Chinese Greenhouse

There is a special type of greenhouse that is common in China but largely unknown in the rest of the world. These originated in the 1970s and 80s and have been promoted by the government in China. To maximize solar heat collection, the greenhouse is facing south but has solid walls on its north (back), east and west side. Another feature is that it can be covered with insulating material at night (straw mats, other), which is then rolled up again in the morning. Most of these greenhouses do not require extra heating during the cold season but still manage to avoid freezing temperatures. The precise geometric configuration depends on latitude. All sorts of variations exist, from very low-tech, build-it-yourself versions with simple materials (bricks, rammed earth, bamboo, etc.) to very high-tech versions (steel, ventilation). The articles below have much more information and photos.

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This type of greenhouse is perfect for China:

• relatively low latitude and therefore high solar gain
• cold winters but with little snow
• strong, cold northern winds
• cheap labor costs (to construct, to operate)
• high population density (and therefore high local demand for food)
• strong government support for small-scale agriculture.

It is unclear how well these structures will perform in other circumstances.

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Links

• http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2015/12/reinventing-the-greenhouse.html
• http://localrootswooster.com/events/how-about-a-single-slope-greenhouse
• http://www.resilience.org/stories/2010-04-06/solar-greenhouses-chinese-style