What follows are a number of interesting links on the www and some comments about each:
http://www.pureproducegreenhouse.com/
Has links to a variety of supplier of products – sort of a catalog of catalogs.
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http://www.ppgvanisle.com/
Appears to be a site “advertising” Pure Produce Van Isle, Inc. to prospectibe investors. Contains a good bit of background info. Uses “Nutrient Film Technique” and “Hydronic Radiant Heating.” The latter uses water heated by biomass combustion or from geothermal sources. They appear to have ambition to offer a wide variety of products.
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http://www.ppgcanada.com/
Seems to be a “parent” to Pure Produce Van Isle above. Essentially the same web site except for a different entity.
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http://www.oppyproduce.com/world_greenhouse.cfm
Web site of a large scale Canadian grower and distributor of produce – some of which is grown in greenhouses. In their greenhouse they grow several varieties of tomatoes, , peppers, and butter lettuce.
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http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/summary_0199-1233284_ITM
An article titled Greenhouse: the future of produce? Greenhouse produce is already a hit with consumers. Just wait until its national marketing programs are in full swing at retail.(Focus on Fresh) published in Dec 2003 for sale by Goliath Business news for $4.95. A teaser quote is "Modern hydroponic greenhouses are among the most technologically advanced facilities in modern agriculture, costing upward of half a million dollars per acre to construct."
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http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/B1182.htm
An article titled “Greenhouse Vegetable Production” with a
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http://www.orgilgreenhouses.com/main.shtml
Web site advertising a green house manufacturer.
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http://www.orgilgreenhouses.com/images/environment_benefits.pdf
An article titled “Controlled Environment Agriculture: Environmental Benefits”
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http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/datastore/234-447.pdf
An extensive report titled “Greenhouse Tomatoes Change the Dynamics of the North American Fresh Tomato Industry” dated April 2005.
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http://www.productcenter.msu.edu/documents/Working/Hydroponic%20tomatoes%20market.pdf
A recent report (June 2006) titled “The Market for Greenhouse-Grown Tomatoes” Has useful references.
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http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex1443
A report titled “Commercial Greenhouse Vegetable Production” that describes itself as “The purpose of this fact sheet is to introduce greenhouse vegetable production as a potential business opportunity. The focus of this profile is on the key management issues associated with producing and marketing greenhouse vegetables in Alberta. This overview is not intended to be a substitute for individuals making their own thorough assessment of all the key factors that would influence the success of their individual operation.” Despite that disclaimer the article provides a lot of information.
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http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/greenhouse/hydroponics/index.html
A portal to much information on hydroponics gardening by a Professro at Texas A & M. An example of an article of great relevance is “Greenhouse Vegetable Production Economic Considerations, Marketing, and Financing” about which it is said Taken from a paper "Greenhouse Vegetable Production Economic Considerations, Marketing, and Financing" presented and published in the proceedings of the "Hydroponics Worldwide: State Of The Art In Soilless Crop Production" conference by the International Center for Specials Studies, In Hawaii during December 1985. The paper was completely reviewed in 1991, found to be still current and retained unchanged. Since then, it has been reviewed several times. Whereas some of the values (input costs and output value) are up about 15 percent as compared to the last complete review in 1991, the production systems and financial relationships are not so far out of date.
Dr. Jose Peña, Texas Cooperative Extension, May, 2005
In summary:
Conclusions
General Observation
Although the greenhouse vegetable industry is again expanding, the competitive position of firms remain at a disadvantage. Increased competition from alternate supply sources and increased greenhouse production costs under a relatively elastic demand situation appears to be the cause of the competitive disadvantage. The intensity of greenhouse culture is unlike anything else in crop production. It requires substantial managerial skills, patience, and hard work from a grower. Opportunities do exist for someone willing to devote the time to establish marketing channels and manage the many facets of the business. It is a scientific, demanding, and intensive form of agriculture. Sales outlets and production costs are important considerations. With field grown tomato production costs averaging $.25-$.35/lb ($.55-$.77/kg), compared to over $.57/lb ($1.27/kg) for greenhouse tomatoes, promoters and prospective operators should carefully evaluate the market before investing in the business.
Some general implications from the analysis of the basic 2880 ft2 (268 M2) module used in this report were:
1. Construction costs ranged from $2-$30/ft2 ($43-$323/M2) of floor space, but a substantial number of excellent units are being built for $6/ft2 ($64.58/M2). It would be wise for prospective entrant to shop around before buying.
2. Since operating costs are relatively inflexible, the financial success of greenhouse tomato production is highly dependent on yields and market prices. This means the need for gross returns of approximately $4/ft2 ($42/M2) to come out even, or a minimum average production of 19.4 lbs (8.8 kgs) per plant space if the market price averages $.80/lb ($1.76/kg). If a grower wants compensation for risk, opportunity costs, and management labor, he will need to produce approximately 20.5 lbs (9.3 kgs) per plant space to provide labor returns that approach minimum wage, assuming again that the tomatoes are sold for at least $.80/lb ($1.76/kg). It requires skill to achieve this level of production.
3. A viable marketing program is a ìmustî since a premium price is essential to economic survival.
4. Greenhouse tomato production is labor intensive. If located in a high labor cost area, returns from a greenhouse tomato production operation would be marginal if adequate labor was not available at wage rates which approximate minimum wage and substantial amount of hired labor was necessary.
5. Fuel costs represent almost 40% of production costs. The uncertainty of future prices necessitate an aggressive program to conserve fuel or the use of solar energy to keep this expense at a manageable level.
If profits appear feasible, a carefully prepared study with pro-forma cash flow and financial statements that indicate a potential profit will be required to attract investment capital. There is no better method for securing funding since lending institutions have shown reluctance to finance greenhouse ventures. A potential entrant to the industry must not delude himself into forecasting a profit when the facts do not bear this out. The present situation appears full of risk and uncertainty. The present economic situation must be stabilized before greenhouse vegetable situation can be properly evaluated.
Economics of Production
One of the primary factors contributing to the weakened economic position of the greenhouse vegetable industry has been the disproportionate cost/price situation during recent years. Production costs have continued to increase steadily, while farm prices for greenhouse vegetables have remained relatively unchanged. The quantity and quality of field grown tomatoes during the winter months has increased substantially during the past few years. Consequently, growers have tried to maintain net returns by minimizing production costs and increasing yields. This objective sounds familiar since it is the object of almost all agricultural ventures. Greenhouse vegetable producers have had to switch from glass houses to the more economical polyethylene construction materials. More work is needed to cut production costs since greenhouse tomatoes are highly vulnerable to product substitution at the retail prices.
Demand for Greenhouse Vegetables
Although the demand for greenhouse vegetables has been increasing over the years, such increases are primarily a function of population expansion, not increased per capita consumption. This trend will likely continue, as greenhouse vegetables are characterized by a relatively elastic demand curve with a high potential to ìremain on the shelfî if the price is too high or if similar quality substitutes are available.
Recommendations
Managerial Considerations
Each situation must be evaluated separately. If profits from greenhouse vegetables do not appear feasible, there are alternative crops which may be profitable, e.g., bedding or foliage plants and flowers. Any particular operation may hold surprises each situation is unique.
A manager should maintain close contact with research agencies and the industry to take advantage of the most efficient growing techniques. Researchers recognize that the only way that greenhouse vegetable growers will be formed into a viable industry is to increase efficiency to the point where greenhouse vegetables compete with field grown vegetables imported from the microclimatic winter growing areas. They visualize that as the price of fuel increases, it will be far cheaper to grow fresh fruit at a close proximity to a population center and eliminate long distance transportation costs if we reduce the greenhouse dependence on fossil fuels for heat. To accomplish this objective, solar energy and other fuel conservation techniques must be incorporated into future production systems. The growing systems must be redesigned to increase efficiency, yields and reduce costs. A wise manager would begin by taking these essential steps into account in forecasting future operations.
Profit Maximization and Space Utilization
A typical greenhouse tomato production operation only utilizes approximately 60% of the floor space of a greenhouse during the preparation phase and it takes 90-120 days from seed to first harvest. Substantial greenhouse space is available in sufficiently long periods of time to intercrop short duration ornamental plants. Intercropping and/or diversification into the following crops may be an economically viable alternative:
Lettuce Cucumbers
Bedding plants Foliage plants
Seasonal crops Ornamental tomato baskets
Custom growing for flower or specialty shop
Production of Oriental vegetables provides a wide
new horizon of expectations
Marketing
Marketing the crop is the area in which most greenhouse operators fail. A thorough understanding of the marketing channels available is a necessity when promoting any form of greenhouse operation. Among the usual option are wholesalers, retailers, roadside or farm stands, and door-to-door routes.
Produce wholesalers complain that in order to handle a product, a steady supply must be available. Individual greenhouse tomato growers frequently cannot guarantee this; thus, wholesalers may not want to add the item to their inventories. Therefore, growers should visit several wholesalers before assuming any wholesaler will buy the crop.
Small producers might well consider selling direct to retailers. Surveying produce managers in local supermarkets is highly recommended for those choosing this option. Marketing through local stores has the advantages of not requiring distant delivery, and smaller quantities are usually preferred by the store.
Direct selling to the public is a frequently chosen method. In considering this method, sales costs should be considered, both in real terms, and in lost opportunity time for other endeavors.
A combination of sales outlets can also be employed. Whichever is chosen, the additional costs of selling must be considered. These include transportation, time and any storage required.
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http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/ghveg.html
This is already on tripark site as a PDF
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http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/busmgmt/bus_guides/green_guide.htm
Contains business planning guide using Greenhouse Vegetable Example. Prepared by Government of British Columbia.
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http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/greenbus.htm
Starting a Commercial Greenhouse Business - information from Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. A lot of facts and good advice.
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http://www.hydroponics.com.au/index.html
An on-line (and print) publication titled Practical Hydroponics & Greenhouses which is described as “Practical Hydroponics & Greenhouses is a bi-monthly magazine for existing and intending commercial growers, equipment & installation suppliers, industry consultants & service providors, researchers & educators, horticulture students, and anyone else with an interest in hydroponics, aquaponics and greenhouse technology. Each issue is packed with the latest industry news, new product developments, grower application and how-to articles, the latest industry research & developments, and technical issues affecting commercial growers worldwide.”
