Chinese Greenhouse

There is a special type of greenhouse that is common in China but almost nonexistent in the rest of the world. To maximize solar heat collection, it is facing south. It has solid walls on the north(back), east and west side. Another feature is that it is covered with insulating material (straw mats, other) at night, which is then rolled back in the morning. Most of these greenhouses do not need extra heating during the cold season. 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.

• 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