Earth Sheltered Greenhouse

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A greenhouse can actually be built by digging a hole in the ground and covering it with glass. This takes advantage of the heat stored in the earth during the cold season (warmth in winter, cooling in summer). It is an adaptation of the idea of passive annual heat storage (PAHS) to the greenhouse. Therefore very suitable for climates with cold winters. At the depth of several meters, there is very little seasonal variation in temperature. The earth around the greenhouse structure has large thermal mass.

Walipini

The Benson Agriculture and Food Institute at Brigham Young University examined the concept in detail and has put together a manual with specific designs (internal copy here). Their design costs $250-$300 in materials and is designed to provide vegetables year-round for seven people. This is called "Walipini" (pit greenhouse) in South America. They built it in Bolivia, high up in the Andes where it gets really cold.

Mike Oehler

Mike Oehler, of UndergroundHousing.com, described a similar concept in his 2007 book: The Earth-Sheltered Solar Greenhouse Book, available here. This is an adaptation from his earlier work on underground housing for residential purposes.

Product Ecology

• Heliostat for extra lighting and heat
• gasifier for heating, biochar as soil amendment
• Aquaponics, Integrated Food and Waste Management System, Organoponic Raised Bed Gardening, vermicompost, Black Soldier Fly
• CEBs for walls and stairs
• compressed air for ventilation
• plastic extruder for films and pipes

Links

• Walipini Greenhouse at Brigham Young University [1]
• UndergroundHousing.com [2]
• Wikipedia entry on Seasonal Thermal Store [3]
• Conversion of a swimming pool into a greenhouse.