Greenhouse - an overview on Structure of Greenhouse

During the winter months of years the early Egyptian and Roman civilizations used greenhouse structures to protect tender crops such as fruits and vegetables.

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Today, greenhouses are not limited to just food production but are also used in the ornamentals industry.
Greenhouses can be found in homes, offices, hospitals for horticultural therapy, public gardens, research institutions, and commercial organizations (wholesale or retail).
Greenhouse structures are covered with a transparent material that allows sufficient sunlight to enter for the purpose of growing and maintaining plants.

I’m Tapsendra Patel and in this article we will discuss the components of a greenhouse structure.

The 3 basic types of greenhouses are :-

• Attached greenhouse
• Detached (freestanding) greenhouse
• Connected greenhouse.

Attached greenhouses

Attached greenhouses are attached to an existing structure.
The three basic styles include :-
• Window mounted style
• Lean-to style
• Attached even span.

Detached (freestanding)

Detached greenhouses (or freestanding greenhouses) are separate from other buildings or greenhouses.
Detached greenhouses can come in 4 different styles:-
• Even span
• Uneven span
• Gothic
• Quonset
The most common style of detached greenhouse is the detached even span, which has a symmetrical roof with slopes having an equal pitch and width.

The main advantage of detached greenhouses is that environmental control can be regulated easily and programmed to suit different needs.
The main disadvantage is that more land is needed, thereby increasing cost.

Connected Greenhouse

Connected greenhouses have several greenhouses joined together.
Various styles of connected greenhouses are :-
• Ridge-and-furrow greenhouses
• Barrel-vault greenhouses
• Saw tooth greenhouses.
Advantages :- Connected greenhouses cost less overall are more efficient because workers and equipment can move throughout the greenhouse with ease and require less heat and less land.
The main disadvantage is that accommodating different crops is difficult when such crops require different environmental conditions.
Prior to laying the foundation for a greenhouse, the water and electrical lines should be located and placed.

Construction materials

Construction materials for greenhouses must be :-
• Strong
• Durable
• Easy to maintain
• Inexpensive

Two basic frame designs are used for greenhouses are :-
• A-frame
• Arched frame.

Structural components

The structural components of a simple greenhouse include :-
• Ridge (top of the greenhouse)
• Anchor support posts (provide main structural support)
• Trusses (structural support)
• Purlins (structural support)
• Ventilators (for fresh air)
• Cooling fans (cooling).

Covering Material

A variety of greenhouse coverings are available today. The primary aim of greenhouse covering is to allow the maximum amount of light trap into the greenhouse for the growth and development of plants.

The 5 major types of greenhouse coverings are :-
• Glass
• Plastic films
• Fiberglass-reinforced plastic
• Acrylic
• Polycarbonate
Each of the above mentioned materials has advantages and disadvantages.

Glass provides the best light transmission of any greenhouse covering by transmitting about 90 % of the light that strikes its surface. Glass greenhouses are expensive to construct, maintain, and operate.

Flexible plastic films are lightweight and can be used on a wider range of greenhouse designs than glass. The most common type is polyethylene. This flexible plastic film material is becoming increasingly more popular because of its low cost nature to put up a greenhouse with this type of material, and fuel costs are typically lower.
The main disadvantage is the material’s short life span, which is reduced considerably by UV light.
Replaced in every three years.

Fiberglass-reinforced plastic is a semi-rigid greenhouse covering that can be bent. One of the biggest advantages of fiberglass-reinforced plastic is that it allows the same amount of sunlight through as glass. Greenhouses with this covering material are also easier to cool than greenhouses covered with glass. Although a number of disadvantages are associated with fiberglass-reinforced plastic, its popularity has decreased in recent years because it is very susceptible to UV light, dust, and pollution degradation. It is flammable.

Acrylic and Polycarbonate are the most popular rigid plastic covering materials used today.
Acrylic can last up to 25 years while polycarbonate can last for between 10 and 15 years.
Both acrylic and polycarbonate have become very popular because they are lightweight, easy to install, and require less support, thereby reducing shading caused by sash bars.
In addition, acrylic and polycarbonate both have very good light transmission and excellent heat insulating ability.
The only major disadvantage is that these materials are flammable.

Success in the greenhouse industry begins with good planning. After a location has been selected, the greenhouse range must be properly laid out. The greenhouse range must be oriented to maximize the light entering the greenhouse. Knowing the direction of the winds also helps to orient the greenhouse to minimize heat loss.

Temperature Maintenance

After properly orienting the greenhouse range selecting a proper system for controlling greenhouse temperatures is the next step.
The main reason for using greenhouses is for controlling temperatures. Good temperature control is important to maintain high-quality crops. Mimicking the outdoor environment maximizes the growth of plants in greenhouses. The day time temperature in greenhouses is typically 10 to 15 degrees higher than night time temperatures which are generally between 55 and 65°F.
In a common greenhouse operation labor is the most expensive operational expense.
Heat loss from greenhouses through conduction ( heat loss by transmission through a greenhouse covering ) infiltration ( heat loss by transmission through a greenhouse covering ) , and radiation ( loss of heat from a warm surface, such as a plant leaf ) must be minimized.

Fuels Used

When choosing the fuel to be used at a greenhouse range important considerations should be take such as :-
• Easy availability of fuel
• Cost for delivery
• Transportation
• Storage.

The 3 types of fuel used in greenhouses are :-
• Natural gas
• Oil
• Coal.

Natural gas has the advantage of burning clean and can be delivered to a greenhouse via pipes, which eliminates the need for a storage facility and delivery costs.
Fuel oil is also commonly used, but has the disadvantage of requiring storage tanks.
Coal - The least commonly used form of fuel is coal because of the pollution produced when coal is burned.

Heating System

The heating system must be selected based on the particular operation.
Heating systems commonly used in greenhouses are :-
• Steam heating
• Hot water heating
• Forced-air heating
• Radiant heating (infrared radiant heaters and solar radiation systems).

To control greenhouse temperatures, good ventilation and cooling systems are also necessary.

In conclusion, now we have a basic knowledge of greenhouse structures and how to establish a successful greenhouse range for growing plants. We learned about the different basic greenhouse structures, greenhouse coverings materials, and heating systems, Fuels, Temperature maintenance, etc.

- TAPSENDRA PATEL

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