Could this be the Greenhouse of the Future?
Revolutionary Greenhouse where you could grow your own food all year round
If Growing your own food is something you may do or is something you want to do then check out this greenhouse which has been dubbed as the greenhouse of the future.
A group of people got together and decided a new type of greenhouse was required to meet the needs of today and so began the process of creating and building an ecological haven.
The goal was to be able to grow organic food all year long and create a micro-climate that can be enjoyed all year round with low building costs.
Check out the video at the end of the article
Inspiration taking root
During a certification course at Earthship Academy, a seed was planted in the mind of Francis Gendron for a different kind of greenhouse. A turning point, Gendron realized our current food system is no longer sustainable and that we need creative solutions — quickly.
Combining the principles of Earthships, aquaponics and passive solar greenhouses, Gendron — along with friends, Christian Désilets and Curt Close — designed and built a radically different food growing system. Not wholly surprising, they christened it The Greenhouse of the Future.
Vision and structure
Largely utilizing easy-to-find recycled materials, the team set out to build a greenhouse that would grow organic produce in any climate, while also providing a space for people to connect with nature and relax in warmth during the frigid winter months. Their main focus was to create a micro-climate for producing an abundance of food with minimal energy usage and low construction cost.
How did they do it?
The greenhouse is designed so that it’s partially dug into the ground to take advantage of the earth’s insulating properties. Recycled tires are filled with soil and used for the walls to further help regulate indoor temperature. When prepared in this manner, the tires absorb heat during the day and then release it at night. In addition, earth tubes are used throughout to heat the interior during the winter and cool it during warmer weather. Solar panels can be installed as well for a completely off-grid structure.
Positioning the greenhouse is crucial. In the northern hemisphere, the clear polycarbonate frontside faces southward to make the most of the sunlight. Situating the greenhouse in this way also puts into service the insulated roof — during the winter months, the roof reflects light towards the plants, whereas, in the summertime, it helps to protect the crops from extreme temperatures.
What’s more, the greenhouse utilizes a passive rainwater collection system. Gutters in the roof funnel rain into collection barrels within the greenhouse. Not only does this provide water for the plants, but also increases thermal mass, furthering the regulation of temperature.
Aesthetic features include attractive glass bricks pieced together from recycled bottles, cedar siding and a DIY polycarbonate door.
And yet, the real beauty of the structure lies within its ingenious design that’s both eco-friendly and inexpensive to build. At the same time, the greenhouse offers a very doable solution for food self-sufficiency.