Bigh

BIO

BIGH is an urban farm installed for 5 years on the roof of the Foodmet, a food hall located on the slaughterhouses of Anderlecht in Brussels. Known for its innovative infrastructure and technologies, BIGH operates over 4000m2 of greenhouses and outdoor gardens and uses the aquaponics approach to raise fish and grow a variety of plants in a sustainable way.

“It’s a project in the city for the city,” as Déborah, who joined the team last year, explains. Here, salmon trout, aromatic herbs and a variety of fruits and vegetables are produced in short-circuit. One of the particularities of the farm is its energy system. The farm has a heat pump that stores waste heat from the Foodmet’s refrigeration system to heat its greenhouses and cool the fish water. BIGH also uses solar energy generated by photovoltaic panels in the slaughterhouses and recycled water from rain, plant return water and fish water.

The entrepreneurs behind the BIGH project use a maximum of natural mechanisms to grow and promote synergistic partnerships in Brussels, such as with SWET, the Belgian hot sauce brand, which orders 100% of BIGH’s chilli production. All products are sold to restaurants and supermarkets operating in and around the Brussels Capital Region. The farm has become an original place to live, where all kinds of events and educational initiatives can be organized.