Container Farm Recovery & Automation Modernization

Container Farm Automation was delivered by NuLeaf Farms for a commercial shipping container farm in British Columbia’s Interior. The project restored a non-operational facility by modernizing its automation system while preserving existing infrastructure and returning the farm to reliable commercial production.

  • Multi-level lettuce growing racks with LED lighting inside an automated container farm
  • Automated irrigation, lighting, and lettuce growing systems inside a commercial container farm

After the original manufacturer went out of business, this commercial shipping container farm was left non-operational. Years of undocumented modifications, missing electrical drawings, obsolete controls, and unsupported automation made the facility unreliable and difficult to maintain. Replacing the entire farm would have required a significant capital investment.

Container Farm Automation Challenge

The existing shipping container farm relied heavily on manual operation. Staff had to regularly check equipment, adjust irrigation schedules, and monitor environmental conditions directly at the facility. This approach required significant operator attention and made it difficult to maintain consistent growing conditions throughout each production cycle.

The lack of remote connectivity also limited the operator’s ability to identify problems quickly. Equipment failures, irrigation interruptions, or changes in environmental conditions could not be reviewed from another location. The customer needed a practical modernization solution that would improve system visibility and reliability while preserving the growing equipment and infrastructure already in place.

NuLeaf Automation Solution

NuLeaf engineers completed a full technical assessment before reverse engineering the existing electrical and control systems. Rather than replacing functioning equipment, the team deployed the Leaf automation platform and integrated it with the existing HVAC equipment, LED lighting, irrigation, fertigation, pumps, valves, environmental sensors, and safety systems. The Root software platform provides remote monitoring, alarm notifications, operating sequences, and complete visibility into farm operations while improving long-term serviceability.

Container Farm Automation Results

The facility was successfully returned to commercial production and now consistently produces approximately 4,000 heads of premium romaine lettuce each month for local markets throughout British Columbia’s Interior. The project demonstrates how existing controlled environment agriculture facilities can be modernized without complete replacement. This approach significantly reduces capital costs, extends the life of existing infrastructure, and improves long-term operational reliability. Operators can remotely monitor system performance and respond quickly to alarms, helping maintain consistent production throughout the year. By reusing serviceable equipment, NuLeaf also reduced unnecessary waste and avoided a complete rebuild. The upgraded controls give operators a clearer view of farm conditions, simplify troubleshooting, and make future maintenance, adjustments, and system expansion easier to manage.

Learn more about how automation and robotics are helping British Columbia farmers improve production and strengthen food security.