Panasonic’s vertical approach to strawberry farming

UK: Panasonic PACi NX low-temperature units are being employed to provide precise and consistent climate conditions at a vertical farm research facility in Suffolk.

The Panasonic equipment was selected by London-based Grow Dynamics, who were commissioned to deliver the facility, which is dedicated to strawberry and vanilla cultivation.

Grow Dynamics is a specialist in the design and delivery of integrated vertical farming and controlled environment systems for agricultural projects.

The project required highly precise environmental control, including reliable low-temperature performance, to support crop optimisation and variety testing. 

The Grow Dynamics scope included full system design and integration across climate control, irrigation and fertigation (the precise application of water-soluble fertilizers), grow lighting, automation and centralised monitoring. 

Four Panasonic 14kW adaptive ducted twin split systems have been installed to ensure precise and consistent climate conditions, enabling accurate control of the crop environment and supporting the testing of new crop varieties.

The fully enclosed facility comprises four independent grow rooms constructed from insulated, food-grade panels, each designed to house approximately 4,000 plants. Achieving consistent, high-quality yields required meticulous control of temperature, humidity, lighting and irrigation within each room. Three rooms were dedicated to strawberry cultivation and one to vanilla, each with distinct environmental requirements. Strawberries thrive at 10-12°C at night and 22°C during the day with 60–70% humidity, while vanilla requires warmer, more humid conditions to replicate a tropical climate.

Each grow room was equipped with two adaptive ducted indoor units paired with a dedicated outdoor condenser. Grow Dynamics integrated its VertiOne control and fertigation platform to synchronise climate, irrigation and lighting systems within a fully closed-loop growing environment.