CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Human beings have some fundamental necessities. To survive, we

require food, drink, air, and shelter. A home is one’s place of comfort zone and it

is a place where we can feel most protected and loved. A place to live, is

necessary, particularly for those residents who need to be resettled. And, for the

communities that find it difficult to earn a living. The source of food also does

have a big impact on a man’s survival. Traditional farming has not changed in

countless years. More than half of the world's population still farms traditionally,

mainly in rural areas and developing countries. This project developed from my

passion for the environment and how we as people have such an influence on

the planet.

Aquaponics is a food production technology that involves raising fish and

vegetables in a circular aquaculture setup. Aquaponics, like hydroponics, uses

fish water for watering plants completely naturally. This can help the community

to cultivate organic, less expensive, disease-free vegetables - and can also raise

certain fish alongside.

According to Mohammed Khandaker, aquaponics is a method of food

production, growing fish and vegetables in a recirculating aquaculture system.

Aquaponics uses the water from the fish to feed the plants naturally. Like
hydroponics, aquaponics is considered more sustainable as more plants can be

grown per square meter compared to normal agriculture. However, as is the case

with normal agriculture, in aquaponics plants are grown horizontally. An

aquaponic system is considered to be a sustainable food production solution that

follows circular economy principles and the biomimetic natural system to reduce

input and waste. (Rahmita, Shah, 2020)

Vertical farming is the urban cultivation of crops within a building in a city

or urban center, with the floors specifically constructed to accommodate specific

crops. These heights will serve as modern land for farming, and nations with little

or no arable land can build them. This will enable nations who cannot now farm

to become the top food producers. Vertical farming is considered a modern tool

for feeding a large world population by the year 2050. Erecting a farm that is near

the people it serves through the availability of cheaper, organic, disease-free

crops alongside sustaining the limited natural resources. (Rashmi., 2018)

These two are combined in aquaponics, where plants are fed the waste

products of aquatic creatures. Vegetables purify the water that is returned to the

fish in exchange. Microbes are crucial to the nourishment of plants, along with

fish and their waste. The fish excrement and sediments are transformed into

materials the plants may utilize to thrive by these helpful bacteria, which

congregate in the gaps between the plant's roots. Aquaculture and gardening

work together flawlessly as a consequence.

 According to Jetse Vollema, combining sustainable residential design and

on-site agricultural practices could increase awareness within cities experiencing

rapid population growth of successfully meeting the rise in energy and shelter

demands. This new farming method's visions are working toward a networked

agricultural system that draws inspiration from the open-source software

movement.

Urdaneta City, located at an advantageous crossroads, is a well-known

trading, commercial, and service center in Northern Luzon. The city also has

extensive agricultural land suitable for crop production. The majority of these are

irrigated and have adequate road infrastructure. It is also the northern gateway.

In Pangasinan, it serves as an educational hub. Because of its location, it is a

premier commercial center in Northern Luzon. The cattle industry and the

Bagsakan market. As a gateway city, Urdaneta is a hub for the distribution and

consumption of goods and services, resulting in material flows.

The purpose of this research is to introduce ‘Sky-field: A Vertical Housing

Utilizing Aquaponics System in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan’ to address housing

scarcity and how to utilize aquaponics as a flexible alternative source of income

and food for the community. And, how it can lessen the backlog of the housing in

the Philippines.
1.2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

1.2.1 Informal Settlement in Urdaneta City

According to NSO, they recorded a total number of 3,495 informal settlers in

the year 2010, which is 2.77% of the total population – 125,751. According to the

National Housing Association, the growth rate for informal settlers is 3.4%.

Housing Needs Future Housing Need

2017 2018 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2027
953 953 858 763 668 573 478 0
A. Housing
Backlog

358 358 362 366 370 375 379 402

B. Household
Formation Due
to Increase in
Population

TOTAL 1,311 1,311 1,220 1,129 1,030 952 857 402

The table below shows that in 2017 housing backlog would be zero if, for

every year, a total of 95 housing backlogs were addressed. Because of the

increasing household population, there is an increasing pattern of housing needs

until 2017 with a total of 402. The city has identified an area along the diversion

road for residential purposes to address the housing need. The City

Government’s acquisition of lands for socialized housing purposes to benefit the

homeless and those “living in blighted areas” is located in Sto.Domingo and

Bactad East. The upgrading of urban infrastructure and utilities in depressed

areas was also identified.

