much knowledge regards to plants and lighting, I began my
intensive research by looking through different sources to find relevant journal and publications. In
order to produce a meaningful literature review, I studied and carefully considered all the articles which
are relevant to my research study. By building a solid knowledge foundation, it helped me better
comprehend the research issue and was incredibly useful when I required it to support my result and
discussion. Moving on to the next stage, I began to construct my form of methodology. At the
beginning of the project, I started out with the use of Elumtool which is a plug-in program for Autodesk
Revit that helps users to measure and assesses the lighting condition in the space. It is a total new
Page 59
software for me as I have not tried using it before. Unfortunately, I have run into several issues and
was not able to run the daylight simulation due to incompatibility of the 3D model. After numerous
tries, I have decided to try out Dialux to run the daylighting simulation. When I first learnt Dialux
during the lighting workshop, I only used it to run indoor artificial lighting simulation which is the
main capability of the software. This project is the first time that I used it to run outdoor daylight
simulation. It was not easy to comprehend since the 3D model was not build in Dialux which result in
certain incompatible issues between the Revit and Dialux software. Hence, there are several
preparation steps involved before I can proceed to run the simulation. After numerous research and
failure, I managed to resolve the technical issue and succeeded to get the simulation running. The result
was produced based on the criteria that I have set and tons of data was generated. Unfortunately, the
data was not produced in the form of excel and I have great difficulties in sorting out the data. Although
I managed to find a way to export into excel, the information was directly converted from PDF version
into excel which caused the information to be all over the place and a tedious clean up was performed
to organize the data.
Through the difficulties, I found myself becoming more adaptable and flexible in finding solutions
efficiently. I always tried to plan ahead and manage my time by allocating time to complete certain
task within the timeline. There are times where things do not work out, I might felt discouraged but I
quickly motivate myself by seeing these challenges as an opportunity to learn. However, towards the
last few days before the final submission, it was found that there is a lapse in the result generated from
the simulation. To correct the result, there is an extensive work required to be conducted. I felt
extremely daunted as I have completed most of the work during that point. With the support of my
academic supervisor, I turned the threat into an opportunity by utilizing this ‘mistake’ to make into a
discussion and learning point. The lapse in the result was due to error in the simulation process and
we did not realized this issue due to oversight. It is a painful lesson learnt as it has affect the accuracy
of the result which I have spent a lot of effort and time to generate it. Nonetheless, this has taught me
to better manage by time by allocating buffer time in the case where I required additional time to
amend certain work. I have also learn to be more meticulous in analyzing the data.
7.3 Conclusion
When disregarding the sunlight penetration from the roof, the average DLI is only able to hit at
minimum average value of 10 mol/m²/d under the condition full day clear sky without netting. The
situation is foreseen to become worse in the recent climate where the probability of overcast sky
weather has become more frequent. It is also concluded that certain location might achieve low
illuminance due to adjacent building and the impact of shadow casting over the surface area of the
Page 60
farm unit. However, in the case where roof daylight penetration is applicable, the PPFD and DLI is
highly likely to be increased in an exponential rate.
The implementation of the urban farming on an underutilized land demonstrates that it is a workable
and efficient option that might contribute to the progress of fantastic milestone in Singapore's
transformation into a sustainable country. Given Singapore's lack of natural resources, its potential to
incorporate urban farming into its land may help it become less dependent on other nations.
Underutilized space ought to become involved in urban farming in order to optimize space utilization
in Singapore. In Singapore, there are more than 300 institutions and 10,000 over residential block. If
the government were to investigate opportunities for these places to produce food via urban farm, it
would help Singapore reinforce and improve its food security, assisting in the accomplishment of the
30 by 30 objective.
Page 61
References
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Page 63
Appendices
Appendix A
(a) Setup at Oasis Living Lab Details & Description:
Layout for the setup at Oasis Living Lab
The Actual setup at Oasis Living Lab
Illuminance Measurements:
-The measurements starting time is 11:25 am & end time is 4:15pm.
- At the second floor, the mesh netting’s shades caused a reduction of 17.7% in the time-averaged
illuminance.
Ref. 2nd floor inside

Time-averaged Illuminance (klux) 71.980 59.254
Page 64

Assessing Daylight for Crop Growth

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SIE6001 - CAPSTONE PROJECT

Assessment of Daylight Performance

Tan Shi Jie Clorence

Sustainable Infrastructure Engineering (Building Services)

PART 1: TO BE COMPLETED BY STUDENT

Name of Student: Tan Shi Jie Clorence Student ID Number: 1802173

Degree: Master of Engineering Technology in Sustainable Infrastructure Engineering (Building Services)

Faculty Supervisor : Dr Chien Szu-cheng Cluster : Engineering

Industry Supervisor : Organization :

I hereby confirm that:

I/We confirm that (please tick the relevant boxes):

☐ Applicable if an external examiner is involved

_____________________________ ___________________ ___________________

* delete where inapplicable

Case Study in Singapore

Figure 1: Vertical Farming at Tampines HDB Block (Netatech Engineering, 2021)

Photosynthetically Active Radiation

Figure 4: Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) (Light Science Tech., 2022)

Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density

Yield Photon Flux

3.1.2 Atmospheric Factors

3.2 Polycarbonate Panel

Light Polycarbonate has similar optical transmission capabilities to glass panel,

3.2.1 Polycarbonate Type

Figure 5: Thermal and Optical Properties of Polycarbonate (Palram, 2022)

4.1.1 Modelling Software - Revit

4.1.2 Modification of Revit 3D Model

Figure 7: 3D Revit Model

Figure 9: Modification of Architectural Design

Figure 10: Modification of Architectural Design

Figure 11: Detailed Scaffold Flooring

Figure 12: Bots and Nuts

Figure 13: Modification of Revit Family Component

4.2 Daylighting Analysis

4.2.1 Computational Simulation Software - Dialux

Figure 14: IFC file imported into Dialux

4.2.2 Daylighting Simulation Parameter

Figure 15: Site Information

4.2.2.2 Climate Profile

ii. Sky Condition

Sky Condition Cloud Coverage

Figure 16: Light Scene Setting in Dialux

Figure 17: 10 sets of light scenes

4.2.2.3 Mosquito Netting

4.2.2.4 Simulation Surface

Name: A-frame Farm Unit

No. of Surfaces: 5, each at different

Quantity: 2 per room

Name: Suspended Farm Unit (SFU)

No. of Surfaces: 6, each at different

Quantity: 1 per room

Name: Planter Farm Unit (PFU)

Quantity: 4 per room

Figure 20: Overall position and corresponding surface title

4.2.2.5 Polycarbonate Panel Specification

Table 4 – Polycarbonate Sample Panels

Figure 21: Raw Data of Light Transmittance Value

Samples PC1 PC3

Figure 22: Degree of light transmission of polycarbonate

Figure 23: Polycarbonate in the model

Figure 24: Result overview

5.1 A-frame Farm Unit 1

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