Aquaponic as a system of building integrated food production

This paper describes the planning parameters to integrate an aquaponic system into a plus-energy house in Austin/Texas. The idea behind this is to close material cycles in the sense of Cradle to Cradle® and to consider existing waste as resources. Therefore, it was examined whether condensation water generated in air conditioning systems (fan coils) can be used to produce food in an aquaponic system. Aquaponics is a technology that combines fish farming and crop cultivation in a circulatory system. In this project, a new aquaponics concept of the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) is used, which provides individual water circuits for fish and plants, to allow the optimal conditions for fish farming and plant cultivation. The system is placed in a greenhouse. Tilapia were selected as suitable fish. Tomatoes and other crops grow in a "medium based" bed of 3,5 m with a substrate of coconut fibre mats. Thus, about 75 kg offish and 50 kg of vegetables are produced per year directly at the consumer's place of residence and in a naturelike circulation system.