Urban Hydroponic Farming

Presenter: Leslie Hoffman, Communications Director, Harmony Dispensary

Overview: Follow Leslie Hoffman, architect, designer and sustainable builder, through the intersection of design, sustainability and agriculture. Hoffman will discuss her career; from private green architecture projects, to non-profit green roof initiatives, to hydroponic agricultural work in the legal marijuana industry; and the current trends in hydroponics and architecture in urban areas.

Leslie Hoffman started her career as a builder after receiving her degree in Architecture and Design. She designed and built custom residential and office projects throughout her career, both for clients and her own development work. She has been a consultant for a wide range of businesses and individuals since 1980. She has generated countless media placements in national and international media, including in The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, El Mundo, the Financial Times, BusinessWeek, NPR, NBC, CNN, and many industry-specific magazines and books. Hoffman led Earth Pledge, a nonprofit focused on sustainable technologies that has been widely recognized and had significant impact in various industries and local and national political spheres from 1994-2011. Under her direction, six books were published, dozens of web sites developed, working demonstration models of technical equipment and building systems constructed, many large and small events produced, research performed and reports published, and thousands of farmers, chefs, designers, horticulturists, engineers, architects, and policymakers trained.