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http://www.uaf.edu/salrm/gbg/botanicallinks/ghmanage.html
A site with reenhouse management links – sponsored by University of Alaska Fairbanks
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http://www.utextension.utk.edu/hbin/HBIN-Greenhouse.htm
Horticulture Business Information Network – a portal with links to massive amounts of information!
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http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/ghwebRL.html
Greenhouse and Hydroponic Vegetable Production Resources on the Internet An ATTRA portal web site
Friday, February 23, 2007
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Mpls: Neighbors Form Co-Op For Flowers, Plants
Neighbors Form Co-Op For Flowers, Plants
Sue TurnerReporting
(WCCO) Minneapolis A group in South Minneapolis saw a business struggling and its owners desperate to get out of it, so they came up with a plan to save their neighborhood flower shop."Everyone that got involved is a gardener and avid about gardening," said Stephen Eisenmenger. "They wanted a place to go where could get their gardening stuff."Eisenmenger is one of the more than 100 people who got together to form a co-op."Three of us gathered one night, and we were talking, I said, we could make it a co-op. I don't know anything about a greenhouse or how to do that business, lets try to do a co-op," said Eisenmenger.The flower shop had been a healthy business for decades. When the property was sold, the new owners didn't really want to run a flower business, so 108 people each came up with $150 and the Urban Earth Cooperative was born."We are fully intending to do this making money, making a viable and sustainable business and returning something to our members," said Lisa McDonald, a former city councilwoman and one of the founding members.Right now, part of the store is filled with boxes ready for Valentine's Day deliveries, but come spring, the area will be filled with different kinds of plants, featuring everything from organic to native to the old stand-bys."The native plants interest me, the seeds that they have and the heirloom vegetables," said Matt Allen who joined the co-op Sunday. His $95 membership will get him discounts and classes, but more than that he said, a stake in his community."I would like to see this become a model that other communities can use for anywhere in the city, for any kind of business they want to keep in their neighborhood," said Eisenmenger.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
http://www.urbanearthcoop.org/welcome
Sue TurnerReporting
(WCCO) Minneapolis A group in South Minneapolis saw a business struggling and its owners desperate to get out of it, so they came up with a plan to save their neighborhood flower shop."Everyone that got involved is a gardener and avid about gardening," said Stephen Eisenmenger. "They wanted a place to go where could get their gardening stuff."Eisenmenger is one of the more than 100 people who got together to form a co-op."Three of us gathered one night, and we were talking, I said, we could make it a co-op. I don't know anything about a greenhouse or how to do that business, lets try to do a co-op," said Eisenmenger.The flower shop had been a healthy business for decades. When the property was sold, the new owners didn't really want to run a flower business, so 108 people each came up with $150 and the Urban Earth Cooperative was born."We are fully intending to do this making money, making a viable and sustainable business and returning something to our members," said Lisa McDonald, a former city councilwoman and one of the founding members.Right now, part of the store is filled with boxes ready for Valentine's Day deliveries, but come spring, the area will be filled with different kinds of plants, featuring everything from organic to native to the old stand-bys."The native plants interest me, the seeds that they have and the heirloom vegetables," said Matt Allen who joined the co-op Sunday. His $95 membership will get him discounts and classes, but more than that he said, a stake in his community."I would like to see this become a model that other communities can use for anywhere in the city, for any kind of business they want to keep in their neighborhood," said Eisenmenger.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
http://www.urbanearthcoop.org/welcome
Monday, February 19, 2007
U of Kentucky Web site
The following link is to a document from the University of Kentucky about Greenhouses. This article is focused on the growing of greens but does include links to additional articles for the growing of other vegetables in a greenhouse.
http://www.uky.edu/Ag/NewCrops/introsheets/lettuceintro.pdf
http://www.uky.edu/Ag/NewCrops/introsheets/lettuceintro.pdf
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Get Attached to Solar Greenhouses - newspaper article
GET ATTACHED TO SOLAR GREENHOUSES:[NEW RIVER VALLEY Edition] JEROME SMIT DIANE RELF. Roanoke Times & World News. Roanoke, Va.:Feb 27, 1997. p. NRV.2 Author(s): JEROME SMIT DIANE RELF Column Name: hoein' & growin Section: CURRENT Publication title: Roanoke Times & World News. Roanoke, Va.: Feb 27, 1997. pg. NRV.2 Source type: Newspaper ProQuest document ID: 14180748 Text Word Count 737 Document URL: http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=14180748&Fmt=3&clientId=1007&RQT=309&VName=PQD Abstract (Document Summary) In most climates, a well-constructed solar greenhouse collects more energy on a clear winter day than it needs for greenhouse heating and has the potential to supply a substantial amount of heat to the space adjoining it.In colder areas of Virginia, the greenhouse should have between 0.65 and 1.5 square feet of south-facing double glass for each square foot of adjacent building floor area to be warmed. In warmer areas of Virginia, use 0.33 to 0.9 square feet of glass for each square foot of adjacent floor area. This area of glazing will collect enough heat during a clear winter day to keep both the greenhouse and adjoining space at an average temperature of 60 to 70 F during the day.However, it is also important to utilize enough thermal mass to absorb direct sunlight and dampen interior temperature fluctuations. A thermal-mass wall for storing collected solar energy should be located between the greenhouse and the adjacent space with a large surface area of thermal wall exposed to direct sunlight. The wall can be constructed with severalFull Text (737 words) Copyright Times World Corporation Feb 27, 1997 In most climates, a well-constructed solar greenhouse collects more energy on a clear winter day than it needs for greenhouse heating and has the potential to supply a substantial amount of heat to the space adjoining it.A south wall, which receives unobstructed sunlight from approximately 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., is well-suited for the addition of a solar greenhouse or sunspace.In colder areas of Virginia, the greenhouse should have between 0.65 and 1.5 square feet of south-facing double glass for each square foot of adjacent building floor area to be warmed. In warmer areas of Virginia, use 0.33 to 0.9 square feet of glass for each square foot of adjacent floor area. This area of glazing will collect enough heat during a clear winter day to keep both the greenhouse and adjoining space at an average temperature of 60 to 70 F during the day.However, it is also important to utilize enough thermal mass to absorb direct sunlight and dampen interior temperature fluctuations. A thermal-mass wall for storing collected solar energy should be located between the greenhouse and the adjacent space with a large surface area of thermal wall exposed to direct sunlight. The wall can be constructed with severaldifferent materials at recommended thicknesses, including:* solid masonry at 8 to 12 inches;* concrete at 12 to 18 inches;* water in containers at 1 cubic foot (7.5 gallons) for each square foot of south-facing glass.For maximum heat retention, the surface of the wall should be a medium to dark color and care should be taken to not block direct sunlight from reaching it. Small vents or operable windows should be located in the wall to allow heat from the greenhouse directly into the building during the daytime. Operable exterior vents and shading devices to prevent a heat buildup in the greenhouse in the summer are required.An alternative to thermal-mass storage of heat is to actively take heat from the greenhouse during the day and store it in the building for use at night. Heat can be taken from the greenhouse by a fan and stored in a rock bed located in the crawl space under the floor of the building.The advantage of this system is that space is not lost in the greenhouse to a thermal-mass wall. The greenhouse should receive enough heat back from the building at night through the common wall and glass to keep it at a temperature average between the indoor heated space and outdoor temperature.However, it is important to use operable windows or a door between the greenhouse and building to assure that during periods of extremely cold weather the greenhouse can receive direct heat from the building to keep freezing temperatures from affecting the plants.For adequate passive heat transfer from the rock bed to the adjacent space to be heated, 50 percent to 75 percent of the floor must act as a heat-transfer area. The system moves warm air to the rock bed and returns cool air to the greenhouse from the bottom of the rock bed. In temperate climates, 3/4 to 11/2 cubic feet of fist-sized rock for each square foot of south-facing greenhouse glass should be used.Solar greenhouses in Virginia require double glazing to prevent undue heat loss. Insulating glass may be used as well as plastic products such as Fiberglas or polycarbonate sheets. Plastic films are best used as the second layer of glazing inside the glass or rigid plastic glazing. The cost of glazing may account for nearly half the total cost of the greenhouse structure. The average cost of a solar greenhouse is, in most cases, one third that of standard construction.When the primary function of the greenhouse is to heat an adjacent building, taking heat from the greenhouse by mechanical means and storing it for use in the building will increase the efficiency of the system. However, the greenhouse will drop in temperature to about 40 to 45 F at night in temperate and cool climates, and considerably lower in very cold climates. Additional sources of heat will be necessary if plants are to be healthy and productive. Most tropical plants will drop their leaves if subjected to long periods below 60 F, and few vegetables will produce a yield at low temperature.Jerome Smit is a former Virginia Cooperative Extension specialist. Diane Relf is an environmental horticulturist based at Virginia Tech.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Conversation with a greenhosue specialist: Dann Adair
Report on conversation with Dann Adair – friend of a member of Just Food Co-op and Greenhouse Application Specialist for Conviron – “a leading innovator and supplier of controlled environment systems.”
Dann says his company and his specialty is more high-tech and specialized than would be applicable to commercial produce growing. Still, he offered some opinions as one “who has spent a lot of time in greenhouses.”
1. The challenge isn’t technology. There is readily available technology to support what we are considering.
a. The problem isn’t heating, it’s cooling. At his company’s headquarters in Winnipeg they have a demonstration greenhouse maintained at constant temperature without an external heat source. The trick is to use curtains, shutters or something to hold in the heat as necessary and vents to allow it to escape when the sun is strong. Anyway plants are pretty tolerant.
b. With hydroponic production cleanliness, e.g. in the water supply, is essential so the resulting product has good, uniform quality.
c. Commercial greenhouses typically use plastic (at least initially) rather than glass because it is so much less expensive even though glass lasts a lot longer.
d. Albert Lauer is a good local greenhouse builder. There is another in southern Minnesota whose name didn’t come to mind readily who does more low tech work.
