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Buildings
27 November 2020
If someone offered you a product that could increase light transmission in your glasshouse by 10%, would you be interested? Research has shown a strong correlation between crop yield and the amount of Photosynthetic Active Radiation (PAR: 400-700nm wavelengths) light reaching the crop. Read more about how you can improve your light transmission.
23 June 2022
Optimising production methods is one of the aims of many greenhouse growers, and each type of plant will have its own requirements and characteristics in terms of the environment it can thrive in. An important part of achieving that environment is air movement.
23 June 2022
Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting has been developed for horticulture since the late 1980s, yet it remains on the periphery of mainstream sources for glasshouse lighting. Conventional assimilation (supplementary) lights, such as high-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps, still tend to be the go-to option for many growers for various reasons. In this technical update, we consider the developments in LED technology in recent years and whether or not LEDs are an economically viable alternative to conventional light sources.
27 November 2020
Electricity bills vary in complexity from simple to seemingly almost unintelligible. They all contain a breakdown of elements of electricity cost including fuel use, electricity transport, billing metering and energy taxation in some way. Read this Technical Update to help you understand your electricity bill.
27 November 2020
Next Generation Growing (NGG) is a set of techniques pioneered by Dutch growers to increase glasshouse production efficiency. The key benefit of NGG is the creation of an environment in which the plant thrives so that photosynthesis is maximised under the given light level. The principles of NGG focus on providing the crop with exactly what it needs, when it needs it. Read more about how to apply NGG to your glasshouse growing system by reading this Technical Update.
20 July 2021
Thermal storage is the means of storing thermal energy (heat or cooling) so it can be used sometime after it is generated.
20 July 2021
Key aspects to consider in the design and maintenance of an efficient modern heat storage system.
23 June 2022
Cold store setup and management contribute significantly to the cost of operation. Cold stores are used within horticulture in a variety of situations and for different purposes, so a ‘one type fits all’ approach is rarely the most efficient. There are, however, several considerations to be made in ensuring that you get the best from your own or rented facilities. Some of these were explored during a two-day study tour in Denmark, by a group of hardy ornamental stock growers. Read this Technical Update to find out more.
27 November 2020
Sensors are the eyes and ears of your control system and fundamental to its operation. Inaccurate measurements, due to faulty or poorly maintained sensors, can result in wasted energy, substandard crop performance and even increased disease so they are very important. In this technical update, we discuss what to watch out for when choosing and looking after sensors in glasshouses.
23 June 2022
This is part one of a two part update, in which we revisit the conventional sources of CO2 supply and discuss the influence of factors, such as heat requirement and electricity price on the cost attributed to CO2 supply. Conventional sources includes: flue gas from the ‘back of the gas boiler’, LPG or kerosene direct-fired heaters, CHP units or pure CO2 delivered to site.
23 June 2022
This is the second part of a two-part update on CO2. The first part covered the costs and characteristics of conventional CO2 supply. Here, we look at the supply of CO2 from biomass and anaerobic digestion and discuss how it has developed since the uptake of renewable-based heating systems.
2 December 2020
The principles and benefits of diffuse light in greenhouse crops are widely accepted. In this document, we remind ourselves why diffuse light is important, explain how it is measured and the different solutions available to enable this benefit in your greenhouse.