Trends in Greenhouse Design

Greenhouse growing is the most important form of controlled environment agriculture worldwide. The improvements in this segment are certainly ongoing. Egon Janssen (TNO), Vincent Hoveling (Ridder), Philip Lee (RIPE Building Services Ltd) and Lucas Targos (Urban-gro, Inc) will each use their own expertise to explain what innovations they see and how they add value within the field of greenhouse design.

Egon Janssen (TNO) - Trends in greenhouse design

Worldwide there is a growing need for sustainable food production systems. Recent developments in greenhouse design codes, simulation tools and material development give new opportunities for greenhouse design adapted to local circumstances. In this presentation some new developments will be presented.

Vincent Hoveling (Ridder) - Driving into the digital age of greenhouse construction

The components of a greenhouse structure are becoming smarter thanks to energetic technological developments in the field of digitalization and the application of proven industry 4.0 technologies. This is also the driving force behind Ridder SmartDrive; a new generation of greenhouse drive systems in which mechanical components have been replaced by smart digital components. Installation no longer takes place with a screwdriver but via a smartphone app. With this, Ridder offers a new revolutionary drive system that on one hand considerably improves the ease of installation and use, and on the other hand perfectly matches the developments related to data-driven growing and the future of horticulture.

The components of a greenhouse structure are becoming smarter thanks to energetic technological developments in the field of digitalization and the application of proven industry 4.0 technologies

Philip Lee (RIPE Building Services Ltd)

We are delighted to present our new ETFE building system we call RIPEHouse, and the incredible results of our first crop trials at the Natural Light Growing research Centre in the UK. RIPEHouse’s have been specifically designed to maximise the benefits of the superior glazing material ETFE. We have developed not only optimal single- and double-glazed buildings develpped with the input of the likes of Hydro and TNO, but new advances in the films themselves with our partners 3M, Nowofol, Brueckner and Fraunhofer, from permanent anti drip coatings to heat tensioning systems. We believe we have the most optimal solutions to the adoption of large-scale sustainable greenhouses globally.

Lucas Targos (Urban-gro, Inc) - Ensure optimal growing conditions

The groundwork for efficient and profitable cultivation facilities is laid well before any plants begin growing inside of the walls. During the design stage, it’s critical to establish an organized, informed approach to the integration of essential facility systems. Proper specification and equipment sizing, layout, and coordination are key in ensuring the facility operates as intended post start-up. By engaging in Cultivation Space Planning, cultivators are able to proactively evaluate systems interaction to ensure optimal growing conditions for high-quality, consistent crop output.