10 essential information to know before asking a greenhouse quote

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It is important be prepared collecting the right information before asking a quote to a greenhouse manufacturer. Indeed, the engineering office of the company will need some specific detail to select the right design based on several calculations.

Below a synthesis of the 10 types of essential information that you will need to synthesis :

*Land preparation for the greenhouse building*

1) Requested data

Climate data of the local environment on a monthly basis for a period of 10 years or more ;
A topographic and soil quality survey if possible ;
The land dimensions (width, length) of the project showing the potential obstacles on the ground ;
The accurate location of the fresh water point, rainwater collection, electricity power source and natural gas ;
Project orientation (N,S,W,E) with GPS point to track it on Google Earth for example ;
The elevation altitude of your project in meters above the sea ;

2) Project timeline

The potential construction period : year ; month
The crops production start date : year ; month

3) Environmental and climate data

Minimum and maximum temperature during the year in °C or °F ;
Maximum snow fall in kg/m² ;
Maximum wind speed in km/h or m/s ;
Maximum pluviometry in mm/hour/m² ;

Recommended to collect the climate data for a period of at least 10 years minimum.

*Site location GPS point, elevation and climate data*

4) Agronomic information

Crop type ;
Growing system type: crop on ground floor, hydroponic system, NFT, suspended system… ;
Cultivation schedule : Year around cultivation ;
Seasonal cultivation > precise the cultivation period ;
Organic or conventional pest management strategy ;
Targeted pests and diseases ;

Additional remarks, all information will be important for the professional to select the right greenhouse and equipment for your project.

5) Greenhouse definition: dimension, design, type…

5.1) Basic information

Total surface of greenhouse in m², no of block(s)
Height under gutter in meters

5.2) Greenhouse type :

Plastic = multispan greenhouse / tunnel : single or twin tunnel

Glass = multipsan VENLO type greenhouse / wide span greenhouse for production or Research

5.3) Greenhouse covering type

Single layer plastic film
Double layer plastic film : glass wool insolation, inflated… ?

Clear glass / diffuse glass / polycarbonate / PVC / panel sandwich / ETFE = FClean…

5.4) Greenhouse passive ventilation (roof)

– Single side roof ventilation or double side roof ventilation (butterfly vent) ?

Motorized ventilation or fixed vents (single vent or pagoda type = umbrella)

– Presence of side ventilation on the longside and gables ?

Motorized or manual roll-up system

Note: Connected to the climate computer or not ?

5.5) Doors : swing / sliding doors / Locker entrance

Number of doors and location on your project layout.

Doors dimensions (total height, width / opening width and height…).
Doors material type: steel, aluminium, others…

> Any automatic or specific doors for your project ?

Number, dimensions and covering type of the locker entrance (=sanitation area).

how to prepare yourself before asking a greenhouse price

6) Greenhouse equipment

6. 1) Shading or thermic screen system

Type of shading clothe / Manual or motorized system : cables or rack & pinion mecanism

Outside or inside screens
Number of screen layers

> Objective : shading, energy saving, shading and energy saving ?

Note: Connected to the climate computer or not ?

6.2) Pad and fans cooling system

Operating time ?
Inside temperature and relative humidity targeted ?
Need to add a chiller or not ?

Note: Connected to the climate computer or not ?

6.3) Active ventilation using circulation fans

Recycling air flow in volume per hour targeted = 2, 4 volume per hour for example

Horizontal or vertical air flow system

Note: Connected to the climate computer or not ?

6.4) Fooging system : misting

Low or high pressure fogging system

Operating time ?
Inside temperature and relative humidity targeted ?
Need to add a chiller or not ?

Note: Connected to the climate computer or not ?

6.5) Artificial lighting system

HPS or LED light (energy saving)
Targeted photoperiod
Targeted Daily Light Integral (DLI) = amount of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) received each day

> Fixation to support the light inside the greenhouse ?

Note: Connected to the climate computer or not ?

Plastic geenhouse equipment: irrigation boom, LED lighting

7) Electrical and climate control system

Electrical power available on site, stable tension ?

Voltage and frequency confirmation (50Hz or 60Hz)
3 phases : 127-230V – 230-400V – 250-440V

Centralized climate computer (deported) or close to the growing area ?

Type of sensors required: inside T°C / Relative Humidity % / PAR or Lux / CO2 %… probes
outside weather station; rain collector, wind speed, wind direction, PAR or Lux, outside T°C and RH% probes

Collection of data on computer / smartphone
Alarm and climate system management on computer and/or smartphone required ?

8) Ferti-irrigation system

Water source: surface / ground water or tape water supply or others…

Need of water treatment, disinfection system : filtration and decontamination ?

Fresh water supply capacity in m3 per day.

Reuse of drainage water or not.

Type of ferti-irrigation system: drip, sprinkler, ebb and flow, droplet (using an irrigation boom), NFT, DFT…

Number of fertilizer solution(s) for your system.
Injection or Dosatron type system.

Note: Important to provide a water analysis report if possible.

9) Greenhouse heating system

Reconfirm the minimum outside temperature during the year.

Heating system type: Hot air blower or hot water heating.

Combined Heat and Power (CHP) installation ?
Boiler installation ?
Double fuel burner installation ?
Heat storage tank ?
CO2 dosing installation ?

> Where comes from the CO2 source: CHP, burner, liquid CO2 ?

> Where comes from the heat source ? Natural gas, propane, coal, diesel, others…
Any sustainable heat source as geothermal, solar panels installation, heat pump, others…