The World Horti Research Center

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I never tire of a new trip to the Netherlands. The Dutch have such electricity in the air. Its as if they have discovered a secret, and being Dutch, they are only too happy to share it. My current trip to the Netherlands is to spend some time at the World Horti Research Center, where horticulture has just crashed headlong into agriculture, and it’s winning.

Whatever we were growing for fresh food in a field in the past, can be more efficiently and effectively grown in a greenhouse.

  • We visited a greenhouse that had dug a well 2.4KM into the earth to obtain the heat required to heat the greenhouse, year round. After the initial investment, all heating costs were no cost from that day forward.
  • Glass evenly distributes the sunlight to all plants the same so there are no slow/fast maturing spots in the greenhouse, just even ripening.
  • There is also a device that can be installed where you go through it to get into the greenhouse, and it cleans your feet and hands. Sanitation is an utmost priority!

Whether tomatoes or flowers, massive quantities are grown on no wasted water, grown evenly, because the market shopper wants all produce to look the same every day of the year.

The WHRC has three main objectives.

A third of the building is dedicated to education. Students from far corners of the earth come to learn. These students are learning the most current methods of crop production and taking these skills back to China, Russia, USA – you name it. The Dutch are not about to keep this a secret.

They realized is that there are few people in the world prepared to embrace this new form of Ag/Hort. There are plenty of eager investors around the globe that are ready to throw money at these forms of crop production, but few candidates can apply who have the necessary skills.

Another third of the building is dedicated to companies in the industry who want to display their contribution to the new technology. Locally, Honeywell is well represented as a forerunner in environmental controls. Other companies display growing mediums, automation of many kinds. For example, there are lasers that prune plants to consistent sizes, screens that not only keep bugs out of the greenhouse, but keep the pollinating bees in the greenhouse (special bees are rotated every 30 days in the fruiting greenhouses [tomatoes]). Every new innovator of production products is there in a 365 trade show set up for all the world travelers that come daily to visit.

The final third of the structure is research greenhouses. New varieties are tested for market, new techniques are tested, and quantitative research is shared here. Companies will lease a greenhouse bay about 25′ X 60′, segregated from the attached growing area next door, and they will work intensively to explore new depths in the world of greenhouse growing.

The WHRC is located in the shadows of the International Flower Auction, a 2.5 million sq ft building in which the bulk of the world’s flowers are brought in fresh in the morning and shipped to markets around the world at night. I was here merely a year ago when the first steel column was set in the soil to begin construction. Today, it is a vibrant, bustling center for business and knowledge converging on an untapped frontier of world horticulture.

Trends ‘grow’ quickly here. A year ago, I never saw a ‘living wall’ today they are everywhere. Inside and outside of buildings, signs for companies are made of living walls, highway barriers are living walls. It’s just an example of how fast these trends are being adopted and made commonplace throughout the world as the Dutch set the pace for the industry that will soon feed the world.

Maximize Rooftop Space with a Conservatory

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When people talk about expanding interior space, they immediately think about taking down walls and building new rooms. These are plausible solutions, but only if your plot of land can accommodate the extra floor space. If your property is in the middle of the city, however, or if you like your structure as is, then you might want to turn your gaze upward.

Conservatory Craftsmen offers an opportunity to expand your interior space without doing any major renovations. By building a rooftop conservatory or greenhouse, we add one more inhabitable space to your property.

Residential Comforts

Rooftop conservatories designed by Conservatory Craftsmen have sustainable features that are trendy today: energy-efficient, automated, and eco-friendly. Although they are still more popular in the UK, more American homeowners are starting to see their benefits and are now integrating conservatories into their homes.

With their glass walls and roofs, conservatories allow natural light to come in. Conservatory Craftsmen also adds large glass doors and windows that open either manually or automatically. As a result, the houses we work on become bright and airy even if their owners keep the lights and air conditioning off during the day. So, they get to enjoy the outdoors without stepping outside their homes and save on electricity bills.

Whether you use it as a greenhouse or a sunroom, a rooftop conservatory offers comforts and efficiencies that appeal to your modern sensibilities.

The Advantage to Commercial Buildings

Rooftop conservatories are flexible; commercial property owners can find multiple uses for them. They are suitable as an events space, for example, or as structural covers for hotel rooftop swimming pools. Other possible uses for them are as art studios, dance studios, and cafe lounges.

Food establishments and fresh produce stores can also take advantage of their rooftop spaces by converting them into commercial greenhouses. They can grow some of the products they sell or use in their dishes. A commercial greenhouse can be a selling point for health-conscious consumers and supporters of sustainable farming.