I subsequently located Lauer’s web site as http://www.ajlauer.com/
They describe themselves as “Albert J Lauer Inc. is a family owned company whose business is the design, manufacturing and building of aluminum framed greenhouses. Since 1947 when Albert J Lauer, an engineering graduate of University of Minnesota started his business, we have designed and supplied various custom greenhouses structures. Greenhouses built to fit the growers and users needs, but also built to outlast time.
Albert J Lauer Inc continues to build custom greenhouse structures for garden centers and growers. Greenhouses built to cover the space you have, and fill the environmental needs you require. We continue to strive to meet our customers’ needs with strong custom
structures covered with glass, polycarbonate or acrylic sheets.
2. The challenge is production and marketing – finding or developing an operator (farmer) with knowledge, skill and passion to build a profitable operation.
Dann would be willing to speak to us in the future as we develop more specific needs. His cell is 888-368-9132 and his email is dadair@conviron.com
Dann says his company and his specialty is more high-tech and specialized than would be applicable to commercial produce growing. Still, he offered some opinions as one “who has spent a lot of time in greenhouses.”
1. The challenge isn’t technology. There is readily available technology to support what we are considering.
a. The problem isn’t heating, it’s cooling. At his company’s headquarters in Winnipeg they have a demonstration greenhouse maintained at constant temperature without an external heat source. The trick is to use curtains, shutters or something to hold in the heat as necessary and vents to allow it to escape when the sun is strong. Anyway plants are pretty tolerant.
b. With hydroponic production cleanliness, e.g. in the water supply, is essential so the resulting product has good, uniform quality.
c. Commercial greenhouses typically use plastic (at least initially) rather than glass because it is so much less expensive even though glass lasts a lot longer.
d. Albert Lauer is a good local greenhouse builder. There is another in southern Minnesota whose name didn’t come to mind readily who does more low tech work.
I subsequently located Lauer’s web site as http://www.ajlauer.com/
They describe themselves as “Albert J Lauer Inc. is a family owned company whose business is the design, manufacturing and building of aluminum framed greenhouses. Since 1947 when Albert J Lauer, an engineering graduate of University of Minnesota started his business, we have designed and supplied various custom greenhouses structures. Greenhouses built to fit the growers and users needs, but also built to outlast time.
Albert J Lauer Inc continues to build custom greenhouse structures for garden centers and growers. Greenhouses built to cover the space you have, and fill the environmental needs you require. We continue to strive to meet our customers’ needs with strong custom
structures covered with glass, polycarbonate or acrylic sheets.
2. The challenge is production and marketing – finding or developing an operator (farmer) with knowledge, skill and passion to build a profitable operation.
Dann would be willing to speak to us in the future as we develop more specific needs. His cell is 888-368-9132 and his email is dadair@conviron.com
Monday, February 12, 2007
Greenhouse designer in Wisconsin
Here is another item from Elizabeth. Note that at the end of the article I provide the URL for the greenhouse designer mentioned in the artcile. His site shows picture of the greenhouses mentioned.
Document 1 of 1
SOUTHERN EXPOSURE PICTURE TOMATOES AND STRAWBERRIES GROWING ON A SNOW-COVERED HILLSIDE. IT'S POSSIBLE WITH SOLAR GREENHOUSES.:[All Edition] Rick Barrett Agribusiness reporter . Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wis.:Feb 13, 1997. p. 1F
People:
Finley, Michael
Author(s):
Rick Barrett Agribusiness reporter
Section:
Business Thursday
Publication title:
Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wis.: Feb 13, 1997. pg. 1.F
Source type:
Newspaper
ISSN:
0749405X
ProQuest document ID:
55003574
Text Word Count
1196
Document URL:
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=55003574&Fmt=3&clientId=1007&RQT=309&VName=PQD
Abstract (Document Summary)
Roald Gundersen envisions a family farm under glass where fruits and vegetables grow in frigid Wisconsin winters.
Roald Gundersen envisions a family farm under glass where fruits and vegetables grow in frigid Wisconsin winters.
La Crosse Tribune photos/CATHY ACHERMAN Left, commercial flowers bloom in the middle of February in this solar greenhouse in Cashton. Roald Gundersen of [Stoddard] designed the building, above, which has no auxiliary heating. The greenhouse owner, Gideon Miller, plans to grow vegetables as well as flowers. Roald [Gundersen], an architect by profession, looks at the progress of his solar greenhouse, which will be finished in the spring. The greenhouse is insulated with mounds of earth, straw bales and shutters that can seal in heat on cold winter nights. The frame is made from black locust wood, and the glass is regular thermopane glazing. Tucked in the rolling hills of western Wisconsin, near Stoddard, Roald Gundersen's new 2,800-square-foot cold climate greenhouse will allow him to grow fruits, vegetables, herbs and even fish when it's 40 degrees below zero outside. The greenhouse is next to Gundersen's house. Excess heat from the greenhouse will be vented into the house or barn. Two similar greenhouses designed by Gundersen are flourishing with produce and flowers and are operated year-round without auxiliary heating.
Full Text (1196 words)
Copyright Wisconsin State Journal Feb 13, 1997
Roald Gundersen envisions a family farm under glass where fruits and vegetables grow in frigid Wisconsin winters.
His lush, almost tropical farm nestled in a snowbank sounds like a dream, but it's a reality on two sites in Cashton, Wis., and Canton, Minn.
"We've grown tomatoes even when it was 40 below outside," Gundersen said. "Hot weather crops can flourish in the cold, low-light of winter without a furnace."
Gundersen, an architect by profession, hopes to spread the gospel of cold climate solar greenhouses throughout Wisconsin.
He says his veggies under glass could bethe profit engines that many small farms are desperately seeking.
"For a business happy to see 5 percent profit margins, this could be a revolution," he said. "Wisconsin growers could compete with foreign and sunbelt growers year-round in a wide range of crops. Consumers will have fresher produce, numbering the days of the 2,000-mile (shipped) tomato."
Gundersen's solar greenhouses differ from traditional glass huts that lack insulation. They optimize winter light and can be built into hillsides, using the ground to stabilize temperatures. Shutters can be angled to reflect sunlight off snow, increasing the light by 140 percent.
At Badgersett Research Farm in Canton, daytime temperatures in the solar greenhouse hover in the 80s in February.
"It feels like Florida," Gundersen said. "When people step inside, they believe it."
Badgersett was Gundersen's first cold climate greenhouse. It's a 1,600 square foot building surrounded by mounded earth that features a southern exposure. It has a solar panel and wind-driven generator for lights, fans and water pumps.
It has shutters to control light and protect plants from cold nights. But it doesn't have a heating system, and in four years hasn't needed one.
"The shutters weren't lowered to insulate the glazing even when it was 35 below zero," Gundersen said. "That's because the inside temperature never fell below 39 degrees above zero."
Wisconsin's rolling hills and small farms are ideal for solar greenhouses. And being within 200 miles of 10 million urban residents makes it ideal for shipping fresh fruits and vegetables year-round.
"Wisconsin produce growers are prisoners of the seasons," Gundersen said. But "growers using solar greenhouses could open a billion-dollar market including Chicago and Minneapolis/St. Paul. Half-acre operations could support a family and would provide an opportunity for a husband or wife to stay at home while the other spouse works off the farm."
Gundersen's research is supported by an $18,940 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. One of the research goals is to produce greenhouse construction plans that anyone can use with minimal labor and expenses.
"It sounds like a great idea," said Kristen Woodhouse, a Viroqua dairy farmer who is converting a three-generation dairy farm to a mushroom operation with a vegetable greenhouse.
Gundersen's greenhouses are surprisingly simple and can be built for less than $10 a square foot including labor. The frames are made from black locust wood, the roofs from sheet metal, and the glass is regular thermo-insulated glazing angled to optimize sunlight.
"The cost of construction is comparable to standard four-season greenhouses, but it will more than pay for itself in energy savings," Gundersen said. "And unless the roof blows off, which is really not possible, this building pretty much can't freeze in the winter."
Traditional all-glass greenhouses haven't been a huge success in Wisconsin because their European designs don't mesh with cold climates.
"They are very energy dependent and can cost a fortune to heat," Gundersen said. "If a heating system fails, it can put you out of business."
Gundersen helped design Biosphere II, an experimental living station in the Arizona desert. But the ideas he is putting into practice now are more pragmatic.
"If we really learn to build, we will put materials that are available in abundance to their best use -- uncut wood, dirt and straw are examples. The goal is to develop workable biosystems . . . It's more than just growing poinsettas under glass."
Solar greenhouses lend themselves to higher-valued fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers that have to be shipped into northern states in the winter.
Farmers who can consistently grow fresh produce in the off-seasons benefit from higher prices and buyer contracts.
In Janesville, farmer Mike Finley grows strawberries in greenhouses, giving him a six week headstart on the summer harvest. "Farmers get premium prices for being first to market," Finley said. "And a greenhouse provides a little more bulletproof growing system. It protects plants from frost, too much rain, insects, and summer heat which can spoil a crop."
For now, Finley said he's content with a non-solar greenhouse. He has a $9,000 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to study strawberry production using plastic greenhouses.
"We're trying to determine whether we can economically justify all of this," he said. "I think it has potential."
Meanwhile, Gundersen is now building his third greenhouse, a 2,800 square-foot building in Stoddard.
It will be a commercial operation and could be used for purposes other than growing plants, such as aquaculture.
By-products from the greenhouse, such as excess heat, could be used to help warm a house or a barn. Wastes from farm animals, and the carbon dioxide they produce, could be used in the greenhouse.
"This fits in with the barn of the future," Gundersen said. "Animal husbandry and greenhouse production are symbiotic."
Besides family farms, Gundersen has sights set on urban America, designing greenhouses that cleanse the air in office buildings and schools as well as provide fresh produce.
"There are lots of toxic ingredients in office building air. Plants are very effective at cleansing the air," Gundersen said.
Gundersen's latest greenhouse will be connected to his home, providing up to one-thirdof his home heating. Wash-water with biologically useful detergents will provide the greenhouse with fertilizers.
