UrbanHarvest Selects LumiGrow LED Technology for Seattle's Millionair Club Charity Indoor Farm
Novato, California (PRWEB) October 01, 2013 -- LumiGrow, Inc. (http://www.lumigrow.com) announced today that UrbanHarvest (http://www.urbanharvest.com), a hyperlocal urban farming company that grows fresh vegetables exclusively for Seattle, WA-area restaurants, grocers and food services, selected LumiGrow LED greenhouse lights for the urban farm it operates at the Millionair Club Charity headquarters in downtown Seattle.
When the UrbanHarvest farm is complete before year-end 2013, it will produce 10,000 heads of lettuce annually, or about 20,000 bowls of fresh salad. Greens will be sold to provide revenue to support and scale the initiatives of the Millionair Club Charity, including providing job training and related social services. Salad greens will also complement nutritious meals for homeless or unemployed individuals in Seattle and King County.
The UrbanHarvest farm in the basement of the Millionair Club Charity’s facility provides hands-on training in modern farming techniques to individuals in the Millionair Club Charity job training program. The farm uses cutting-edge technology to maximize crop yields and minimize environmental footprint. For example, powerful LumiGrow LED Pro 325™ lights, controlled by LumiGrow SmartPAR™ software, emit precisely the light intensity and spectrum needed by crops at different growth stages.
The LumiGrow LED solution’s ability to target light output translates into 70 percent energy savings versus the high intensity discharge (HID) lights historically used in greenhouses and urban farms. Additionally, LumiGrow lights do not contain any mercury that could contaminate food or leach into landfills, unlike HID and fluorescent fixtures.
UrbanHarvest Founder and CEO Chris Bajuk says, “The LumiGrow LED solution is the right choice for the Millionair Club Charity project because it allows us to grow and deliver food in a manner that is sustainable in every sense.”
LumiGrow President and CEO Kevin Wells adds, “We’re pleased that LumiGrow technology was selected for the Millionair Club Charity’s UrbanHarvest farm. The farm is a model of self-sufficiency that serves as inspiration for other civic projects.”
Chris Bajuk’s selection of the LumiGrow solution was based on the success of a pilot project in which he used LumiGrow LED lights to grow healthy, pesticide-free lettuce within a hydroponic system. Another deciding factor in Mr. Bajuk’s selection was the LumiGrow product’s eligibility for an energy-efficiency purchase incentive from Seattle City Light.
About UrbanHarvest
Founded in 2012, UrbanHarvest formally launched after its founders won the prestigious University of Washington’s annual business plan competition. Seattle native Chris Bajuk, who holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy in addition to an M.B.A. and an M.S. in Real Estate from the University of Washington, drives every aspect of the company’s operations including customizable crop production for restaurants; farm development and operating services for corporations and organizations; and long-term contract growing for grocery buyers, restaurants, and food services. For more information, please visit http://www.urbanharvest.com.
About the Millionair Club Charity
Since 1921, the Millionair Club Charity has changed thousands of lives by providing jobs and other essential support services to individuals who are homeless or unemployed in Seattle and King County. The Millionair Club Charity addresses homelessness by providing programs that develop economic opportunities for individuals while building their self-reliance. The Millionair Club Charity models the independence we encourage. We are proud that we’ve subsisted for decades primarily on private donations from individuals, foundations and corporations. We receive no direct government funding or taxpayer dollars. We are supported by community-minded people that come from varied backgrounds and are not affiliated with any one religious, political or social group. And, despite what some assume from our name, our backers are ordinary people like you. For more information, please visit http://www.millionairclub.org.
About LumiGrow, Inc.
LumiGrow, Inc., the leader in smart horticultural lighting, enables growers and scientists to reduce energy costs, achieve operational efficiencies and improve crop yield. LumiGrow offers a range of third-party proven solutions for use in greenhouses, controlled environment agriculture and research chambers. LumiGrow LED solutions are eligible for energy-efficiency subsidies from utilities across North America. The Company’s 1,500+ installations top global agribusinesses, Top 100 produce and flower growers, more than 200 universities and the USDA. Headquartered in Novato, California, LumiGrow is privately owned and operated. For more information, call (800) 514-0487 or visit http://www.lumigrow.com.
George Chan, LumiGrow, Inc., http://www.lumigrow.com, (800) 514-0487 104, [email protected]
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