One of the specialties of Conservatory Craftsmen is commercial greenhouse construction, so if the idea above appeals to you, you’re already in the right place.

Modern Features

Automation is the mark of a modern conservatory, and it is a luxury that’s worth spending on.

Fully-automated conservatories boast self-closing roof blinds that are heat-activated. Once the interior reaches a specific temperature, the system triggers the blinds to extend across the glass roof. Automated windows work the same way. With the addition of a rain detector, you don’t have to run up to the conservatory and pull the windows closed if it rains.

Conservatory Craftsmen offers these features, including remote automation which allows you to control automation settings from your smartphone or through a voice-controlled speaker.

We do our best to maximize technology to give you something extra. Why settle for plain additional space when you can have it plus modern luxuries? If this sounds good to you, let’s talk. Get in touch with Conservatory Craftsmen today.

Hydroponic Greenhouse Growing: Faster Crop Growth and Plentiful Harvests

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Hydroponics is an unconventional technique of growing crops without planting them in soil. In a conventional set-up, the soil serves as the reservoir for water, nutrients, and minerals. Hydroponics, on the other hand, facilitates the plants’ absorption process by getting rid of the soil and exposing plant roots to nutrient-rich water.

Urban and commercial farmers have become fascinated with this technique, and for a good reason. It can result in shorter crop cycles and produce better quality crops and higher yields. Let us explore these claims further.

Shorter Crop Cycles

In hydroponic farming, there’s no soil to till, fertilize, and test for PH levels and nutrient content. Save for the initial set-up, growers can begin a new crop cycle with minimal preparation. They only need to replace the growing medium or temporary supports that provide stability for the growing plants, like gravel and coco fiber.

Hydroponics is all about controlling the environmental factors that affect plant growth, such as temperature, oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, root saturation, and water nutrient content. Plants are getting the sustenance they need and can, therefore, grow better. This leads to shorter crop cycles. Horticulture Australia, Cornell Science Inquiry Partnerships, and various agricultural magazines and news outlets support this claim.

It’s also worth noting that automation is the key to maximizing short crop cycles. A commercial greenhouse manufacturer can provide electronic systems, such as retractable shades, automatic watering, climate control, and ventilation.

No Weather Factors

Hydroponic farming promotes not only faster growth but also stable and continuous growth. Farming occurs indoors, which protects crops from damage due to extreme weather. Regardless of the weather or climate outside, crops can keep thriving under controlled conditions.

Ibis World, a market research company, gave a promising prediction for the US hydroponic farming industry based on this fact. Its market report cites weather-induced crop damage as the reason grocery stores and farmer’s markets turned to hydroponic growers for their supply of produce.

Quality Yields

A study in Wiley Online Library compared the yields of hydroponic farming and vertical farming with lettuce as the sample crop. The researchers concluded that vertical farming produces greater yields per square meter. Details about the study reveal, however, that the quality of its yields is inconsistent. Some of the crops are not as green as the rest, nor as healthy.

The produce from hydroponic farming, on the other hand, produced better quality yields. The lushness of the leaves and weight per plant was also consistent. It would be presumptuous to say hydroponic farming would have eclipsed the volume of vertical farming yields based on quality, but there’s no doubt that if it were the criteria, the gap between their yields would have narrowed.

Higher Yields than Traditional Farming

In a separate study on hydroponic farming, researchers from the University of Arizona proved that yields from hydroponics are greater than those from conventional soil farming. The researchers harvested 35kg. of lettuce per square meter from the hydroponic crop. The conventional sample, however, only amounted to a little over 3kg. per square meter.

If this study doesn’t impress, the reports from EdenWorks, a vertical hydroponic farm in New York, might. Its 9,000 square foot facility can yield 120,000 pounds of produce per year, which is the same harvest volume for 10-15 acres of farmland.

These facts prove that hydroponics is a viable alternative to conventional growing. But first, growers have to invest in a modern greenhouse outfitted with the automatic systems that make hydroponic farming possible.

Conservatory Craftsmen has the means and experience to construct a commercial greenhouse for this purpose. We’re also very flexible with our construction process and encourage customers to specify their greenhouse needs. To learn more about our service, fill out our contact form.

Minnesota’s Biggest “Conservatory” is Killing Song Birds

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“This is a follow up blog entry to my post, “Conservatory Glass For Bird Lovers“, back on 9-13-13 when I proudly stated that the new Vikings stadium would be using bird-safe glass. It makes me sad to relate what has occurred since that entry.