"We're also setting up a pool and a sandbox for our kids. A greenhouse is a great environment for them to play in."
*TO LEARN MORE:
Roald Gunderson (608) 784-1614 or e-mail "Randomity@aol.com" Some Internet sites: Carleton University, Canada, " http://www-server2.physics.carleton.ca /SciAtCU/ELBA.html"
Greenhouse builders (non-solar) "http://www.atlgarden.com/grhouse.html"
Salad Factory Corp. "http://www.infomarketgroup.com/can/salad.htm"
[Illustration]
La Crosse Tribune photos/CATHY ACHERMAN Left, commercial flowers bloom in the middle of February in this solar greenhouse in Cashton. Roald Gundersen of Stoddard designed the building, above, which has no auxiliary heating. The greenhouse owner, Gideon Miller, plans to grow vegetables as well as flowers. Roald Gundersen, an architect by profession, looks at the progress of his solar greenhouse, which will be finished in the spring. The greenhouse is insulated with mounds of earth, straw bales and shutters that can seal in heat on cold winter nights. The frame is made from black locust wood, and the glass is regular thermopane glazing. Tucked in the rolling hills of western Wisconsin, near Stoddard, Roald Gundersen's new 2,800-square-foot cold climate greenhouse will allow him to grow fruits, vegetables, herbs and even fish when it's 40 degrees below zero outside. The greenhouse is next to Gundersen's house. Excess heat from the greenhouse will be vented into the house or barn. Two similar greenhouses designed by Gundersen are flourishing with produce and flowers and are operated year-round without auxiliary heating.
Copyright © 2006 ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. Terms & Conditions
Please do not reply directly to this email. Use the following link to contact ProQuest: http://www.proquest.com/division/cs-support.shtml
Here is his web site if you want to see some pictures of the greenhouses.
http://www.roaldgundersen.com/index.php
Document 1 of 1
SOUTHERN EXPOSURE PICTURE TOMATOES AND STRAWBERRIES GROWING ON A SNOW-COVERED HILLSIDE. IT'S POSSIBLE WITH SOLAR GREENHOUSES.:[All Edition] Rick Barrett Agribusiness reporter . Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wis.:Feb 13, 1997. p. 1F
People:
Finley, Michael
Author(s):
Rick Barrett Agribusiness reporter
Section:
Business Thursday
Publication title:
Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wis.: Feb 13, 1997. pg. 1.F
Source type:
Newspaper
ISSN:
0749405X
ProQuest document ID:
55003574
Text Word Count
1196
Document URL:
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=55003574&Fmt=3&clientId=1007&RQT=309&VName=PQD
Abstract (Document Summary)
Roald Gundersen envisions a family farm under glass where fruits and vegetables grow in frigid Wisconsin winters.
Roald Gundersen envisions a family farm under glass where fruits and vegetables grow in frigid Wisconsin winters.
La Crosse Tribune photos/CATHY ACHERMAN Left, commercial flowers bloom in the middle of February in this solar greenhouse in Cashton. Roald Gundersen of [Stoddard] designed the building, above, which has no auxiliary heating. The greenhouse owner, Gideon Miller, plans to grow vegetables as well as flowers. Roald [Gundersen], an architect by profession, looks at the progress of his solar greenhouse, which will be finished in the spring. The greenhouse is insulated with mounds of earth, straw bales and shutters that can seal in heat on cold winter nights. The frame is made from black locust wood, and the glass is regular thermopane glazing. Tucked in the rolling hills of western Wisconsin, near Stoddard, Roald Gundersen's new 2,800-square-foot cold climate greenhouse will allow him to grow fruits, vegetables, herbs and even fish when it's 40 degrees below zero outside. The greenhouse is next to Gundersen's house. Excess heat from the greenhouse will be vented into the house or barn. Two similar greenhouses designed by Gundersen are flourishing with produce and flowers and are operated year-round without auxiliary heating.
Full Text (1196 words)
Copyright Wisconsin State Journal Feb 13, 1997
Roald Gundersen envisions a family farm under glass where fruits and vegetables grow in frigid Wisconsin winters.
His lush, almost tropical farm nestled in a snowbank sounds like a dream, but it's a reality on two sites in Cashton, Wis., and Canton, Minn.
"We've grown tomatoes even when it was 40 below outside," Gundersen said. "Hot weather crops can flourish in the cold, low-light of winter without a furnace."
Gundersen, an architect by profession, hopes to spread the gospel of cold climate solar greenhouses throughout Wisconsin.
He says his veggies under glass could bethe profit engines that many small farms are desperately seeking.
"For a business happy to see 5 percent profit margins, this could be a revolution," he said. "Wisconsin growers could compete with foreign and sunbelt growers year-round in a wide range of crops. Consumers will have fresher produce, numbering the days of the 2,000-mile (shipped) tomato."
Gundersen's solar greenhouses differ from traditional glass huts that lack insulation. They optimize winter light and can be built into hillsides, using the ground to stabilize temperatures. Shutters can be angled to reflect sunlight off snow, increasing the light by 140 percent.
At Badgersett Research Farm in Canton, daytime temperatures in the solar greenhouse hover in the 80s in February.
"It feels like Florida," Gundersen said. "When people step inside, they believe it."
Badgersett was Gundersen's first cold climate greenhouse. It's a 1,600 square foot building surrounded by mounded earth that features a southern exposure. It has a solar panel and wind-driven generator for lights, fans and water pumps.
It has shutters to control light and protect plants from cold nights. But it doesn't have a heating system, and in four years hasn't needed one.
"The shutters weren't lowered to insulate the glazing even when it was 35 below zero," Gundersen said. "That's because the inside temperature never fell below 39 degrees above zero."
Wisconsin's rolling hills and small farms are ideal for solar greenhouses. And being within 200 miles of 10 million urban residents makes it ideal for shipping fresh fruits and vegetables year-round.
"Wisconsin produce growers are prisoners of the seasons," Gundersen said. But "growers using solar greenhouses could open a billion-dollar market including Chicago and Minneapolis/St. Paul. Half-acre operations could support a family and would provide an opportunity for a husband or wife to stay at home while the other spouse works off the farm."
Gundersen's research is supported by an $18,940 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. One of the research goals is to produce greenhouse construction plans that anyone can use with minimal labor and expenses.
"It sounds like a great idea," said Kristen Woodhouse, a Viroqua dairy farmer who is converting a three-generation dairy farm to a mushroom operation with a vegetable greenhouse.
Gundersen's greenhouses are surprisingly simple and can be built for less than $10 a square foot including labor. The frames are made from black locust wood, the roofs from sheet metal, and the glass is regular thermo-insulated glazing angled to optimize sunlight.
"The cost of construction is comparable to standard four-season greenhouses, but it will more than pay for itself in energy savings," Gundersen said. "And unless the roof blows off, which is really not possible, this building pretty much can't freeze in the winter."
Traditional all-glass greenhouses haven't been a huge success in Wisconsin because their European designs don't mesh with cold climates.
"They are very energy dependent and can cost a fortune to heat," Gundersen said. "If a heating system fails, it can put you out of business."
Gundersen helped design Biosphere II, an experimental living station in the Arizona desert. But the ideas he is putting into practice now are more pragmatic.
"If we really learn to build, we will put materials that are available in abundance to their best use -- uncut wood, dirt and straw are examples. The goal is to develop workable biosystems . . . It's more than just growing poinsettas under glass."
Solar greenhouses lend themselves to higher-valued fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers that have to be shipped into northern states in the winter.
Farmers who can consistently grow fresh produce in the off-seasons benefit from higher prices and buyer contracts.
In Janesville, farmer Mike Finley grows strawberries in greenhouses, giving him a six week headstart on the summer harvest. "Farmers get premium prices for being first to market," Finley said. "And a greenhouse provides a little more bulletproof growing system. It protects plants from frost, too much rain, insects, and summer heat which can spoil a crop."
For now, Finley said he's content with a non-solar greenhouse. He has a $9,000 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to study strawberry production using plastic greenhouses.
"We're trying to determine whether we can economically justify all of this," he said. "I think it has potential."
Meanwhile, Gundersen is now building his third greenhouse, a 2,800 square-foot building in Stoddard.
It will be a commercial operation and could be used for purposes other than growing plants, such as aquaculture.
By-products from the greenhouse, such as excess heat, could be used to help warm a house or a barn. Wastes from farm animals, and the carbon dioxide they produce, could be used in the greenhouse.
"This fits in with the barn of the future," Gundersen said. "Animal husbandry and greenhouse production are symbiotic."
Besides family farms, Gundersen has sights set on urban America, designing greenhouses that cleanse the air in office buildings and schools as well as provide fresh produce.
"There are lots of toxic ingredients in office building air. Plants are very effective at cleansing the air," Gundersen said.
Gundersen's latest greenhouse will be connected to his home, providing up to one-thirdof his home heating. Wash-water with biologically useful detergents will provide the greenhouse with fertilizers.
"We're also setting up a pool and a sandbox for our kids. A greenhouse is a great environment for them to play in."
*TO LEARN MORE:
Roald Gunderson (608) 784-1614 or e-mail "Randomity@aol.com" Some Internet sites: Carleton University, Canada, " http://www-server2.physics.carleton.ca /SciAtCU/ELBA.html"
Greenhouse builders (non-solar) "http://www.atlgarden.com/grhouse.html"
Salad Factory Corp. "http://www.infomarketgroup.com/can/salad.htm"
[Illustration]
La Crosse Tribune photos/CATHY ACHERMAN Left, commercial flowers bloom in the middle of February in this solar greenhouse in Cashton. Roald Gundersen of Stoddard designed the building, above, which has no auxiliary heating. The greenhouse owner, Gideon Miller, plans to grow vegetables as well as flowers. Roald Gundersen, an architect by profession, looks at the progress of his solar greenhouse, which will be finished in the spring. The greenhouse is insulated with mounds of earth, straw bales and shutters that can seal in heat on cold winter nights. The frame is made from black locust wood, and the glass is regular thermopane glazing. Tucked in the rolling hills of western Wisconsin, near Stoddard, Roald Gundersen's new 2,800-square-foot cold climate greenhouse will allow him to grow fruits, vegetables, herbs and even fish when it's 40 degrees below zero outside. The greenhouse is next to Gundersen's house. Excess heat from the greenhouse will be vented into the house or barn. Two similar greenhouses designed by Gundersen are flourishing with produce and flowers and are operated year-round without auxiliary heating.
