Growing more with less

Growing food sustainably and efficiently

The global food production system is under pressure. We need to find more sustainable ways of feeding a growing, more urbanised population. ROCKWOOL products enable modern horticulture to increase production while using fewer natural resources.

In places where agricultural land is scarce, new and innovative forms of food production hold the key to feeding city dwelling populations. Grodan hydroponics can be sited anywhere, including in urban areas that would otherwise be completely unsuitable for traditional soil-based production.

Savings of water land use, fertilizer and yield gain of products sold in 2017

1/1

Relative to growing in soil-based systems, Grodan products sold in 2017 resulted in an estimated 90 million litres less water used, equivalent to the drinking water needed to sustain 85,000 people for a year and covered 26,000 less hectares, equivalent of 300 Central Parks.

Dutch greenhouse with tomatoes grown in GRODAN

ROCKWOOL collaborates with Wageningen University

Wageningen University & Research developed an estimation model comparing soil based and mineral wool based cultivations systems in three distinct climate zones for crops like tomato and cucumber

During 2017, ROCKWOOL collaborated with Wageningen University in the Netherlands to quantify the positive impact of growing tomatoes and cucumbers in Grodan horticultural substrates compared to greenhouse grown, soil-based crops. The results were significant.

Wageningen University & Research methodology

Quantitative comparison between soil based cultivation systems and stone wool systems

Download

PDF

427.5 kB

RockWorld imagery, The Big Picture, trees, woods, forrest

A net positive carbon impact

In 2017 ROCKWOOL sold building insulation products that in their lifetime will save globally the equivalent of the annual carbon emissions of Denmark, Norway and Sweden together.