Resource Innovation Institute Releases Water Circularity Best Practices Guide to help CEA Operations Better Manage Water Resources

Free, downloadable report provides information and guidelines to help support
the adoption of efficient practices in indoor farms and greenhouses
PORTLAND, Ore. (June 29, 2023) — Resource Innovation Institute (RII), the leading not-for-profit
energy and water benchmarking organization for CEA producers, announced today the availability of its
long-awaited Water Circularity Best Practices Guide for Controlled Environment Agriculture Operations.
It can be downloaded from RII’s resource catalog at this link.
“This report is the result of a comprehensive, collaborative effort between equipment manufacturers,
academia, regulators, utility providers and RII’s in-house experts,” said Derek Smith, Executive Director
of Resource Innovation Institute. “It is the first comprehensive guide on water efficiency in CEA in North
America and will prove invaluable to any operation working to implement efforts to reduce water
consumption and increase efficiency.”
According to Smith, environmental sustainability is just one reason to implement water efficiency best
practices. As reported in a 2016 study from Alberta, Canada, resource efficiency also makes a direct
impact on a CEA facility’s bottom line. For example, the study found that recirculating irrigation water
has been shown to reduce water consumption by 20-40% and fertilizer costs by 40-50%. The Water
Circularity Best Practices Guide covers topics such as reducing irrigation water use in hydroponic and
horticultural substrate culture, reducing the use of climate control water and process water, how to
recapture water and other critical issues.
“Any size operation will be able to implement the best practices for reducing water consumption
identified in this report,” Smith said. “Larger or more advanced facilities can apply the strategies for
recycling and remediating multiple water streams using physical, chemical, and biological technologies,
putting them on the path to become zero-discharge facilities. There really is a comprehensive focus to
this guide that will be beneficial for everyone.”

Through actionable tips and tools on the operational benefits of adopting water-saving practices, the
guide offers practical solutions to reduce, remediate and recycle a CEA facility’s water usage. It can be
downloaded at this link from RII’s resource catalog.

About Resource Innovation Institute: We Empower Farm Resilience
Resource Innovation Institute (RII) is a not-for-profit, public-private partnership advancing climate
resilience. RII provides resource efficiency education, training, and verification services, in collaboration
with CEA producers, researchers, governments, utilities, and the design & construction sector. Visit our
website at ResourceInnovation.org. Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.