Copyright © 2006 ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. Terms & Conditions
Please do not reply directly to this email. Use the following link to contact ProQuest: http://www.proquest.com/division/cs-support.shtml
Here is his web site if you want to see some pictures of the greenhouses.
http://www.roaldgundersen.com/index.php
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Meeting with greenhouse operator
Report on meeting with Michele Keller – operator of La Bore Farms in Faribault
I met with Michele on Friday, February 9, 2007 to discuss greenhouse produce. La Bore Farms has provided greenhouse lettuce to Just Food since it opened in December 2004.
I made it clear to Michele that the Twin Cities Co-ops are in the first stage of an exploration that could lead to some sort of arrangement for equity in a produce greenhouse that would supply them. I wanted to be honest that one outcome could be a decision to form an entity that would operate a green house that might compete with La Bore Farms to some extent. Another outcome could be a collaborative activity that would provide capital to a producer in consideration of guaranteed access to supply. With that backdrop the conversation was an interesting mixture of candor and reserve.
Some facts about Michele and La Bore Farms:
Current size is 42’ x 132’ of greenhouse space – about 1/8 acre. She said that her yield is equivalent to that of 20 acres of non-greenhouse production. I believe that is a combination of 2 factors – she gets 12 crops/year versus ~3 crops per year for non-greenhouse. I suspect that she is also able to farm more intensely using hydroponics nutrient film technique.
Water from her well is reused 10 to 14 times before it is dumped on to her adjoining hay field. No water used in her farming flows from her property.
She uses 3 heating systems – solar, LP-heated water piping under the beds, LP forced air if it’s really cold.
Her Co-op clients are Hampden Park, Just Food, Seward, and Mississippi Market (I’m not certain about this one). Linden Hills would like to carry her product but she is sold out.
Other clients include several restaurants in Northfield.
Michele has a strong commitment to sustainable agriculture although she will never be organic since hydroponic farming inherently requires chemicals to nourish the plants. On the other hand her pest management methods make no use of chemicals – even ones permitted in organic farming.
There are a couple other greenhouse operators in the area – a very small and seasonal basil growing operation near Stillwater (but in Wisconsin) and a very large one (Bushel Boy with 30 acres of greenhouses) near Owatonna.
The farm is covering expenses after 3 years of operation but she isn’t paying herself.
Capital was raised by bank loan based on her husband’s employment in the computer industry. Michele doesn’t generate any off-farm income.
La Bore Farms is incorporated and currently has one equity holder – she and her husband. She would consider an equity investment with these provisions: Michele and her husband retain control (at least 51% of ownership) and she has an opportunity to buy back ownership.
She would like to expand operations in the next few years to increase volume and variety of produce. She would like to add peppers next, then tomatoes and strawberries.
Access to capital is what will pace her rate of expansion.
She would add renewable energy via a wind turbine (39KW @ $10,000 to $15,000) before her next expansion.
Another greenhouse similar to her existing plant is ~$500,000 with most of the cost being what’s inside – not the structure itself since it is simply metal tube hoops and plastic.
She is averse to becoming a big operation like Bushel Boy and said she has no desire to sell to Whole Foods or supermarkets.
She would be willing to discuss a relationship whereby Co-op equity investment at a modest rate of return would be tied to a supply contract with some degree of protection of supply to investors although she would not be willing to drop Hampden Park Co-op which was her first co-op even if they were not an equity investor.
I was very impressed by Michele – her candor and direct communications, her depth of knowledge based on academics and experience as an employee of USDA, her success with La Bore Farms, her commitment to sustainable agriculture and the overall congruence of her values with cooperatives.
My initial impression is that we ought to take this conversation a step further at the appropriate time.
I met with Michele on Friday, February 9, 2007 to discuss greenhouse produce. La Bore Farms has provided greenhouse lettuce to Just Food since it opened in December 2004.
I made it clear to Michele that the Twin Cities Co-ops are in the first stage of an exploration that could lead to some sort of arrangement for equity in a produce greenhouse that would supply them. I wanted to be honest that one outcome could be a decision to form an entity that would operate a green house that might compete with La Bore Farms to some extent. Another outcome could be a collaborative activity that would provide capital to a producer in consideration of guaranteed access to supply. With that backdrop the conversation was an interesting mixture of candor and reserve.
Some facts about Michele and La Bore Farms:
Current size is 42’ x 132’ of greenhouse space – about 1/8 acre. She said that her yield is equivalent to that of 20 acres of non-greenhouse production. I believe that is a combination of 2 factors – she gets 12 crops/year versus ~3 crops per year for non-greenhouse. I suspect that she is also able to farm more intensely using hydroponics nutrient film technique.
Water from her well is reused 10 to 14 times before it is dumped on to her adjoining hay field. No water used in her farming flows from her property.
She uses 3 heating systems – solar, LP-heated water piping under the beds, LP forced air if it’s really cold.
Her Co-op clients are Hampden Park, Just Food, Seward, and Mississippi Market (I’m not certain about this one). Linden Hills would like to carry her product but she is sold out.
Other clients include several restaurants in Northfield.
Michele has a strong commitment to sustainable agriculture although she will never be organic since hydroponic farming inherently requires chemicals to nourish the plants. On the other hand her pest management methods make no use of chemicals – even ones permitted in organic farming.
There are a couple other greenhouse operators in the area – a very small and seasonal basil growing operation near Stillwater (but in Wisconsin) and a very large one (Bushel Boy with 30 acres of greenhouses) near Owatonna.
The farm is covering expenses after 3 years of operation but she isn’t paying herself.
Capital was raised by bank loan based on her husband’s employment in the computer industry. Michele doesn’t generate any off-farm income.
La Bore Farms is incorporated and currently has one equity holder – she and her husband. She would consider an equity investment with these provisions: Michele and her husband retain control (at least 51% of ownership) and she has an opportunity to buy back ownership.
She would like to expand operations in the next few years to increase volume and variety of produce. She would like to add peppers next, then tomatoes and strawberries.
Access to capital is what will pace her rate of expansion.
She would add renewable energy via a wind turbine (39KW @ $10,000 to $15,000) before her next expansion.
Another greenhouse similar to her existing plant is ~$500,000 with most of the cost being what’s inside – not the structure itself since it is simply metal tube hoops and plastic.
She is averse to becoming a big operation like Bushel Boy and said she has no desire to sell to Whole Foods or supermarkets.
She would be willing to discuss a relationship whereby Co-op equity investment at a modest rate of return would be tied to a supply contract with some degree of protection of supply to investors although she would not be willing to drop Hampden Park Co-op which was her first co-op even if they were not an equity investor.
I was very impressed by Michele – her candor and direct communications, her depth of knowledge based on academics and experience as an employee of USDA, her success with La Bore Farms, her commitment to sustainable agriculture and the overall congruence of her values with cooperatives.
My initial impression is that we ought to take this conversation a step further at the appropriate time.
Friday, February 9, 2007
www.newfarm.org
Bria Schukey, a key player in STOWGROW at St. Olaf, highly recommends www.newfarm.org as a key web site. She says it specifies exactly how to build a greenhouse for use in cold climates.
Solar PV: talisman for hope in the greenhouse.
Availability: FirstSearch indicates your institution subscribes to
this publication. Libraries worldwide that own item: 767 SAINT OLAF
COLLEGE Search the catalog of St. Olaf & CarletonLocal Holdings
Information: 21:1-(1991:01/02-)
Author(s): Leggett, Jeremy
Title: Solar PV: talisman for hope in the greenhouse.
Source: The Ecologist 29, no. 2 (Mar, 1999): 133-34
URL: http://www.theecologist.org Journal
Record
Standard No: ISSN: 0261-3131
Details: il
Abstract: Photovoltaic energy
In staving off severe climate change, solar
photovoltaic (PV) energy could offer our biggest hope. Possibly the
single most important thing we could now do is build a PV-manufacturing
plant big enough to allow the economies of scale that would allow PV to
generate electricity at the same price as carbon fuels.
SUBJECT(S)
Descriptor: alternative energy
business and environment
climate
global warming
solar energy
Record Type: Article
Accession No: 114,089
Database: AltPressIndex
this publication. Libraries worldwide that own item: 767 SAINT OLAF
COLLEGE Search the catalog of St. Olaf & CarletonLocal Holdings
Information: 21:1-(1991:01/02-)
Author(s): Leggett, Jeremy
Title: Solar PV: talisman for hope in the greenhouse.
Source: The Ecologist 29, no. 2 (Mar, 1999): 133-34
URL: http://www.theecologist.org Journal
Record
Standard No: ISSN: 0261-3131
Details: il
Abstract: Photovoltaic energy
In staving off severe climate change, solar
photovoltaic (PV) energy could offer our biggest hope. Possibly the
single most important thing we could now do is build a PV-manufacturing
plant big enough to allow the economies of scale that would allow PV to
generate electricity at the same price as carbon fuels.
SUBJECT(S)
Descriptor: alternative energy
business and environment
climate
global warming
solar energy
Record Type: Article
Accession No: 114,089
Database: AltPressIndex
Getting the most from a solar greenhouse.
Comments: This article is 20 yrs old but may have some important basic information that is not too technical. Easily procured through interlibrary loan. Looks as if UMN may have it. St. Olaf does not have this volume. Elizabeth
Record: 1
Title:Getting the most from a solar greenhouse.
Source:Mother Earth News; Nov/Dec86 Issue 103, p74, 6p, 1 diagram, 1 illustration
Document Type:Article
Subject Terms:*GREENHOUSES
Abstract:Using a solar greenhouse to raise your winter vegetables. Factors of light, temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide concentration and design are discussed. INSET: Design and construction rules.;Insect infestations; Dealing with.
