Greenhouse Design and Construction

1
Greenhouse Design and Construction

• Greenhouse structure and parts
• Factors to be considered when designing
• Legal and building regulations when building
• This presentation is from Virginia Tech and has
  not been edited by the Georgia Curriculum Office.

2
Laying the Foundation Structural Parts of a
Greenhouse

• Sidewall supports the entire weight of the
  greenhouse. Consists of the following parts -
• side ventilators
• side posts
• curtain wall
• Concrete footer foundation for the side posts
• Eave area where the sidewall joints connect
• Sash bar bar made of metal or wood that runs
  from eave to the ridge, holding glass in place

3
Laying the Foundation cont..

• Roof provides cover. Consists of
• sash bars
• purlins
• roof ventilators
• ridge
• Purlin bar running length of roof that supports
  the sash bars, holds bows and trusses upright
• roof and side ventilators allow ventilation
  during light rain
• ridge peak of greenhouse
• shutters operate like windows to allow air flow

4
Greenhouse Shapes

• Even-span greenhouse self supporting with
  distance from ridge to eave equal in distance
• Ridge Furrow two or more even-span greenhouses
  connected at the eaves.
• Quonset arch-shaped bows placed in a row.
  Appears tube shaped - most common shape
• Sawtooth greenhouse with a vent near the eave of
  the lowest side wall that allows for natural
  ventilation.

5
Greenhouse Shapes cont.

• Lean-to a greenhouse already attached to a
  existing structure.
• Gothic Slightly pointed greenhouse covered with
  corrugated fiberglass

6
What if we put the door here and the window here.

• There are many factors to consider before you
  build a permanent structure. It is a lot of
  money and time to throw away if you dont obtain
  as many facts as possible before you build.
• Factor 1 Accessibility
• Factor 2 Expandability
• Factor 3 Markets
• Factor 4 Orientation

7
Factors to consider cont.

• Factor 5 Personnel
• Factor 6 Topography
• Factor 7 Utilities/water

8
What does this mean for greenhouse management?

• It is not as easy as just going outside and
  building a greenhouse. There are things to
  considered just as in any situation. So
  remember, depending on your location and climate,
  you will have to consider the
• shape of design
• location
• utilities
• market
• personnel