SpainThe researchers built a 12-square-foot, two-story experimental greenhouse that can produce its own energy to grow plants.
Prototype solar greenhouse in Spain. Photo: IAAC
Architects Vicente Guallart, Daniel Ibanez, and students at the Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) designed a prototype Solar Greenhouse in Serra de Collserola Natural Park, Barcelona, Spain, to self produce energy and food without emitting greenhouse gases, Interesting Engineering reported on April 1.
The greenhouse consists of two floors and was built in two months. This work aims to demonstrate how basic human needs can be provided in a more “green” way, in line with the European Union’s (EU) 2050 net net emissions target. The team hopes the system can be replicated and used in both rural and urban areas.
A 12 square meter two-story solar greenhouse built from Aleppo pines. These trees are crushed, dried, processed and pressed into wooden boards. Meanwhile, the glass roof allows plants to directly absorb sunlight and the semi-transparent solar panels generate energy to power the entire house. The LED and ultraviolet light system helps to grow vegetables such as lettuce, tomatoes and eggplants at night.
The plants in the greenhouse sprouted on the first floor and were planted on the upper floor. The roof features checkered solar panels, while front and rear windows provide natural ventilation. An irrigation system consisting of a reservoir, a nutrient stream and a duct is used to supply nutrients directly to the plants, helping to speed up their growth.
Both LED lights and greenhouse irrigation systems draw energy from solar panels. The greenhouse uses only about 50% of the energy it produces.
The actual Solar Greenhouse version will be approximately 150 square meters in size and 8.8 meters in height – 10 times larger than the test prototype – as Guallart’s ultimate goal is to build communities that can grow their own food and produce energy. This type of greenhouse can also be integrated on top of existing buildings, saving space.
“If we want to produce food and energy right in our city, we can. The only thing we need to do is adapt buildings or make them focus on this purpose. “, said Guallart.
Thu Thao (According to Interesting Engineering)
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