CEADS was established in September 2019 following the USDA/NIFA Az-CEA Conference at The University of Arizona's Biosphere 2, where participants from industry, government, and academia collaborated to define goals for the advancement of the controlled environment agriculture industry.

CEADS aims to provide a centralized repository of best design practices and benchmarks for sustainable CEA operations from greenhouses (GH) to vertical farms (VF).

CEADS are voluntarily adopted benchmarks and practices geared toward market distinction and increased profitability through sustainable design. We cater primarily to new construction as the greatest impact can be made in the design phase of any CEA venture.