From Geothermal to Vertical Farming: An Engineer’s Journey into Food Security and AgTech Innovation

This is a joint meeting of Canadian Society of Senior Engineers and IEEE Life Members Affinity Groups. This series of presentations has been occurring for more than 20 years and is now being also advertised to the IEEE Northern Canada Section (NCS) Life Members Affinity Group (LMAG) through vTools and other IEEE LMAG’s and IEEE members depending upon the topic. At the same time the Canadian Society of Senior Engineers (CSSE) is using their national organization to provide information, the subject and speaker to members across Canada. The next meeting will be held on Thursday, June 19, 2025. The meeting will open at 12:30 pm MDT (2:30pm Eastern), with the presentation starting at 12:45 (2:45 pm EDT). The meeting will be held via the Zoom platform with the actual invitations sent the afternoon of Wednesday, June 18 If you plan to attend and be included on the Zoom invite for this meeting please respond to Tom Madsen, tcmadsen@telus.net, before noon on Wednesday, June 18. Please note the meeting originates in Alberta which is in the Mountain Time Zone, so if you are in another province you must account any necessary time shift. Title: From Geothermal to Vertical Farming: An Engineer’s Journey into Food Security and AgTech Innovation Presenter: Shlok Srivastava, P.Eng. Summary: With rising climate volatility, energy constraints, and supply chain disruptions, Canada faces an urgent need to develop resilient, locally grown food systems. In this talk, Shlok Srivastava, P.Eng., shares a compelling journey that began with a geothermal feasibility study at the Canadian Energy Centre and evolved into a bold venture in year-round strawberry production within a total controlled environment facility in Edmonton, Alberta. This transformation gave rise to GroHERE Harvest Ltd., an agri-tech company at the intersection of engineering, sustainability, and food innovation. The team recently repurposed an ex-cannabis facility into Alberta’s first commercial-scale vertical strawberry farm, marking a breakthrough for the Prairies. Attendees will get a behind-the-scenes look at the engineering challenges and breakthroughs of shifting from the energy sector to advanced food production — offering a fresh perspective on how Canada can reimagine its agricultural future and emerge as a net producer of premium fresh produce. Bio: Shlok Srivastava, P.Eng. is the Director of Operations at GroHERE Harvest Ltd., an agri-tech company advancing vertical farming for year-round strawberry production in Alberta. With over eight years of experience across the energy and agricultural sectors, Shlok has led innovative projects at the intersection of engineering, sustainability, and food security. His technical expertise spans O&G reservoir analysis, HVAC design, industrial energy audits, and data analytics. At GroHERE, he oversees engineering, QA/QC, and crop analytics, enabling high-efficiency cultivation within a fully controlled environment. Shlok is deeply committed to applying engineering innovation to strengthen local food systems and foster collaboration among industry, government, and regulatory partners. Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/487614