CLADDING MATERIAL FOR GREENHOUSE CONSTRUCTION

• Glass-covered greenhouses are expensive but they have a long life. However, for short–
term benefits, plastic-covered greenhouses can also be made.
• Two types of plastics are available for construction, polyethylene, and fiberglass.
• Both are lightweight and inexpensive as compared to glass. Plastic-covered
greenhouses are lighter than glass-covered ones but there is a very high increase in
humidity in such houses, especially in winter, which results in undesirable water drops
on the plants. It can however be overcome by making adequate ventilation.
• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has also been used in the construction of greenhouses but it
tends to darken pre-maturely in sunlight.
• In India, construction of temporarily low-cost poly-houses is in fashion for raising
nursery of fruit plants in the off-season. Such low-cost greenhouses are constructed
either on wood or metal framework and are covered with polyethylene sheets of 0.10
to 0.15mm thickness, which is resistant to ultraviolet rays. These houses are equipped
with a thermostat, cooler, air conditioner or humidifier, etc for rigid control of
temperature and humidity.
• Greenhouses made from fiberglass sheets are more durable than polythene houses but
are quite expensive.
• In greenhouses, two types of beds are used for raising /growing seedlings.
• In greenhouses, the beds may either be prepared on the ground itself, or raised beds or
bench-type beds are used.
• Greenhouse structures vary from elementary homes constructed to elaborate
commercial installations.
• Commercial greenhouses are usually independent structures of even span, gable-roof
construction, well proportioned so that the space is well utilized for convenient
walkways and propagating benches.
• On a commercial scale several greenhouses units are often attached side-by-side for
eliminating the cost of conversing the adjoining walls with glass or polyethylene. The
heating and cooling equipment is more economical to install and operate, as a large area
can be shared by the same equipment.
• Greenhouse construction begins with a metal framework, to which metal rash bars are
fastened to support panels of glass or some type of plastic materials. Now a day’s metal
pre-fabricated greenhouses with pre-bolted trusses are available from several
 manufacturers. The two most common structural materials for greenhouses are steel
and aluminum. Most greenhouses are made from galvanized steel, which is cheaper,
stronger, and lighter.

HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS IN GREENHOUSES

• Ventilation, to provide air movement and air exchange with the outside, is necessary in
all greenhouses to aid in controlling temperature and humidity.
• The attempt of sloppy greenhouses near the mud houses in Ladakh is an attempt in these
directions.
• The heat can be conserved by proving sealed polyethylene sheeting outside
greenhouses, glass, or fiber glasses.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL

• Greenhouses can be cooled mechanically in the summer by the use of large evaporative
cooling units.
• The “pad and fan” system is installed at one side of a greenhouse with large exhaust
fans at the other end.
• Fog or sprinklers can be used to cool greenhouses and maintain humidity but it is
costlier than pad fan cooling. A maximum night temperature of 13 to 15.50 C and a day
temperature of 240 C are generally set to start the heaters and fans respectively.
• Spraying of the greenhouse with whitewash in summer and opening and cooling side
and ridge vents with a crank to control temperature and by turning on steam valves at
night, whereas humidity is increased by spraying the walls and benches by hand at least
once a day.
i) Analog control: In this system proportioning thermostats or electric sensors are
used to gather temperature information. Analog controls are costlier than
thermostats but offer better performance.
ii) Computerized environment control: The amplifiers and logic circuit analogs have
now been replaced by a computerized environmental system, which involves a
microprocessor, which gathers information on a variety of sensors like temperature,
humidity, light intensity, wind directions, etc. to provide more precision. Although
more costly than thermostats or analogs but computer controls offer significant
energy and labor saving and increases production efficiency in propagation. The
 deviations from the present levels of temperature and humidity can trigger alarms
by the computer.
GREENHOUSE COVERING MATERIALS
• The covering materials used for the construction of greenhouses include glass,
polyethylene, UV-stabilized polyethylene, acrylic, polycarbonate, and fiberglass.
• The glass-covered greenhouses are expensive but for a permanent long-term installation
under low light winter conditions because glass has superior light transmitting
properties and less expensive relative humidity problems.
• Polyethylene materials are lightweight and relatively less expensive compared to glass.
Being light in weight permits a less expensive supportive framework than is required
for glass.
• Polyethylene has a relatively short life than glass. The UV-stabilized sheets can last for
3-4 years. Polyethylene having a thickness of 100-200 microns is generally used.
• The acrylic is highly weather resistant and does not yellow with age, has excellent light
transmission properties, and retains twice the heat of glass, but it is more costly and
brittle.
POLYCARBONATE
• It is probably, the most widely used structures sheet material today. This material is
similar to acrylic in heat retention properties, with 90% light transmission of glass. It is
light in weight 1/6th of glass and easy to install. It is resistant to impact.
• Polycarbonate textured surface diffuses light and reduces condensation drip. For
providing rigid panels fiberglass is used widely for the construction of greenhouses. It
transmits 80-90% of light.
• New materials are continuously coming onto the market, for constructing better glass
houses.

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