Thinking of building a greenhouse? Want to save energy heating and cooling it? This book is a comprehensive guide to building energy efficient greenhouses.

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THE YEAR-ROUND Solar Greenhouse - How to Design and Build a Net-Zero Energy Greenhouse by Lindsey Schiller and Marc Plinke - This book is a comprehensive guide to building a greenhouse that is energy efficient and uses the energy of the sun to heat and cool the interior. Covers the basics of building a greenhouse that controls heat gain and heat loss, is adequately ventilated, and is heated without significant expense. Ideas include using thermal mass to store solar energy during the day to release it at night, generating solar hot water to heat the greenhouse and using rocket mass stoves and compost heaters for efficient heating. Also covers ways to power the greenhouse using PV panels. Includes tips on how to grow in the greenhouse, both conventional methods but also trending methods such as aquaponics and hydroponics.

THE YEAR-ROUND Solar Greenhouse – How to Design and Build a Net-Zero Energy Greenhouse by Lindsey Schiller and Marc Plinke

  • Paperback: 320 pages
  • Publisher: New Society Publishers (Oct. 17 2016)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0865718245
  • ISBN-13: 978-0865718241

This book is a comprehensive guide to building a greenhouse that is energy efficient and uses the energy of the sun to heat and cool the interior.

The authors first go over some basics to building a greenhouse that controls heat gain and heat loss. They also cover the important aspect of ventilation, important in summer to minimize heat gain and in winter to control humidity.

The next section covers various ways to heat the greenhouse without significant expense. Ideas include using thermal mass to store solar energy during the day to release it at night, generating solar hot water to heat the greenhouse and using rocket mass stoves and compost heaters for efficient heating.

The book also covers ways to power the greenhouse. No suprise that solar PV panels are highly recommended.

The final chapter covers tips on how to grow in the greenhouse, both conventional methods but also trending methods such as aquaponics and hydroponics, which work well in a greenhouse.

Also throughout the book are case studies, sidebars that contain information on successful greenhouse designs for inspiration and testimonials that the methods described in the book really work.

This book is a worthwhile purchase. I plan to incorporate some of the ideas in the book in the next few years to make my greenhouse more energy efficient. The goal eventually will be to grow some heat-loving vegetables in winter as well as summer.

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