Cold Climate Solar Greenhouse Design

Andy Smith P. Eng.

Rob Harlan

Grant MacEwanUniversity

April 27, 2011

Year Round Food Production in Alberta?

Why?

Greenhouse gas footprint of imported foodVulnerability to: peak oil, peak natural gasFuel price instabilitySupport the local economyFresh, safe and nutritious foodFood security

Dr. Mohyuddin MirzaGlen SweetmanDr. Nick SavidovBelinda ChobanDr. Huiqing GuoMike HillDan LangfordGwen SimpsonShanthu ManoGodo StoykeJessica RoderEva BogdanWilliam DeKramerEckhart StoykeRob AvisAnaya Gene-WebbHenry NeufeldPeter AmerogenBrian JohnstonEd WeissPaul Cabaj Steffan Bertelsen

Alberta Greenhouse Growers AssociationGreenhouse Specialist Saskatchewan Ministry of AgricultureGreenhouse Specialist Crop Diversification Centre SouthGreenhouse Specialist Crop Diversification Centre NorthUniversity of SaskatchewanSolar Energy Society of AlbertaSolNorth EngineeringInspired Market GardensCarbon BustersCarbon BustersCanada Green Builders AssociationCommunity FuturesOrganic Master Gardener ProgrammeCarbon BustersVerge PermacultureAmitola Design ConceptsUnited Fabrication and Welding Habitat Studio WorkshopSolNorth EngineeringSolar Energy Society of AlbertaTaktika Sustainability StrategiesSaskatchewan Greenhouse Growers Association

Cold Climate Solar Greenhouse Project

Alberta Agriculture Growing Forward Programme

University of Alberta Devonian GardensAlberta Crop Diversification Centre North

Thanks to:

China has over 650,000 acres of solar greenhouses90% of Northern China’s winter vegetables

are grown in solar greenhouses

Q. Zhang University of Mannitoba

Summer Shading

CoalHeating

University of Manitoba

University of Manitoba Solar Greenhouse Project

Q. Zhang -University of Manitoba

Solar Greenhouse Temperature Monitoring

Chinese Style Solar Greenhousein Elie, Manitoba Feb. 19, 2005

Limitations of the Chinese Design:

•Labor intensive•Exterior insulation - challenge of snow removal•Significant heat loss through the glazing •Soil thermal storage system is uninsulated•Planting medium has been limited to soil•Poly glazing wasteful, not very ecological•Limited seasonal/annual storage capability

Active Solar Heating System

Richard Lane and Chuck MartenOneida First Nation - Wisconsin

The Community Greenhouse Project Invermere. BC

Active Solar Heating System

Annual Storage

Photovoltaics

A -35oC Daywww.greenhouse365.ca

Active Solar Heating System

Internal InsulationBlanket

GrowTunnels

KaleSpinachArugulaScallionsParsleyMizumaEndive

DandelionClaytonia

Swiss ChardGreen Chicory

HardyCrops

SOUTH

8'

7'

15'

R-5 movable insulating blanket

R-40 !

insulation

R-40 !

insulation

8" concrete

4" concrete

single pane glazing

R-5 movable insulating blanket

R-30 movable insulating blanket

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Jan Feb

Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep

Oct

Nov Dec

4

0

-1

-5-4-6

-3-1

000

5

60

35

16

6

1003

16

4850

72

Northern Alberta Solar Greenhouse

GJ

Insulated + Thermal Mass Increase mass+ R-30 vertical cover

5 4

Dan Langford - Sol North Engineering

Earth Charging System

University of Manitoba

LED Lighting

Design Parameters for the Edmonton Region

53 degrees North Latitude5400-6000 heating degree days

Winters are cold but often sunny 55%-65% clearSignificant direct beam winter radiation 70-80% of total

Challenging winter sun angles

December Conditions7.5 hour day

Solar radiation is is limited to 400 watts/m214 degree sun altitude on winter solstice solar noon

11 degree weighted average altitude month of December

Incident Angle

Lighting and Energy

Lighting and Energy

Lighting and Energy

Lighting and Energy

Glazing Insulation (Internal)

Glazing Insulation (External)

Shutter Examples

Shutter Examples

Build and Monitor Three Options:

1 Chinese Design•Interior curtain - highest R-value, no shading

•Reduced overhead glazing - double plastic

•Roof access for snow removal and reglazing

•Heating system required

•Double low-iron glass, punched windows 4’X8’

•9’ frame spacing - 70% open

•Shutters - awning type

11 Concentrating Solar Design with Stacked Clearstory

111 Concentrating Solar Design with Vertical Curtainwall•Double low-iron glass in an aluminum frame

•12’ frame spacing - 80% open

•Shutters - bifold or casement type

Preliminary Recommendations - Charette Results

System Tests:

•Light bar reflector (vertical glazed options)•Ground dehumidification with heat storage•Earth tube preheat/precool•Dual Core HRV•LED lighting

Preliminary Recommendations - Charette Results

Thank You

(780) 378-6178 office@solaralberta.ca