Sustainable Market Rooftop Agriculture
Project Challenge
The fresh produce market facility recognised the opportunity to demonstrate leadership in sustainable agriculture by utilising their rooftop space for productive growing, but the existing roof structure with limited rafter spacing required an innovative approach to support intensive urban agriculture loads. Traditional mounting solutions would have been inadequate for creating a commercially viable operation that aligned with their sustainability goals while working within the constraints of the existing building's structural limitations.
The project needed to integrate seamlessly with the market's existing wholesale operations while creating a demonstration of sustainable food production that could inspire similar initiatives across the industry. The agricultural operation required sufficient scale to meaningfully contribute to local food security while showcasing the viability of zero-mile agriculture in urban environments. Additionally, the rafter-mounted system needed to distribute agricultural loads effectively across the existing roof structure without requiring costly structural modifications, while meeting strict food safety standards for operation above an active wholesale market.
Key Challenges:
- Create zero-mile food production system reducing environmental impact of traditional supply chains
- Support intensive sustainable agriculture loads using rafter-mounted system without building modifications
- Span extended distances between existing rafters while supporting 5.0kPa agricultural loads
- Demonstrate commercial viability of urban agriculture while maintaining food safety standards above active market
- Achieve meaningful scale contributing to local food security within 900m² rooftop constraint
Solution
Con-form Group's innovative Span+ rafter-mounted system provided the ideal foundation for sustainable agriculture infrastructure, with the industry-first design capable of spanning up to 12 metres between rafters while supporting 5.0kPa loads essential for intensive urban farming. The ultra-lightweight framework distributed agricultural loads directly to the building's structural rafters, eliminating the need for costly building modifications while enabling commercial-scale food production across the 900m² rooftop space.
The integrated system combined raised growing beds optimised for intensive urban agriculture, greenhouse mounting points for year-round production, and wash-pack facilities that met commercial food safety standards while minimising water usage and waste. The rafter-mounted approach maximized growing space efficiency while the lightweight steel construction, manufactured from recycled materials, aligned with the market's sustainability objectives and enabled zero-mile food distribution directly from rooftop harvest to market operations.
Solution Benefits:
- Span+ rafter-mounted technology supported agricultural loads across extended spans without building modifications
- Zero-mile food production eliminated transportation emissions and enhanced local food security
- 900m² facility generating $45,000+ annually in sustainable fresh produce within urban environment
- Integrated wash-pack facilities enabled farm-to-market distribution within minutes of harvest
- Recyclable steel construction aligned with circular economy and sustainability principles
Services Rendered
Con-form Group provided complete turnkey delivery for this pioneering sustainable agriculture installation, with specialised engineering teams designing rafter-mounted infrastructure that maximised environmental benefits while working within existing structural constraints. Our sustainability-focused design team developed comprehensive plans optimising growing capacity for local food production across the 900m² space while minimising resource consumption and waste generation. The project included extensive collaboration with structural engineers to ensure the Span+ system effectively distributed agricultural loads to existing rafters without compromising building integrity.
Services Included:
- Rafter-mounted Span+ engineering design optimising load distribution for zero-mile food production
- Comprehensive sustainability planning coordinating waste reduction, water efficiency, and renewable growing practices across 900m² facility
- Market integration project management ensuring rooftop agriculture enhanced wholesale operations below
- Manufacturing of recycled steel Span+ frameworks supporting sustainable agriculture with minimal environmental impact
- Professional installation creating demonstration facility for zero-mile food production using innovative rafter-mounted technology
- Structural load certification ensuring agricultural operations met safety standards without building modifications
- Long-term sustainability support including 25-year warranty coverage and expansion planning for increased local food security
Building
The project was completed at a major wholesale fresh produce market facility in western Sydney, New South Wales.
November 3, 2025
https://con-form-group.webflow.io/products/green-roof/roof-farm