Electronic Spreadsheet Tools for Layout Design of Greenhouses

Eben-Chaime, Moshe; Bechar, Avital; Baron, A.

doi:10.17660/actahortic.2008.801.46

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…Using instruments and paradigms from industrial systems engineering, in The Netherlands research is currently being focused on the development of systematic, preferably quantitative methods to analyse, design, simulate and optimize greenhouse crop production systems focused on company layout, scheduling in place and time of human labour as well as (potential) mechanization, taking into account product and information flows at company level. Examples of research in this field are described by Bechar et al (2007), Eben-Chaime et al (2008) and Van Henten and Kruize (2008). The latter compared stationary rose growing systems with recently adopted mobile growing systems for roses.…”

Section: Greenhouse Engineering In the Netherlandsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Greenhouse Engineering: New Technologies and Approaches

Montero¹,

Henten²,

Son³

et al. 2011

Acta Hortic.

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Firstly, this article discusses the greenhouse engineering situation in three geographic areas which are relevant in the field of protected cultivation: Northern Asia, The Netherlands and the Mediterranean. For each area, the prevailing greenhouse type and equipment is briefly described. Secondly, the main technological constraints are pointed out and finally the research directions are discussed. For all areas under consideration, attempts to design more efficient greenhouse systems are under way. In Northern Asia progress is being made towards the optimisation of greenhouses as a solar collector and to the development of new heating strategies. Important subjects addressed in The Netherlands are energy conservation and the replacement or alleviation of human labour by increasing mechanisation. In the Mediterranean there is growing interest in semiclosed greenhouses with CO 2 enrichment and control of excessive humidity. All geographic areas share the need of having an optimised climate control based on the crop response to the greenhouse environment. All areas also share the requirement of being respectful to the environment, therefore future greenhouses are expected to use engineering to produce with minimal or zero emissions.

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Section: Greenhouse Engineering In the Netherlandsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Greenhouse Engineering: New Technologies and Approaches

Montero¹,

Henten²,

Son³

et al. 2011

Acta Hortic.

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“…Especially with the increasing size of facilities, choosing the right layout of main paths and aisles is crucially important (Eben-Chaime et al, 2008). A paradigm shift has become apparent in horticultural industry, and instead of the maintenance staff moving to or through the crop, the crop is transported (on movable benches or movable gutters) and brought to the staff for maintenance and harvest.…”

Section: System Logisticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Innovation in Greenhouse Engineering

Giacomelli¹,

Castilla²,

Henten³

et al. 2008

Acta Hortic.

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Innovations in greenhouse engineering are technical developments which help evolve the state-of-the-art in CEA (Controlled Environment Agriculture). They occur in response to the operational demands on the system, and to strategic changes in expectations of the production system. Influential operational factors include availability of labor, cost for energy, logistics of transport, etc. Influential strategic factors result from broader, regional issues such as environmental impact, product safety and consistency, and consumer demand. These are industry-wide concerns that have the effect of changing the production system in the long term. Global issues are becoming more influential on greenhouse production sustainability, and include less tangible issues such as social acceptance, political stability, quality of life benefits, and environmental stewardship. These offer much more complex challenges and are generally beyond the realm of engineering. However global issues do affect greenhouse engineering innovation. The most effective innovations in greenhouse engineering design, operations and management, will incorporate input from partnerships with the academic, private and public sectors of society. Furthermore, successful applications include, at least to some degree a multidisciplinary approach of the sciences, engineering and economics, while for ultimate success and sustainability, societal and political support must also be attained. For this overview of innovation in greenhouse engineering a list of influential factors, or "driving forces" affecting the development, application, evolution and acceptance of greenhouse systems have been described. The factors are similar for all greenhouse systems around the world, as they include the plant biology of the crop, the physical components of the structure and production system hardware, the management and logistics of labor and materials, and the mechanism of marketing the crop. Each greenhouse system, wherever located, must resolve similar problems for its specific application. The magnitude of the factors and their relative local importance are different for the specific sites. The design response will be introduced and related to the factors, as examples of innovation.

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