ISSN:0027-1535
Accession Number:8600005496
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Record: 1
Title:Getting the most from a solar greenhouse.
Source:Mother Earth News; Nov/Dec86 Issue 103, p74, 6p, 1 diagram, 1 illustration
Document Type:Article
Subject Terms:*GREENHOUSES
Abstract:Using a solar greenhouse to raise your winter vegetables. Factors of light, temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide concentration and design are discussed. INSET: Design and construction rules.;Insect infestations; Dealing with.
ISSN:0027-1535
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A design procedure for an air-type solar heating system for greenhouses
Title:A design procedure for an air-type solar heating system for greenhouses
Authors:Staley, L. M.
Lau, A. K.
Source:Energy in Agriculture; Aug1987, Vol. 6 Issue 2, p95, 0p
Document Type:Article
Subject Terms:*GREENHOUSES
Author-Supplied Keywords:Design procedure
Greenhouse
Solar heating system, air-type
ISSN:0167-5826
Accession Number:8226364
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Authors:Staley, L. M.
Lau, A. K.
Source:Energy in Agriculture; Aug1987, Vol. 6 Issue 2, p95, 0p
Document Type:Article
Subject Terms:*GREENHOUSES
Author-Supplied Keywords:Design procedure
Greenhouse
Solar heating system, air-type
ISSN:0167-5826
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Old Glass in a New Setting: reclycled glass
OLD GLASS IN A NEW SETTING
Mark Ward's recycled greenhouses are resurrected gems
Should you be lucky enough to find Mark Ward and engage him, he will, in his own good time, build you a custom greenhouse. He may use old glass and parts salvaged from abandoned carnation houses, and wood milled from antique beer tanks, discarded fire escapes, or yard-sale window fans. The result will look like an integral part of your house, perhaps suggesting the quiet, functional elegance of a bygone day when even commercial glasshouses had style. If you use the space as intended, it will do just what a proper greenhouse should--shed moisture, circulate air, and ventilate surplus heat. It will not do things that a greenhouse shouldn't--overheat, corrode, or decay. If you use it to grow plants, his clients report, you will be happy for many years to come.
Such happiness is not easily bought, as too many greenhouse owners--purchasers of modest kits and opulent 19th-century conservatory clones alike--can attest. Ward is often called to counsel such owners, and to repair or replace misguided attempts to introduce growing spaces into homes. Among the sorry consequences he has counted are withering or sickly plants; ruined sills, furniture, books, and fine art; and desperate owners who've found themselves frying under glass in the brutal spring sun. Many so-called greenhouses do not work well, Ward says, because they're improperly designed or built or they're made of the wrong materials. He believes that owners often complicate the problem because they're ill informed and confused about what they really want, and that many become victims of inflated expectations, sacrificing performance and durability for the allure of trendy looks, greenhouse cachet, boudoir comfort, seductive price, or the false promise of a magical solar space that will provide everything from free vegetables to cozy, year-round living."
Use dictates design," Ward says. "If you need to be dry and snug out there in your jammies any time of winter night, you have few options. If you can adapt your needs to the climate, you'll have a much happier relationship with the greenhouse and get a lot more space and style for your money."
Ward has built custom spaces at a rate of four or five a year for 16 years, working within a two-hour radius of his Concord, Massachusetts, home. They range from tiny pit and courtyard greenhouses, enclosed porches, and rooftop sunrooms to historic restorations, commercial growing houses, entire houses, and even a college classroom. At a glance, his style seems eclectic, even protean. On closer inspection, one finds that his structures share elegant utility, an unaffected intelligence, and a spare grace. His projects show profound respect for traditional form and function, a deep affection for old materials, and a religious attention to the fine details of engineering and construction.
In the modern construction business, Ward is an anomaly. Schooled as a social psychologist, he's become a draftsman, engineer, carpenter, cabinetmaker, mason, welder, sheet-metal worker, mechanic, electrician, and glazier in pursuit of his craft. Though he never advertises, he's always busy. He keeps only one assistant, rarely subcontracts, refuses to expand his operation, and works at being hard to find. He does business only with people he likes, and who have the patience to put up with him. ("If we don't get along," he says, "there's not much point.") At 39, Ward is already something of an old Yankee--frugal, finicky, slow, taciturn, opinionated, pragmatic, and romantic (though he rarely shows that hand). He's also self-deprecating, inclined to describe himself as a "classy junkman driven by a pile of old stuff that won't rot. I have an eye," he concedes, "for things that can be put to use."
Ward expects his projects to be functional 50 years hence, and so it pains him when his carefully selected materials go to waste. He has learned that some owners, despite initial avowals, don't always use his spaces as designed. Because he feels the customer is always right, he is determined to help them "square the real possibilities with the images in their heads," and understand what the costs and compromises are before he invests his efforts. He admits that he spends an exasperating amount of time with client and architect to that end, and often talks himself out of a job when he finds that a person "really wants a living room with lots of windows, and a good sun-space kit will do. I have nothing against sun spaces," he adds, "except that most are sinfully ugly."
The time it takes Ward to achieve this goal is a frequent source of client humor. "There was only one man in the Western world who could help us enclose our porch and maintain the Victorian ambience of the house," says Cambridge psychiatrist Robert Gardner. "It took a long time to get him here and a long time to get it right. As a space, it does far more than we thought it would. Mark's motto should be `Greenhouses worth waiting for.'"
"There was," Ward allows about that particular project, "a lot of fussing in it." But for him, there always is. The interface of glass, iron, steel, copper, and wood is far more complex than modern plastic and aluminum systems, he says. Configuring them is never a matter of mere assembly; there is fabrication, restoration, modification, invention. Despite the best plans, all jobs require changes on site, and he reserves the right to change his mind midstream.
Ward got into this business shortly after college in 1974 when, working as an environmental intern, he dismantled a 3,000-square-foot commercial growing house for an urban group that planned to construct a community greenhouse. That project fell through. Left with piles of parts in his parents' backyard, he commenced to sell "build-your-own" kits through the newspaper. He was hired to assemble one, figured out how, and soon found himself "actually living off this stuff." He found and dismantled many more abandoned greenhouses, and in two years he had accumulated 50,000 square feet, or 100 tons, of glass, galvanized steel frames, cypress and redwood roof bars, and cast-iron machinery. Although these parts were already 30 to 180 years old, they still had many years of good life left in them. Recycling old materials also met Ward's "earth-centered" objectives, because, as he observes, "they cost less, work as well, last longer than most exotic modern materials, and don't require new energy or resources to make. They're modular, flexible, and ideally suited to custom construction."
The old greenhouses held yet a deeper fascination for Ward, who came to marvel at the beauty of their designs and the ingenuity of their systems: luminous, 6-12 pitched rooflines; slender cypress roof bars, double-grooved to hold glass and collect condensation; sculpted, cast-iron vent wheels and worm gears. As he digested manufacturers' catalogs and manuals dating from 1880 to 1935, he felt as if he'd stumbled upon a lost civilization: an industry devoted to the growing of plants indoors, which over a century's time had evolved to a high art and suddenly disappeared with the advent of costly oil and labor.
Ward became a devotee of this technology, incorporating its mechanics and aesthetics into the structures he was building for clients. In 1977, at the crescendo of the alternative energy movement, he was invited to present a paper at a major solar greenhouse conference. He'd already seen prototypes of these "revolutionary," hyperinsulated structures, which were being heralded as a populist panacea for the nation's energy ills. Ward was sympathetic to the movement's aims but recognized some grave design flaws. The structures were homely, even crude; they overheated; many were already rotting; and plants didn't grow well in them. He knew that unless they were modified, they would prove an embarrassment to all concerned. (Indeed, the celebrated greenhouses built on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, by the alternative technology New Alchemy Institute were eventually taken down.)
At the conference Ward found he was the only person among a swarm of solar engineers, consultants, theorists, and enthusiasts making a living building greenhouses. "These people were trying to reinvent the wheel," he says. "They had no idea that an entire industry already existed."
He showed the 800 attendees slides from 1920 greenhouse catalogs, describing the systems and why they worked. He told them that a solar greenhouse is inherently a compromise between efficient heating and good growing, because heat collection and horticulture have competing needs: To trap heat, a greenhouse needs to be made airtight with multiple glazing, heavy framing, insulated walls, dark absorbing surfaces, and an optimally pitched roof--all features that seriously reduce light. Plants demand maximum light as well as good ventilation and humidity, Ward explained, and therefore grow best in a greenhouse with thin glazing, minimal frames, reflective surfaces, and a good drainage system. Because moisture wreaks havoc with standard building materials, Ward noted that greenhouse construction should be more like making a boat than a frame house. Instead of trying to conquer the climate, he suggested, work with it. Live in the solar collector, where it's toasty and dry, and build an adjoining space for plants. Trade January shirtsleeve comfort for good growing conditions in March and April. Use single-glazing and recycled materials and put the money saved into a larger, more attractive greenhouse.
Almost 200 of the people attending the conference showed up for a workshop after his talk. He had become an authority at age 25. "I make a good expert," he says, "when I know what I'm talking about."
Since then, Ward has often combined traditional materials and designs with new solar technologies when appropriate, although his preference is to build traditional greenhouses for people who are serious about growing plants. Using his services makes sense, he says, when you want to match an architectural style or a specific roofline; solve an unusual design or construction problem; assure performance and durability; or when "you'd rather have a Duesenberg than a Honda or a Ford." For all their charm, he warns, old systems require more maintenance.
Many projects can be done adequately with sunroom or greenhouse kits, which are easily installed and have predictable costs. He cautions, however, that many kits have limited applications and are expensive to customize; vary widely in quality; and aren't designed to be greenhouses, even if they are offered as such.
Despite his success, Ward keeps a low profile, in part because he doesn't enjoy fixing problems caused by kits. He suspects he ought to make himself more available, but he's not set up to handle lots of inquiries and doesn't pursue leads. "It's not my style. Whether it serves me or not is another question." He's been known to chide himself because he's "still reacting to what the world presented me with 16 years ago," and to make noises about taking up another line of work.