I explained back then that glass is transparent to birds and they see reflections of trees or sky in the glass, fly into the glass and are killed. Birds perceive no barrier as they fly into the glass windows. Birds do see Ultra-Violet. Researchers discovered that spiders spin their webs with an Ultra-Violet color to them so birds don’t crash into them and ruin their webs.

Ornilux, the glass that we recommend to our conservatory and greenhouse clients, incorporates UV into glass. It remains invisible to humans, but visible to birds. Ornilux was developed in Germany. They manufacture a UV film that is sandwiched between two pieces of glass. That glass is like the windshield on your car, and is termed ‘laminated’. Laminate glass is a safety glass required on many buildings and also used to make bullet-proof glass.

 

UPDATE*** Jan 16, 2015: The Vikings stadium is built without Ornilux glass.

Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS — Adding bird-safe glass to the Minnesota Vikings’ new stadium could add as much as $60 million in extra costs and delay construction by six months, Michele Kelm-Helgen, chairwoman of the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, said Friday.

Kelm-Helgen said Viracon, the stadium’s Owatonna-based glass maker, has said changing the glass order to substitute etched or “fritted” glass would take as much as 23 extra weeks, possibly keep the Vikings in TCF Bank Stadium at the University of Minnesota for an additional season, and divert other events. She said that could affect the rent the Vikings would pay to the stadium authority.

Kelm-Helgen repeated that stadium construction would proceed as planned.

UPDATE*** Mar 1, 2017: Vikings’ beautiful glass stadium is killing birds at an alarming rate

© 2017 CBS Interactive Inc.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — In early 2018, the Super Bowl will travel to Minneapolis, and the focus will be on the Vikings’ shiny new stadium, a sparkling, glassy structure. But there’s one problem with the stadium: It’s killing birds who are being tricked by the reflective glass on the outside of the stadium walls.

City Pages reports that the stadium is killing up to 500 birds a year. This pace would make it the deadliest building in Minnesota for birds.

“We knew that the glass would be highly confusing to the birds,” volunteer Jim Sharpsteen said. “They see a reflection of a blue sky in the glass, they think it’s a blue sky. They see reflections of trees, they think they can land in those reflections of trees. This confirmed what we already believed would be bad.”

 

 

Conservatory Building: 5 Decisions to Make Before You Begin

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The materials, the style and many other factors of building a conservatory can help or hurt the environment.

Conservatory Construction Techniques Can Fight Global Climate Change

The natural resources of the world, though abundant, are being threatened by climate change and global warming. As a result, people are becoming more aware of their carbon footprint; how much energy we consume, the environmental factors in which their food is grown, and how to incorporate it all into our everyday life. A conservatory or greenhouse is where lifestyle meets practicality and sustainability.

When planning a home renovation, consider a conservatory or greenhouse. Traditional orangeries that originally functioned only as a place to grow plants and flowers have evolved into truly unique spaces in which to live. Conservatories and greenhouses are as custom as any other room addition; specialty muntins, hand woodworked details and stained glass makes each crystal palace one of a kind. Temperature control features keep the room comfortably tempered, without adding to electricity bills.

Read the guide below for the five decisions to make before you begin building a conservatory, or any home extension:

1. Know your goals.
Before anything else, you need to determine what you’re using the space for. Understand the size your property can accommodate, and how the design will work with the existing structure of the home.

2. Create a plan.
Now that you know what you want and what purpose the addition is for, you need to map out your plan. Communicate openly and regularly with your builder; make sure that all payment installments are in writing, and that expectation is set in terms of time to completion.

3. Set up a budget.
In setting up a budget, make sure it is realistic and within your means. This is a complicated process as the budget can restrict the whole process. Get quotes from several trusted contractors and understand the cost of labor in relation to the cost of materials.

4. Hire the right people.
Ask for as many references and feedback as you can before handing over any deposits. Check for negative feedback and complaints as well as certifications. Your choice will depend on your goals and budget, but there should be a long line of clients willing to offer a recommendation.

5. Prepare for inconveniences.
Because you hired the right people, this step, in theory, should be unnecessary. But the reality is that big projects with many details can run into unforeseen issues. Make sure to set aside a few extra dollars for unexpected problems.

Fly-By Conservatory Shooting in Burnsville, MN

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The drone craze has captured our imagination We love images from aerial perspective! Aerial photography can show you features of a conservatory in a way you cannot capture from the ground.

This conservatory is our family’s conservatory and open to anyone who would like to see it first hand. We built the conservatory onto our home about 7 years ago. Our office is located under the conservatory at garden level. On nice summer days we work on the patio amidst the flowers and waterfall. There is typically a stray grandchild running around when not in summer camp. To say this is my slice of heaven is an understatement. I am so glad I made the decision to put this conservatory on my home. Here I am closer to work, family, my gardens and chickens. I spend a great deal of time traveling to build conservatories, and when I am home, I am at peace.