Table 1. Current and Projected Housing Need, (Urdaneta City Comprehensive

Land Use Plan 2017-2027)
STILL WAITING FOR THE REQUESTED DATA FROM FREEDOM OF
INFORMATION
https://www.foi.gov.ph/requests/
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https://www.foi.gov.ph/requests/
aglzfmVmb2ktcGhyHQsSB0NvbnRlbnQiEFBTQS0xMjI0MTU4MTc3MTQM
https://www.foi.gov.ph/requests/
aglzfmVmb2ktcGhyHQsSB0NvbnRlbnQiEE5IQS01MjgzODA0MDc2MjcM
1.3. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The primary objective of the research is to efficiently integrate farms in mixed-

use commercial and residential buildings as a means of providing sustainable

multi-story buildings in Urdaneta City while utilizing the use of land and making

the building beneficial both for the developers and residents such as to ensure

that the project provides more income and allows them to live in a pleasant,

healthy, as well as sustainable environment.

This study intends to answer the following problems in designing ‘Sky-field: A

Vertical Housing Utilizing Aquaponics System in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan’

assuring a high standard of living in well-designed and unique dwellings that

combine self-sustaining development. Furthermore, this research aims to

investigate the long-term viability of a vertical farm enterprise and its perceived

importance for food safety and urban systems. And, to identify space

configurations that will be explored throughout this study in order to foster "The

Circle of Life," which combines and supplies all of a city's necessities within a

single building.

1. How utilizing aquaponics can be a flexible alternative source of income

and food for the community?
2. How will the design of the environment allow the residents to live, work,
socialize, and play?
 3. How can farm-integrated vertical housing deliver the same level of comfort
as a traditional house?
4. How can it be made affordable for the informal settlers?

1.4. FRAMEWORK OF THE STUDY

1.4.1 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

1.4.1.1. Community’s source of food. A home is a haven where we are

most protected and loved. A place of residence is necessary for people,

particularly those who need to move. And, for those in communities who are

struggling to earn a living. Human basic needs are shelter, food, drink, and air.

Therefore, the source of food is needed to meet the necessities of the project. By

proposing aquaponics as a main source of food and income for the future

community of the proposed vertical housing in Urdaneta City. It will have a big

impact on the community's survival. The main goal of the study is to efficiently

integrate farms in residential buildings as a means to provide sustainable multi-

storied structures in Urdaneta City.

According to Mohammed Khandaker, aquaponics is a method of food

production, growing fish and vegetables in a recirculating aquaculture system.

Aquaponics uses the water from the fish to feed the plants naturally. Like

hydroponics, aquaponics is considered more sustainable as more plants can be

grown per square meter compared to normal agriculture. However, as is the case

with normal agriculture, in aquaponics plants are grown horizontally. An

aquaponic system is considered to be a sustainable food production solution that

follows circular economy principles and the biomimetic natural system to reduce

input and waste. (Rahmita, Shah, 2020)

By putting in simple thought, we build sustainable vertical housing for the

informal settlers and provide them with their source of income and source of

food. Such as the aquaponics system, business ownership stall inside the

building, and the public market. Residents were to eat, buy, and plant hydroponic

crops like pechay, cucumber, tomato, and other vegetable crops. Application and

integration of aquaponics in vertical farms where fishes such as tilapia may be

grown to serve as supplementary nutrient sources for the hydroponically grown

plants.
 1.4.2 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Figure 1 – Conceptual Framework.

This conceptual framework was developed based on a study into the

construction of farm-integrated housing that may generate additional revenue

and allow them to live in a pleasant, healthy, and sustainable setting with the

inclusion of all housing features.

PURPOSE
 This research is intended to maximize land usage while making the

building advantageous to both developers and tenants, such as ensuring that the

project generates additional income and allowing residents to live in a pleasant,

healthy, and ecologically sound environment.

COMPOSITION

The architectural concept of design is centered on the 'philosophy' that an

environment must be maximized for its user, with particular attention to

necessity, accessibility, and climate.

1. BUILDING LAWS

To establish technical guidelines and standards for development within the

proposed project. These laws also served as a guide in satisfying the comfort of

the user of the proposed project.

NEEDS AND NECESSITIES

People of various ages, economic levels, and cultures have access to

retail establishments, entertainment venues, residences, parks, playgrounds, and

other leisure/recreational places.

ECOLOGICAL DESIGN

1. SOCIAL

It is commonly recognized that some characteristics and design components

of the built environment, such as the usage of open spaces, seats, and housing

clusters, are more suited to encouraging interaction among neighbors.

 2. ENVIRONMENTAL

The proposed building makes use of rainwater harvesting systems that

have an integrated collection area, which has the capability of gathering

significant amounts of water in the event of rainfall that is suitable for

consumption, or as an alternative to the main water supply.

3. ECONOMICAL

The goal of integrating aquaculture with hydroponics is to increase income for

both tenants and developers while also meeting the everyday and emergency

requirements of the community. In addition to vertical farming, the building's

inhabitants have access to jobs and ownership of a business.

