Assessment question
Temperature and season
What are the monthly day and night conditions, the hottest and coldest periods, and the intended planting and harvest calendar? Average annual temperature hides the difficult weeks.
Site and climate planning
Assess the climate before choosing the greenhouse.
A climate study connects local weather and resources to the crop’s growing needs. It helps identify the months when the project will be hardest to operate and which design choices deserve detailed engineering.
Why location matters
The same crop can require a different system at another site.
A greenhouse designed around a mild reference climate may struggle where nights are cold, daytime heat is extreme, humidity stays high or power is unreliable. The assessment starts with the exact site and intended crop cycle, then compares climate-control options and operating costs.
This is one workstream within a wider greenhouse feasibility study. It does not by itself establish market demand, structural approval or financial viability.
Assessment question
Humidity and disease pressure
When does outside air help remove moisture, and when is it already warm or humid? The answer changes ventilation, dehumidification and crop-management choices.
Assessment question
Light and shading
How much solar radiation reaches the crop in each season? Check both insufficient light and excess heat before choosing covering, screens or shade.
Assessment question
Wind, rain and structure
Use the applicable local design criteria for wind, rainfall and other loads. Drainage, flood exposure and access for construction need site-specific review.
Assessment question
Water and utilities
Measure water quality and seasonal supply. Record power reliability, fuel availability and the infrastructure needed for irrigation, heating or cooling.
Assessment question
Operating response
Who will read climate data, adjust setpoints, maintain equipment and respond to outages? A system is only as dependable as its operating plan.
From data to decisions
Compare workable climate strategies, not isolated equipment.
Start with the crop’s target conditions and tolerance, then test how candidate structures and systems perform in the difficult months. Compare ventilation, screening, heating, cooling and water use as one operating strategy. Record assumptions, expected utility demand and failure modes for each option.
- Inputs
- Site coordinates, weather history, crop calendar and water analysis.
- Options
- Covering, ventilation, shading, heating, cooling and controls.
- Constraints
- Loads, permits, utility capacity, water and operator skills.
- Output
- A documented shortlist and the data still needed for design.
Prepare the review
Start with the exact site and crop.
Share the project location, target harvest period, water source and any weather or utility data already available. Local engineering and crop specialists must verify final design conditions and performance assumptions.
Discuss climate and site