Yet, he admits, "I'm driven by a responsibility to the materials," by the limitless possibilities of design (he's saving choice pieces of a vintage conservatory for his own home), and by the relentless volume of stuff. He has already had to move three times to accommodate his collection, most recently to a dairy barn 60 miles west of Concord. Now he's just been informed that he's got to move his materials again. The good news is that there are only 60 tons of it left.
PHOTOS: Caulk gun in hand, Mark ward sees to the details of greenhouse construction. Above: This single-glazed, steel-frame downstairs area functions as a growing space for market-garden produce. Upstairs is a sundeck (made from an old fire escape) that looks out over field and woodlands.
PHOTOS: Opposits, top: Ward replaced an old Lord & Burnham greenhouse witha double-glazed structure that keeps thetemperature at 62 to 65 degrees Farenhei--perfect for the owner's orchid collection. Opposite, bottom: Inlike most of Ward's projects, this greenhouse--whose roofline perfectly mirrors the 45-degree pitch of the garage behind--was conceived as part of the house's orginal design. Above: For this Victorian duplex in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Ward converted an uncovered entryway into an enclosed entry-sunspace, using a traditional, conservatory-style, single-glazed window with a grateful curved top and sides.
~~~~~~~~
By Jerry Howard
Jerry Howard wrote about the vegetable garden at the Allen C. Haskell nursery in the August/September 1992 issue of this magazine.
Mark Ward's recycled greenhouses are resurrected gems
Should you be lucky enough to find Mark Ward and engage him, he will, in his own good time, build you a custom greenhouse. He may use old glass and parts salvaged from abandoned carnation houses, and wood milled from antique beer tanks, discarded fire escapes, or yard-sale window fans. The result will look like an integral part of your house, perhaps suggesting the quiet, functional elegance of a bygone day when even commercial glasshouses had style. If you use the space as intended, it will do just what a proper greenhouse should--shed moisture, circulate air, and ventilate surplus heat. It will not do things that a greenhouse shouldn't--overheat, corrode, or decay. If you use it to grow plants, his clients report, you will be happy for many years to come.
Such happiness is not easily bought, as too many greenhouse owners--purchasers of modest kits and opulent 19th-century conservatory clones alike--can attest. Ward is often called to counsel such owners, and to repair or replace misguided attempts to introduce growing spaces into homes. Among the sorry consequences he has counted are withering or sickly plants; ruined sills, furniture, books, and fine art; and desperate owners who've found themselves frying under glass in the brutal spring sun. Many so-called greenhouses do not work well, Ward says, because they're improperly designed or built or they're made of the wrong materials. He believes that owners often complicate the problem because they're ill informed and confused about what they really want, and that many become victims of inflated expectations, sacrificing performance and durability for the allure of trendy looks, greenhouse cachet, boudoir comfort, seductive price, or the false promise of a magical solar space that will provide everything from free vegetables to cozy, year-round living."
Use dictates design," Ward says. "If you need to be dry and snug out there in your jammies any time of winter night, you have few options. If you can adapt your needs to the climate, you'll have a much happier relationship with the greenhouse and get a lot more space and style for your money."
Ward has built custom spaces at a rate of four or five a year for 16 years, working within a two-hour radius of his Concord, Massachusetts, home. They range from tiny pit and courtyard greenhouses, enclosed porches, and rooftop sunrooms to historic restorations, commercial growing houses, entire houses, and even a college classroom. At a glance, his style seems eclectic, even protean. On closer inspection, one finds that his structures share elegant utility, an unaffected intelligence, and a spare grace. His projects show profound respect for traditional form and function, a deep affection for old materials, and a religious attention to the fine details of engineering and construction.
In the modern construction business, Ward is an anomaly. Schooled as a social psychologist, he's become a draftsman, engineer, carpenter, cabinetmaker, mason, welder, sheet-metal worker, mechanic, electrician, and glazier in pursuit of his craft. Though he never advertises, he's always busy. He keeps only one assistant, rarely subcontracts, refuses to expand his operation, and works at being hard to find. He does business only with people he likes, and who have the patience to put up with him. ("If we don't get along," he says, "there's not much point.") At 39, Ward is already something of an old Yankee--frugal, finicky, slow, taciturn, opinionated, pragmatic, and romantic (though he rarely shows that hand). He's also self-deprecating, inclined to describe himself as a "classy junkman driven by a pile of old stuff that won't rot. I have an eye," he concedes, "for things that can be put to use."
Ward expects his projects to be functional 50 years hence, and so it pains him when his carefully selected materials go to waste. He has learned that some owners, despite initial avowals, don't always use his spaces as designed. Because he feels the customer is always right, he is determined to help them "square the real possibilities with the images in their heads," and understand what the costs and compromises are before he invests his efforts. He admits that he spends an exasperating amount of time with client and architect to that end, and often talks himself out of a job when he finds that a person "really wants a living room with lots of windows, and a good sun-space kit will do. I have nothing against sun spaces," he adds, "except that most are sinfully ugly."
The time it takes Ward to achieve this goal is a frequent source of client humor. "There was only one man in the Western world who could help us enclose our porch and maintain the Victorian ambience of the house," says Cambridge psychiatrist Robert Gardner. "It took a long time to get him here and a long time to get it right. As a space, it does far more than we thought it would. Mark's motto should be `Greenhouses worth waiting for.'"
"There was," Ward allows about that particular project, "a lot of fussing in it." But for him, there always is. The interface of glass, iron, steel, copper, and wood is far more complex than modern plastic and aluminum systems, he says. Configuring them is never a matter of mere assembly; there is fabrication, restoration, modification, invention. Despite the best plans, all jobs require changes on site, and he reserves the right to change his mind midstream.
Ward got into this business shortly after college in 1974 when, working as an environmental intern, he dismantled a 3,000-square-foot commercial growing house for an urban group that planned to construct a community greenhouse. That project fell through. Left with piles of parts in his parents' backyard, he commenced to sell "build-your-own" kits through the newspaper. He was hired to assemble one, figured out how, and soon found himself "actually living off this stuff." He found and dismantled many more abandoned greenhouses, and in two years he had accumulated 50,000 square feet, or 100 tons, of glass, galvanized steel frames, cypress and redwood roof bars, and cast-iron machinery. Although these parts were already 30 to 180 years old, they still had many years of good life left in them. Recycling old materials also met Ward's "earth-centered" objectives, because, as he observes, "they cost less, work as well, last longer than most exotic modern materials, and don't require new energy or resources to make. They're modular, flexible, and ideally suited to custom construction."
The old greenhouses held yet a deeper fascination for Ward, who came to marvel at the beauty of their designs and the ingenuity of their systems: luminous, 6-12 pitched rooflines; slender cypress roof bars, double-grooved to hold glass and collect condensation; sculpted, cast-iron vent wheels and worm gears. As he digested manufacturers' catalogs and manuals dating from 1880 to 1935, he felt as if he'd stumbled upon a lost civilization: an industry devoted to the growing of plants indoors, which over a century's time had evolved to a high art and suddenly disappeared with the advent of costly oil and labor.
Ward became a devotee of this technology, incorporating its mechanics and aesthetics into the structures he was building for clients. In 1977, at the crescendo of the alternative energy movement, he was invited to present a paper at a major solar greenhouse conference. He'd already seen prototypes of these "revolutionary," hyperinsulated structures, which were being heralded as a populist panacea for the nation's energy ills. Ward was sympathetic to the movement's aims but recognized some grave design flaws. The structures were homely, even crude; they overheated; many were already rotting; and plants didn't grow well in them. He knew that unless they were modified, they would prove an embarrassment to all concerned. (Indeed, the celebrated greenhouses built on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, by the alternative technology New Alchemy Institute were eventually taken down.)
At the conference Ward found he was the only person among a swarm of solar engineers, consultants, theorists, and enthusiasts making a living building greenhouses. "These people were trying to reinvent the wheel," he says. "They had no idea that an entire industry already existed."
He showed the 800 attendees slides from 1920 greenhouse catalogs, describing the systems and why they worked. He told them that a solar greenhouse is inherently a compromise between efficient heating and good growing, because heat collection and horticulture have competing needs: To trap heat, a greenhouse needs to be made airtight with multiple glazing, heavy framing, insulated walls, dark absorbing surfaces, and an optimally pitched roof--all features that seriously reduce light. Plants demand maximum light as well as good ventilation and humidity, Ward explained, and therefore grow best in a greenhouse with thin glazing, minimal frames, reflective surfaces, and a good drainage system. Because moisture wreaks havoc with standard building materials, Ward noted that greenhouse construction should be more like making a boat than a frame house. Instead of trying to conquer the climate, he suggested, work with it. Live in the solar collector, where it's toasty and dry, and build an adjoining space for plants. Trade January shirtsleeve comfort for good growing conditions in March and April. Use single-glazing and recycled materials and put the money saved into a larger, more attractive greenhouse.
Almost 200 of the people attending the conference showed up for a workshop after his talk. He had become an authority at age 25. "I make a good expert," he says, "when I know what I'm talking about."
Since then, Ward has often combined traditional materials and designs with new solar technologies when appropriate, although his preference is to build traditional greenhouses for people who are serious about growing plants. Using his services makes sense, he says, when you want to match an architectural style or a specific roofline; solve an unusual design or construction problem; assure performance and durability; or when "you'd rather have a Duesenberg than a Honda or a Ford." For all their charm, he warns, old systems require more maintenance.
Many projects can be done adequately with sunroom or greenhouse kits, which are easily installed and have predictable costs. He cautions, however, that many kits have limited applications and are expensive to customize; vary widely in quality; and aren't designed to be greenhouses, even if they are offered as such.
Despite his success, Ward keeps a low profile, in part because he doesn't enjoy fixing problems caused by kits. He suspects he ought to make himself more available, but he's not set up to handle lots of inquiries and doesn't pursue leads. "It's not my style. Whether it serves me or not is another question." He's been known to chide himself because he's "still reacting to what the world presented me with 16 years ago," and to make noises about taking up another line of work.
