Commercial greenhouses have demanding criteria. The realities of horticultural economics require low capital costs and low running costs, also durability and adaptability to the climate. The Seawater Greenhouse fulfills these demands, sustainably.
The design approach centres on close observation of how natural processes interact - evaporation and condensation, the effects of light and heat on photosynthesis and the influence of airflow. While these phenomena are well understood, when combined and fluctuating over time, they paint a complex and intriguing picture.
The Seawater Greenhouse design, which originated as a largely intuitive concept, has been refined by scientific and materials knowledge, gained through testing and modelling, and validated by results. The thermodynamic model, in which the physics of the process have been incorporated, gives us a better understanding of these issues. The model allows the testing of design concepts and the development of optimum solutions through iterative simulations for any given set of climatic conditions and commercial objectives.
Seawater Greenhouse Ltd maintains a policy of continuous innovation and development. Dr Philip Davies has recently been awarded a Royal Society Industry Fellowship, based at the University of Warwick that will improve the design of the Seawater Greenhouse and help lead to its widespread use.
There are three principal objectives to his study:
