Sustainable Research Greenhouse

A Research Greenhouse

Whether for educational research or private research, creating sustainable research greenhouse designs takes considerable forethought and pre-planning.

A truly sustainable research greenhouse has a strong design effort behind it. The completed greenhouse needs to deliver the performance expected and required by the researcher, faculty or student. The challenge is to create a research greenhouse that provides for optimal functionality, but doesn't sacrifice the sustainability factor along the way.



Design considerations are many when setting about to design, engineer, manufacture, construct and then occupy and successfully operate a sustainable research greenhouse. Beginning with the structure itself it is pretty much an either-or question; steel or aluminum? However, as the design progresses the options and the decisions that need to be made will increase significantly. Just as examples, careful scrutiny must be given to the selection of heating and cooling systems, ventilation methods, shading & heat retention systems, supplemental plant growth lighting, misting and irrigation systems, environmental control systems. All of which can be critical components and features of a high level sustainable research greenhouse facility.

When properly selected, sized and located each of the many research greenhouse inter-connected components can lend greatly to the energy efficiency, environmental impact and longevity of the facility. It is a delicate balance of design variables that yield an enclosed and controlled indoor environment that replicates the outdoor environment, less the extremes. The greenhouse environment needs to be one which allows for the specific plant research, but with a dedicated design effort a sustainable research greenhouse design can deliver that same “plant” friendly environment of the outdoors.

Whether K-12, Vo-Ag schools, community colleges, colleges or universities, sustainable teaching, education and research design can be achieved using proven design practices that get communicated clearly and concisely in a research greenhouse specification, and accurately depicted in the associated detailed set of research greenhouse drawings.

The successful design and construction of sustainable research greenhouses for private or public research use is best achieved by teaming with the industry experts. Get the industry experts involved early, and let their ample experience help guide the process and pave the roadway to a sustainable research greenhouse.

For more information visit : http://www.roughbros.com/research-teaching-and-educational-greenhouses/research-greenhouses/