AQUAPONICS PRINCIPLES

Aquaponics is a combination of aquaculture (also known as the cultivation of

aquatic animals) and hydroponics (the dirt-free growing of plants) which defines a

technique that combines both processes in a single setup and uses nutrients in

the water from aquaculture as fertilizer to nourish farmed crops.

Figure 2 - The aquaponic principle —It is all about coupling”, system analysis of
aquaponic unit coupling, P.254.

SPATIAL ARRANGEMENTS — ISSUES OF SPACE, LIGHT AND PUMPING

The subject matter of this research intends to respond to if not entirely, in

particular, several fundamental questions:

 Most aquaponics systems do not utilize soil, what are the most suitable

materials to use in vertical farming systems for cultivating crops?

 Can vertical farming systems be efficiently incorporated into aquaponics

systems, and will the systems be more sustainable in terms of providing

more food?

 What are the primary problems or challenges involved with vertical

farming systems with aquaponics?

A variety of issues are required to be explored to answer the following

questions. These are a few examples; access for maintenance, management,

ergonomics, lighting, pumping, and growing media suitability.

Fish culture tanks, filtration tanks, clarifier tanks, mineralization tanks,

degassing tanks, and vegetable grow beds are some of the essential elements of

aquaponics systems. Here are the usual dimensions that can be used when

preparing an Deep water culture based aquaponics:

 Fish tanks—3.0 m wide x 2.4 m long (7.2 m2);

  Filtration tanks—3.0 m wide x 1.2 m long (3.6 m2); and

 Plant beds—3.0 m wide x 6.0 m long (18 m2).

Water runs naturally through the grow beds, filter tanks, and fish tanks before

returning to them via a pumping system, typically an electrical pump or an "air-

lift" pump coming from a sump. Air and thus oxygen are supplied to the plants

and fish using an air blower.

According to Benz Kotzen, it must be noted that space in greenhouses that

are climate-controlled is an expense that needs to be calculated, and using the

same space to grow more vegetables must be more economical and thus

essentially more sustainable. This is particularly relevant in urban areas where

land values are expensive and raising productivity levels in urban areas may

make aquaponics that much more economically viable.

1.5. SCOPE OF LIMITATIONS

The researcher established this project's scope, limitations, and delimitations

to determine the study's boundaries. The research will benefit communities that

require adequate housing for their residents.

This research will focus on developing a housing program that will

accommodate informal settlers who require shelter that utilizes vertical farming

as an additional source of income for the community, along with the green

building element.

This research will also study architectural innovations and modifications on

how to apply vertical farming to vertical housing.

 The location lot of the proposed Farm Integrated Vertical Housing is in

Barangay Sto. Domingo, Urdaneta City, is not far from the city's major business

sector. The development's proponents are the informal settlers in Urdaneta City,

including farmers, barbers, and owners of unincorporated businesses (such as

retail dealers, shopkeepers, and so on). These are the persons who work in the

socio-economic.

Background 1: Proposal to create

‘SKY-FIELD: A Vertical Housing

Utilizing Aquaponics System in

Urdaneta City, Pangasinan’ which

ensures a high level of life in tastefully

designed homes with self-sustaining

RESEARCH
architecture.

Location: Santo Domingo, Urdaneta

City, Pangasinan.

Focus: (Informal Settlers) within the

vicinity of Urdaneta City.

PROPONENTS

Table 2. Scope of Limitations

The purpose of this research is to introduce ‘Sky-field: A Vertical Housing

Utilizing Aquaponics System in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan’ to address housing

scarcity and how to utilize aquaponics as a flexible alternative source of income

and food for the community, and how can it lessen the backlog of the housing in

the Philippines.

1.6. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study on Farm Integrated Vertical Housing in Urdaneta City may be

useful in tackling the present problem of increasing housing demand as well as in

lowering the price of resource and product imports, especially in urban areas.

The study could benefit the economic development of Urdaneta City, neighboring

towns and cities, communities, researchers, and professionals. The following will

benefit from the study findings:

1.6.1 SIGNIFICANCE TO THE RESEARCH AND RESEARCHER

The study will aid professional understanding in incorporating the

observed layouts as they design integrated vertical housing in future

developments.

The study is intended to assist researchers in comprehending the

importance of social spaces in urban planning, particularly in vertical

housing complexes where the design of spaces encourages "The Circle of

Life," which meets all of a city's requirements in a single sustainable

building.

1.6.2. SIGNIFICANCE TO THE CITY, COMMUNITY, AND SOCIETY

This study would be beneficial to all of the socio-cultural classes of

Urdaneta City and neighboring cities and towns, as it ensures that this

study will help to give knowledge and spread the importance of living
vertically. It would also boost Urdaneta City's economic

development/growth by offering new income-generating assets in

Urdaneta City.