WASHINGTON — Rooftops, green infrastructure and other underused urban spaces could help cities address more than food access. Building-integrated agriculture (BIA) can also support stormwater management, reduce urban heat, improve energy efficiency, strengthen biodiversity and create local economic opportunities.
In a new episode of the National League of Cities’ CitiesSpeak podcast, Brad Gaolach, director of the National Urban Research and Extension Center (NUREC), explains how cities can begin treating food production as part of their broader infrastructure and resilience strategies.
“Building integrated agriculture (BIA) is not really about farming. It’s about using building and infrastructure as platforms to deliver multiple public benefits simultaneously.” — Brad Gaolach, director, National Urban Research and Extension Center
What Local Leaders Should Know
Urban agriculture can do more than produce food. Gaolach points to opportunities to integrate food production into systems cities are already investing in, including green roofs and stormwater infrastructure. These projects can potentially deliver multiple benefits at once, from water conservation and waste reduction to urban heat mitigation, biodiversity and economic development.
U.S. cities have room to innovate. Projects in New York City and Oakland demonstrate the potential of rooftop farms and other building-integrated systems, while cities internationally are going further by incorporating these approaches into broader planning and resilience strategies. Gaolach says Tempe and Phoenix are among the U.S. leaders, but the nation still lags behind some international counterparts in developing a larger ecosystem around building-integrated agriculture.
Cities should start with the priorities they already have. Rather than asking whether their community “needs” building-integrated agriculture, Gaolach encourages local leaders to consider whether it can help advance existing goals around climate resilience, economic development, public health, land use or food access.
“Don’t ask whether your city needs BIA. Ask which of your existing priorities BIA could help you advance. It’s how does it help advance what you already want to accomplish?” — Brad Gaolach
NLC University and NUREC are now accepting applications for the Building Integrated Agriculture Academy, a 12-month program that will help municipal leaders explore how these approaches could work in their own communities. The program will cover green infrastructure, urban agriculture systems, design and implementation, zoning and building codes, financing, economic development and community engagement. Participants will also develop a capstone project applying what they learn to an opportunity in their community.
“Ultimately, one year from now, success would look like building integrated agriculture being best understood, not as a food strategy, but as a city strategy, and that food just happens to be one of the most visible outputs.”— Brad Gaolach
Listen to the full conversation, also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.
About CitiesSpeak
Each episode of NLC’s podcast, CitiesSpeak with Clarence Anthony, dives into a critical issue facing local leaders today, featuring conversations with elected leaders and policy experts from across the country. The podcast is a relaxed and entertaining resource for local policymakers looking for ideas and information to bring back to their communities. The podcast is hosted by NLC CEO and Executive Director Clarence E. Anthony, who previously served as mayor of South Bay, Florida, for more than two decades.
New episodes of CitiesSpeak are available on all major podcasting platforms and on YouTube. If you have feedback for the show or ideas for future guests, email us. Happy listening!