The conservatory itself is 400 sq.ft. and made from Sapele Mahogany . The interior has a clear coat finish to showcase the striking grain and color of the mahogany and the exterior is painted to match the trim of the home. There is a lantern on the roof that enhances height and drama. The lantern adds a load that is supported by a steel frame on the interior of the room. The roof blinds are all motorized and help protect the plants and furniture from the strong southern exposure.

I hope you enjoy this video and plan to join us in a design discussion as we create the winning plan for a conservatory of your own.

Historic Conservatories

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When we travel across the country building new conservatories, we often stop to pay our respects to the old timers that graced so many cities, large and small, in America from 1890 to today.

postcard-humboldtThe Conservatory at Soldiers Home in Milwaukee was built 1889 and demolished in 1955. Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson replaced the above structure with ‘The Domes’, which in now under renovation. The original conservatory was a part of an initiative by President Lincoln to build a network of veterans housing throughout the United States. Soldier’s Home was design to mimic a small community with various jobs, a store and a post office. This early program was designed to rehabilitate soldiers back into civilian life.postcard-baltimore

 

We are happy to say you can still visit this beautiful structure today. At 125 years old it is the second oldest in the United States.
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The Conservatory was built around 1900 and is located at the Toledo Zoo. Plan a stop in Toledo, see Jamie Farr park and a great old conservatory!
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There were 2 greenhouses built in Eden Park. One was strictly for plants and the other, built in 1902, was open for the public. People loved it and over 300,000 visitors came the first 2 years! You can visit the Krohn Conservatory to witness over 3,500 plant species from all around the world! My last visit there was through a wonderful butterfly exhibit.
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Lincoln Park was built between 1890- 1895 and you can still visit today. Located at the Chicago Zoo, it is a timeless masterpiece and revered by the people of Chicago.
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The Phipps is one of the top 3 conservatories in America. Endless paths wind through well appointed gardens and plants. This is a must see for any conservatory enthusiast.
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Probably the number 1, must see conservatory in America. Come during Christmas and see models of New York and more model trains that you thought possible. I recently visited and saw art work by Rodin and Piccaso. You never know what you will see, but I guarantee, you will never forget it.

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Bought by an individual in Oakland to build on his own property, his finances ran out and we gained. The recently renovated conservatory is the pride of Golden Gate park.

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Ahhhh, home again. The McNeeley, Como Park conservatory is where is all started for this conservatory builder!

Six Automated Window Systems and Five New Air Conditioners

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Natural Ventilation for Modern Office Buildings

While traditional mechanical heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are still widely used, contemporary concerns for improving the environmental performance and “livability” of buildings has led to an increased interest in alternatives like natural ventilation and mixed-mode systems.

A major benefit of HVAC, particularly in deep plan and larger office buildings, is that they alleviate many of the problems associated with a naturally ventilated building such as noise, dust, insects, heavy winds, odors and uncomfortable temperatures.

However, there are some studies suggesting that a mixed-mode ventilation system of HVAC and natural ventilation, in combination with good passive design, can provide sufficient indoor air quality to keep occupants happy while reducing their reliance on mechanical air treatment.

Typically, a mixed-mode system operates in either of two modes and is best used for buildings’ perimeter spaces or for narrow planned buildings with good cross ventilation. The first is the natural ventilation mode that uses fresh external air from operable windows or dampers to cool the internal spaces and relies predominantly on the stack effect for hot air to be expelled through high-level exhausts. The second is the mechanical mode and sees the windows closed and the HVAC switched on and is used only when the external temperatures are too hot or too cold for natural ventilation, or when there is a heavy wind or rain.

Control of the operable windows can be manual or automatic and, in keeping with current trends towards automated buildings, we’re seeing more automated window systems come to the market that are compatible with Building Management Systems (BMS).

Some window manufacturers offer built-in automated systems that can be controlled by a BMS and that come with inputs for automated weather stations and sensors that detect smoke, rain, hail, temperature, wind, time, and smog. Others advertise that their products can be easily automated with add-on products like actuators and reed switches, and can also incorporate into a BMS.

These products render manual operation from building occupants—one of the most difficult-to-control influences on a building’s environmental impact—unnecessary, as the BMS detects when it is optimal to open and close windows and to operate the HVAC.

Some of the problems associated with the manual operation of a building’s HVAC and natural ventilation, like occupants leaving windows open with the HVAC on for example can, therefore, be avoided with automated mixed-mode air-conditioning.

