First draft

 The article “Review of energy efficiency in controlled environment agriculture”(2021) has researched Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) applications and its relationship with HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) systems. HVAC system is the technology used in indoor farming to control the environment for growing crops. These system has played an important part in meeting the demand for food production in urban farming. In addition, HVAC systems emphasize on focusing energy efficiency to address challenges posed by global warming in agriculture (AGRIVI, n.d.). The features of HVAC systems include thermostats and controllers, sensors, energy efficiency and lighting integration that work together to create a sustainable environment for growing crops. Furthermore, the main function is to develop optimal environmental conditions for cultivation which include temperature control, ventilation and humidity control. Hence, HVAC systems used in urban farming plays a crucial role in ensuring food safety and quality produce without being affected by the climate.

References

AGRIVI. (n.d.). Overcoming Weather Limitations with Greenhouse Farming. Retrieved from Agrivi: https://www.agrivi.com/blog/overcoming-weather-limitations-with-greenhouse-farming/

Engler.N & Krarti.M. (2021, May). Review of energy efficiency in controlled environment agriculture. Retrieved from sciencedirect: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032121000812

Research Pathways

 Due to global food shortages exacerbated by global warming, we looked at urban farming for more sustainable ways to feed the world

We did a search on google scholar for recent developments and trends, landing on Controlled Enviroment Argriculture (CEAs) as the newest trend in urban farming

After look through several articles, Rachel and Adam found that HVAC had a strong impact on overall yield and quality whilst being more energy efficent

Vodcast

 

Self introduction letter

 Subject: Self-introduction email

Dear Professor Blackstone

I hope this email finds you well. My name is Adam Kwan and I’m a year 1 student attending your critical thinking and communications module.

I am a graduate of Singapore Polytechnic with a diploma in mechanical engineering. I’ve always been drawn to engineering,we are the ones who materialize concepts, we’re able to push boundaries to turn the theoretical into reality, essentially we are problem solvers, and I think that’s really beautiful.

I have never had an issue approaching people, it’s largely thanks to my long work experience since I’ve been self-sufficient since I was 16, working in various sectors, but mostly in service, it has given me a lot of experience approaching people and starting conversations.

However my greatest weakness is that I find it very hard to maintain conversations with strangers, greatly affecting my ability to network with people. There were countless times that I’ve met great people through events but I was unable to carry a conversation, ending in quite a bit of awkwardness, I used to think that it was fine being unable to make small talk, but I’ve grown to realize that without the ability to small talk, it’s very hard to probe for common interests allowing for a meaningful conversation.

My main goals in this module is to learn some tips on how to carry a conversation, thereby improving my ability to connect with more people, and improving my writing abilities, I’ve never been fond of writing and its something i’ve neglected for awhile, and I’ve realized that it restricts me, as it makes it hard to clearly convey my thoughts to words, and I take a much longer duration for a somewhat decent product.

What definitely makes me stand out is almost a decade of real world working experience, it has given me the ability to adapt quickly and essentially remove problems for my clients. It shows in my work, as most of the companies that engage me regularly put me in charge of teams of people, most recently I ran the Hendricks Bar at Gardens By the Bay’s Christmas Wonderland 2022, and will be running it again later this year. 

If you’re free in December feel free to stop by for a drink!

Yours sincerely

Adam Kwan