Center of Excellence Nears Completion of Design for New Vertical Farm
April 6, 2026 
Indoor vertical farm. | Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock
The Center of Excellence for Indoor Agriculture is nearing completion of the design of a vertical farm, funded in part by a Pennsylvania Agricultural Innovation Grant. This initiative supports the development of cutting-edge strategies to reduce energy consumption while enhancing productivity in CEA.
An Update on the Center’s Vertical Farm Project and Partners
“We are excited to be nearing completion of this project and really appreciate our inclusion in the grant program by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” said Dr. Eric W. Stein, executive director, Center of Excellence for Indoor Agriculture, in a release. “We have developed an innovative architectural design to help farmers maximize efficiency, lower costs, and reduce their carbon footprint while ensuring consistent food production year-round. Our next step is to identify the best site for our pilot, find clients and partners, and raise the necessary capital for construction.”
Stein also highlights the role of the Center’s planning and design partner, Re:Vision Architecture, whose mission is to infuse sustainability in the built environment and to remove barriers to others achieving sustainable solutions.
“As an architect interested in sustainable and resilient solutions, it’s so rewarding to be a collaborator on this project. Our concept design prioritized building function, plant processing, farmer workflow, and module layout to optimize floor plans,” said Lead Project Architect Sarah Reynolds. “Each draft was validated by feedback from industry professionals. I am excited to have been a part of this project and fully expect future installations to exceed their promise.”
The grant that underwrote part of the project was provided for by Governor Josh Shapiro’s 2024-2025 budget and was administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. The initiative is part of the state’s commitment to fostering agricultural innovation and sustainability. With indoor farming on the rise, optimizing labor and energy use is a critical step toward making these operations more cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
For additional information on the project, as well as other ongoing initiatives headed by the Center for Excellence for Indoor Agriculture, please visit indoorgacenter.org.