Wood vs. PVC: Materials Make All the Difference

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We receive many requests from around the country to fix and repair previously built conservatories on homes. For the most part, these are vinyl (uPVC) conservatories that have been built with in the last fifteen years. Most have polycarbonate roofs, and in most cases, the polycarbonate has failed.

If it were just a matter of replacing the polycarbonate, this would be simple, but indeed the whole issue is quite complicated.

How to glaze a vinyl roof
The roof frame is assembled on top of the erected windows. This is a rafter bar that is attached on the bottom to the eave and on the top to the ridge. The polycarbonate panel is then set on the rafter, ridge and eave. Capping is friction fit over the polycarbonate. This capping is plastic, and co-extruded with rubber to create a seal against the polycarbonate. The capping has a center prong that friction fits down between a kerf in the rafter, and will not pull out again unless with extreme force. The ridge is the final cap and done in the same manner.

This is where the problem arises. The cap generally shatters when removed, and the older the cap is, the more UV deterioration has occurred making it even more brittle. Unless fresh new glazing caps are available to replace them, the roof will be unable to seal with the new polycarbonate.

Almost all companies that have built or manufactured these vinyl conservatories are out of business. They made a huge impact on the early market because of price, but were unable to maintain a place in the market when their structures began to deteriorate. In the case where the company may still be functioning, the extrusion has been replaced and updated (primarily because of the Kioto Agreement of 2008). Old extrusions are not available. Thus, replacement parts for these structures are not available. If we were to take the responsibility for the roof, at the point where materials are unavailable to repair the roof, we take on liability.

So, the answer is simply replace the roof.

Not so simple.

The windows below are glazed on sight (meaning the glass is installed after the room is constructed). In order for us to remove the glass on the vertical wall so we can release and replace the roof, we have to remove the glazing beads from the windows themselves.

Same story as above: The beads are plastic, they degrade and become brittle in the UV and they break upon removal or replacement. It is for this reason, the only response we have to repairing a conservatory roof made of vinyl (uPVC) is to replace the entire room. Our replacement is with aluminum, thermally broken and powder-coated. We have aluminum rooms that we have built 25 years ago, and yes, we have replaced polycarbonate. There is no problem doing so.

Aluminum is an upgrade to Vinyl, so we are unable to provide apples to apples estimate for the replacement value of the vinyl room. One may endeavor to find a company to provide and install a vinyl conservatory, but that is a daunting task. Glass roof is an upgrade to polycarbonate, but the reason for the initial insurance claim is the polycarbonate. It has a 10 year+/- life span, whereas glass is lifetime and permanent. However, glass is also an upgrade. As a further upgrade, customers may wish to have us build their rooms from Mahogany, wood, and these rooms are serviceable forever, as wood can easily be accessed and milled to fit. We are ready and available to answer any questions that home homeowners or insurance adjusters may have for us. Please don’t hesitate to call us to discuss them.

Water and Lighting in a Greenhouse

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Water and light are crucial to enjoying a thriving greenhouse. Here are a few helpful tips for installing drip irrigation and some advice on the best lighting for a greenhouse.

Water and light are essential to plants, and in a greenhouse you’ll have to provide both. There are several different watering methods to choose from: hand watering, capillary mats that bring water up from below, overhead watering, and drip irrigation that delivers water directly into each pot.

ts-200391680-001_vines-growing-in-greenhouse_s3x4A drip irrigation system is easy to lay out and is very cost-effective. It delivers small amounts of water over long periods of time, so plants stay uniformly moist. Installation is fairly simple:

Be sure the mainline that carries water into the greenhouse is sunk underground at least four feet, which is below the frost line, to make sure the water in the line doesn’t freeze.

Use a 3/4-inch poly pipe as the water supply line. Position it to run down the length of the bench.
From the main line, connect lateral lines to run between pots.

Set the system on a timer to ensure regular watering.

Once the water system is in place, you’ll need to address any lighting needs. Although fluorescent lights are popular, they help the gardener more than the plants. This type of lighting is good to work by, but plants need more light, especially in northern regions.

A high-pressure sodium bulb does a better job of simulating sunlight to stimulate plant growth. A 125-watt bulb gives off plenty of light when hung at least three feet above plants or seeds. This is a good distance to avoid heat burn.

Grow lights help to lighten shady spots and propagation areas in the greenhouse. What you are germinating or propagating determines how long you need to leave the lights on, usually an average of 12 to 16 hours each day. If you are growing tropical plants, you may need to set up grow lights if the plants don’t get at least eight hours of sun each day.