Earth Sheltered Greenhouse: Difference between revisions

From Open Source Ecology
Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Category=Controlled-environment growing}}
#REDIRECT [[Greenhouses#Walipini/ Pit greenhouses]]
A greenhouse can 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 [http://www.earthshelters.com/Ch_1.html 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 [http://www.bensoninstitute.org/Publication/Manuals/Walipini.pdf put together a manual] with specific designs ([http://openfarmtech.org/wiki/File:Walipini.pdf internal copy here]). Their design costs $250-$300 in materials and is designed to provide vegetables year-round for seven people. They recommend a minimum of 94 square feet (less than 8.75m<sup>2</sup>) of growing space per person. This will provide vegetables year-round.
 
These underground greenhouses are called ''"Walipini"'' (pit greenhouse) in South America. The Benson Institute's experiment was built in Bolivia, high up in the Andes where it gets ''really'' cold.
 
==Mike Oehler==
Mike Oehler, of [http://undergroundhousing.com/ UndergroundHousing.com], described a similar concept in his 2007 book: ''The Earth-Sheltered Solar Greenhouse Book'', available [http://www.kickasstorrents.com/the-earth-sheltered-solar-greenhouse-book-by-mike-oehler-pdf-t4604164.html here]. This is an adaptation from his earlier work on [[Underground Housing|underground housing]] for residential purposes.
 
<html>
<iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" width="480" height="390" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed//-hV8Teiskfo" frameborder="0"></iframe>
</html>
 
==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==
* UndergroundHousing.com [http://undergroundhousing.com/]
* Wikipedia entry on Seasonal Thermal Store [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_thermal_store]
* Conversion of a [http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/08/garden-pool-family-of-four-grows-food-in-swimming-pool-arizona.php swimming pool into a greenhouse].

Revision as of 19:32, 12 February 2011