The Year-Round Solar Greenhouse : How to Design and Build a Net-Zero Energy Greenhouse

The Year-Round Solar Greenhouse is a practical guide to creating a lush, abundant year-round garden in any climate The Year-Round Solar Greenhouse focuses on the building of the greenhouse, not how to grow food A solar greenhouse is a greenhouse that gets 100% of its heat, year-round, by collecting the sun's energy in stored water and other thermal mass and releasing it back into the greenhouse at night The first section of the book reviews the basics of solar greenhouse design in a clear, engaging format The remaining sections of the book show readers how to build a durable, long-lasting greenhouse for a variety of situations Instead of relying on fruits and vegetables shipped from thousands of miles away, a year-round greenhouse makes it possible to grow fresh, nutrient dense food right in your own backyard Topics include building the greenhouse underground, tailoring the greenhouse for aquaponics, and integrating solar panels to grow off-grid year-round Schiller designed, toured or helped build hundreds of energy-efficient greenhouses from small residential structures to acre-sized commercial facilities Schiller and Plinke are founders of Ceres Greenhouse Solutions Plinke retrofitted his family's 1950's ranch home into a net-zero-energy home, ranking it as one of the most energy-efficient homes in the US

Build your own passive solar greenhouse for year-round food production in any climate

The Year-round Solar Greenhouse is the one-stop guide to designing and building greenhouses that harness and store energy from the sun to create naturally heated, lush growing environments even in the depths of winter, covering principles of solar greenhouse design and siting, glazing material properties and selection, controlling heat loss, ventilation, and construction methods. Additionally, an in-depth section covers sustainable ways of heating the greenhouse without fossil fuels, including using thermal mass and storing heat underground with a ground to air heat exchanger.

Variations include attached solar greenhouses, earth sheltered greenhouses, plus integrating hydroponics and aquaponics. More than a dozen case studies from across North America provide inspiration and demonstrate specific challenges and solutions for growing year-round in any climate.

Fresh, local nutrient-dense fruits vegetables are hard to find in winter in cold climates. Growing warm-weather crops like tomatoes, bananas, avocados, and other perennials is nearly impossible using conventional structures. The solution for millions of backyard and small-scale commercial growers is self-heating solar greenhouses.

Grow your own food, anytime, anywhere using the power of the sun!

Build your own passive solar greenhouse for year-round food production in any climate Fresh, local nutrient-dense fruits vegetables are hard to find in winter in cold climates. Growing warm-weather crops like tomatoes, bananas, avocados, and other perennials is nearly impossible using conventional structures. The solution for millions of backyard and small-scale commercial growers is self-heating solar greenhouses. The Year-round Solar Greenhouse is the one-stop guide to designing and building greenhouses that harness and store energy from the sun to create naturally heated, lush growing environments even in the depths of winter, covering principles of solar greenhouse design and siting, glazing material properties and selection, controlling heat loss, ventilation, and construction methods. Additionally, an in-depth section covers sustainable ways of heating the greenhouse without fossil fuels, including using thermal mass and storing heat underground with a ground to air heat exchanger. Variations include attached solar greenhouses, earth sheltered greenhouses, plus integrating hydroponics and aquaponics. More than a dozen case studies from across North America provide inspiration and demonstrate specific challenges and solutions for growing year-round in any climate. Grow your own food, anytime, anywhere using the power of the sun! "Comprehensive coverage of passive solar greenhouse design including material selection, building methods and how to store thermal energy using a variety of simple and innovative strategies. Over a dozen case studies provide real-life inspiration, capped off with how-to guidance for building a durable, energy-efficient greenhouse. Variations include underground and aquaponic greenhouses and integrating solar panels to grow off-grid, year-round."-- Provided by publisher __The Year-Round Solar Greenhouse__ __The Year-Round Solar Greenhouse__