Signify cuts energy use by 25% and labour costs by 20% at South Korean university vertical farm

Grownetics

20 May 2026 — 1 min read

Signify cuts energy use by 25% and labour costs by 20% at South Korean university vertical farm Thanks! These solutions enable precise control of light intensity and spectral composition, along with time- and date-based scheduling to support the development of optimized growth recipes for a wide range of crops and varieties, including romaine lettuce, pak choi, and marigold.

As a result, the project successfully reached benchmark productivity levels, while minimizing nutrient input and energy for lighting, achieving a 25% improvement in energy efficiency and a 20% reduction in labor costs through automation. In addition, integrated control powered by AI-driven farm management systems has enhanced overall system productivity and operational stability.

Jong Myung Lee, Project Lead at LG CNS, commented: "This project represents the development of a new production model where cultivation technology is seamlessly integrated with energy, data, and automation technologies. The site is part of Yonam University's broader K-smart farm hub initiative, designed to establish a scalable smart farming model suitable for implementation in educational, research, and commercial settings by integrating automation, logistics, and operations, ensuring economic viability for eventual commercialization.

Why this matters: For operators, this is a water-management story. The useful signal is that direct substrate measurements can help cut drain loss materially without giving up yield or fruit quality, which is exactly the kind of controllable efficiency gain a facility can build on.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does substrate sensing matter in free-drain strawberry systems?

Because drain percentage tells a grower what already happened, while substrate moisture and EC data show root-zone conditions directly. That makes it easier to cut water loss without guessing.

What is the operator takeaway from this trial?

If the thresholds are understood well enough, growers can reduce drain water materially while protecting yield and fruit quality, which makes sensing an operational tool instead of a reporting tool.

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