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Vertical farming multiplies floor area by the number of stacked layers, then by yield per square metre per cycle and cycles per year. Leafy greens at 3-4 kg/m2 every 25-30 days in a six-layer rack produce well over 200 kg per square metre of floor a year, which is the economic argument for the capital and energy cost.
Vertical yield
Growing area = footprint x layers; annual yield = growing area x yield per cycle x cycles per year
Fast, short, high-value crops — lettuce, basil, microgreens, strawberries. Tall or long-duration crops cannot repay the lighting and cooling cost per kilogram.
Ceiling height, light fixture depth, working access and heat removal. Beyond about eight layers, air distribution and maintenance access usually become the binding constraint.