Yet, he admits, "I'm driven by a responsibility to the materials," by the limitless possibilities of design (he's saving choice pieces of a vintage conservatory for his own home), and by the relentless volume of stuff. He has already had to move three times to accommodate his collection, most recently to a dairy barn 60 miles west of Concord. Now he's just been informed that he's got to move his materials again. The good news is that there are only 60 tons of it left.
PHOTOS: Caulk gun in hand, Mark ward sees to the details of greenhouse construction. Above: This single-glazed, steel-frame downstairs area functions as a growing space for market-garden produce. Upstairs is a sundeck (made from an old fire escape) that looks out over field and woodlands.
PHOTOS: Opposits, top: Ward replaced an old Lord & Burnham greenhouse witha double-glazed structure that keeps thetemperature at 62 to 65 degrees Farenhei--perfect for the owner's orchid collection. Opposite, bottom: Inlike most of Ward's projects, this greenhouse--whose roofline perfectly mirrors the 45-degree pitch of the garage behind--was conceived as part of the house's orginal design. Above: For this Victorian duplex in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Ward converted an uncovered entryway into an enclosed entry-sunspace, using a traditional, conservatory-style, single-glazed window with a grateful curved top and sides.
~~~~~~~~
By Jerry Howard
Jerry Howard wrote about the vegetable garden at the Allen C. Haskell nursery in the August/September 1992 issue of this magazine.
Modeling and optimal design of evaporative cooling system in controlled environment greenhouse.
Title:Modeling and optimal design of evaporative cooling system in controlled environment greenhouse.
Authors:Jain, Dilip1
Tiwari, Gopal Nath gntiwari@ces.iitd.ernet.in
Source:Energy Conversion & Management; Nov2002, Vol. 43 Issue 16, p2235, 16p
Document Type:Article
Subject Terms:*GREENHOUSES
*MATHEMATICAL models
*EVAPORATIVE cooling
Author-Supplied Keywords:Greenhouse
Controlled environment
Solar energy
Evaporative cooling
Abstract:This communication deals with the development of a mathematical model for experimental validation of the thermal behavior in the greenhouse after evaporative cooling. Extensive experiments have been performed during July to October 2000 for an even span greenhouse of effective floor area of 24 m2 and having a brick north wall. A parametric study involves the area of the cooling pad (height of cooling pad and greenhouse), mass flow rate and length of greenhouse. The optimum value of various parameters has also been determined. A computer program based on MatLab software has been used to predict the temperature profile as a function of various design parameters. The predicted room temperature of various zones shows fair agreement with the experimental values. [Copyright 2002 Elsevier]
Copyright of Energy Conversion & Management is the property of Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts)
Author Affiliations:1Center for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110 016, India
ISSN:0196-8904
Accession Number:7837331
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Authors:Jain, Dilip1
Tiwari, Gopal Nath gntiwari@ces.iitd.ernet.in
Source:Energy Conversion & Management; Nov2002, Vol. 43 Issue 16, p2235, 16p
Document Type:Article
Subject Terms:*GREENHOUSES
*MATHEMATICAL models
*EVAPORATIVE cooling
Author-Supplied Keywords:Greenhouse
Controlled environment
Solar energy
Evaporative cooling
Abstract:This communication deals with the development of a mathematical model for experimental validation of the thermal behavior in the greenhouse after evaporative cooling. Extensive experiments have been performed during July to October 2000 for an even span greenhouse of effective floor area of 24 m
Copyright of Energy Conversion & Management is the property of Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts)
Author Affiliations:1Center for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110 016, India
ISSN:0196-8904
Accession Number:7837331
Persistent link to this record: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=7837331&site=ehost-live
Cut and Paste: Modeling and optimal design of evaporative cooling system in controlled environment greenhouse.
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Modeling and optimal design of ground air collector for heating in controlled environment greenhouse.
Title:Modeling and optimal design of ground air collector for heating in controlled environment greenhouse.
Authors:Jain, Dilip1
Tiwari, G.N. gntiwari@ces.iitd.ernet.in
Source:Energy Conversion & Management; May2002, Vol. 43 Issue 8, p1357, 16p
Document Type:Article
Subject Terms:*GREENHOUSES
*MATHEMATICAL models
*SOLAR energy
Author-Supplied Keywords:Greenhouse
Controlled environment
Solar energy
Ground air collector
Abstract:A mathematical model is devised to study the thermal behavior of a greenhouse while heating with a ground air collector (GAC). A computer program based on MatLab software has been used to predict the plant and room temperatures as a function of various design parameters of the ground air collector. Extensive experiments have been conducted during December 2000 to March 2001 for an even span greenhouse of effective floor area of 24 m2 with a GAC and having a brick north wall. The model was validated experimentally in the climate of Delhi for the winter season. A parametric study involves the area of the GAC, mass flow rate and heat capacity. The predicted plant and room temperatures show fair agreement with the experimental values. [Copyright 2002 Elsevier]
Copyright of Energy Conversion & Management is the property of Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts)
Author Affiliations:1Centre for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110 016, India
ISSN:0196-8904
Accession Number:8791894
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Authors:Jain, Dilip1
Tiwari, G.N. gntiwari@ces.iitd.ernet.in
Source:Energy Conversion & Management; May2002, Vol. 43 Issue 8, p1357, 16p
Document Type:Article
Subject Terms:*GREENHOUSES
*MATHEMATICAL models
*SOLAR energy
Author-Supplied Keywords:Greenhouse
Controlled environment
Solar energy
Ground air collector
Abstract:A mathematical model is devised to study the thermal behavior of a greenhouse while heating with a ground air collector (GAC). A computer program based on MatLab software has been used to predict the plant and room temperatures as a function of various design parameters of the ground air collector. Extensive experiments have been conducted during December 2000 to March 2001 for an even span greenhouse of effective floor area of 24 m2 with a GAC and having a brick north wall. The model was validated experimentally in the climate of Delhi for the winter season. A parametric study involves the area of the GAC, mass flow rate and heat capacity. The predicted plant and room temperatures show fair agreement with the experimental values. [Copyright 2002 Elsevier]
Copyright of Energy Conversion & Management is the property of Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts)
Author Affiliations:1Centre for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110 016, India
ISSN:0196-8904
Accession Number:8791894
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Title:Analytical model for the thermal conductance of double-compound honeycomb transparent insulation, with validation.
Record: 1
Title:Analytical model for the thermal conductance of double-compound honeycomb transparent insulation, with validation.
Authors:Hum, J.E.Y.1
Hollands, K.G.T. kholland@mecheng1.uwaterloo.ca
Wright, J.L.1
Source:Solar Energy; Jan2004, Vol. 76 Issue 1-3, p85, 7p
Document Type:Article
Subject Terms:*GREENHOUSES
*HONEYCOMB structures
*INSULATION (Heat)
*SANDWICH construction
*THERMOPLASTICS
NAICS/Industry Codes238310 Drywall and Insulation Contractors
423330 Roofing, Siding, and Insulation Material Merchant Wholesalers
Abstract:Whereas early thermal models of honeycomb transparent insulation assumed the honeycomb to be bounded by opaque plates on both faces, more recent models have allowed for an air gap between the honeycomb and one of the plates: the “compound honeycomb†configuration. This paper deals with a new configuration, one that is basically the compound honeycomb configuration, but the other bounding plate is diathermous (i.e., partly transparent to long-wave radiation) rather than opaque. This new configuration has arisen in the application of honeycombs in greenhouses. This paper extends the existing compound honeycomb model, by adding a new variable and a new equation. It was found that a 9 × 9 matrix needs to be inverted rather than the 8 × 8 required by the earlier formalism. To test the model, the overall conductance across a set of transparent honeycombs resting on one of two diathermous plastics was measured, using a guarded heater plate apparatus. The honeycombs were fabricated from UV-stabilized polypropylene, and had a cell size of about 10 mm. Although the model tended to slightly over-predict the measurements (by about 10%) it is considered to be accurate enough for design purposes. [Copyright 2004 Elsevier]
Copyright of Solar Energy is the property of Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts)
Author Affiliations:1Department of Mechanical, Engineering University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ont., Canada N2L 3G1
ISSN:0038-092X
DOI:10.1016/j.solener.2003.07.034
Accession Number:11729795
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Cut and Paste: Analytical model for the thermal conductance of double-compound honeycomb transparent insulation, with validation.
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Title:Analytical model for the thermal conductance of double-compound honeycomb transparent insulation, with validation.
Authors:Hum, J.E.Y.1
Hollands, K.G.T. kholland@mecheng1.uwaterloo.ca
Wright, J.L.1
Source:Solar Energy; Jan2004, Vol. 76 Issue 1-3, p85, 7p
Document Type:Article
Subject Terms:*GREENHOUSES
*HONEYCOMB structures
*INSULATION (Heat)
*SANDWICH construction
*THERMOPLASTICS
NAICS/Industry Codes238310 Drywall and Insulation Contractors
423330 Roofing, Siding, and Insulation Material Merchant Wholesalers
Abstract:Whereas early thermal models of honeycomb transparent insulation assumed the honeycomb to be bounded by opaque plates on both faces, more recent models have allowed for an air gap between the honeycomb and one of the plates: the “compound honeycomb†configuration. This paper deals with a new configuration, one that is basically the compound honeycomb configuration, but the other bounding plate is diathermous (i.e., partly transparent to long-wave radiation) rather than opaque. This new configuration has arisen in the application of honeycombs in greenhouses. This paper extends the existing compound honeycomb model, by adding a new variable and a new equation. It was found that a 9 × 9 matrix needs to be inverted rather than the 8 × 8 required by the earlier formalism. To test the model, the overall conductance across a set of transparent honeycombs resting on one of two diathermous plastics was measured, using a guarded heater plate apparatus. The honeycombs were fabricated from UV-stabilized polypropylene, and had a cell size of about 10 mm. Although the model tended to slightly over-predict the measurements (by about 10%) it is considered to be accurate enough for design purposes. [Copyright 2004 Elsevier]
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Author Affiliations:1Department of Mechanical, Engineering University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ont., Canada N2L 3G1
ISSN:0038-092X
DOI:10.1016/j.solener.2003.07.034
Accession Number:11729795
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