Jan. 6, 2011

greenhouse

Progress at the greenhouses

With the horticulture department's new greenhouses enclosed since mid-December, workers now are erecting the interior wall structure and glass panels. The building project is on schedule for completion in May.

State-of-the-art features of the new facility include evaporative cooling, shade curtains for energy conservation and light control, grow lights controlled by the plants' needs based on solar conditions, and a computer system that automatically controls all aspects of the greenhouse. Rolling workbenches will help researchers maximize their space. At less than 14,000 square feet, the facility is about half the size of the former greenhouses, but will support the activities of the horticulture department -- on a year-round basis, something not feasible in the old space. Photo by Bob Elbert.