- Greenhouse redirects here. For information on the greenhouse effect, see Global warming.
Greenhouses capture solar energy and use it to create a warm environment for food production.
They can also be used (using an appropriate design) to provide hot water.
Greenhouses, if properly protected with screens and without gaps for pests to enter, can offer advantages in pest control. However, they can also offer favorable conditions for pests to flourish, if pests are allowed to establish themselves. Biological pest control may be a suitable solution.
Waste heat from industry can be used to heat greenhouses: Greenhouse waste heat exchange.
They may be built from many materials, including:
- Straw bales: Kiva's straw bale greenhouse
- Plastic bottles: Miniature greenhouses from plastic bottles and Plastic bottle greenhouse
- Cobb: Sequatchie Valley Institute cobb houses
...although of course there must be a clear material (usually glass or clear plastic sheets) to allow in light and the sun's infrared rays.
See also
- Construction of an Affordable Greenhouse
- Humboldt greenhouse gallery
- The Food and Heat Producing Solar Greenhouse
