Greenhouse

Solar farms and agriculture are competing for land. UCLA Scientists have now tested a way to combine the two by placing semi-transparent solar cells on the glass roofs of greenhouses, finding that they actually improve the growth of plants inside.

While greenhouses produce wastewater, microalgae-growing operations require a source of water – which is scarce in many regions. A new project aims to address both problems, by growing water-purifying algae in readily available greenhouse runoff.

High-profile British firm Heatherwick Studio recently completed work on an impressive kinetic greenhouse. Named Glasshouse, the project resembles an oversized jewel when closed, and opens up into an eye-catching crown-like form.

With large high-tech sustainable farming facilities located in California and Texas, Silicon Valley-based startup Iron Ox relies heavily on robots to help shoulder the workload. The company's latest bot, named Grover, can lift over 1,000 lb (454 kg).

A project in Japan is seeking ways to grow vegetables in subtropical monsoon conditions. A consortium, composed of the Japanese government, academia and private companies is developing a plant factory system to supply produce despite the climate.

Would transparent solar cells installed in greenhouse roofs deprive plants of vital sunlight? To find out, researchers at North Carolina State University grew lettuce under various wavelengths of light, and found that the plants did just fine.

Semi-transparent solar cells could be built into the glass roof panels of greenhouses, capturing light at wavelengths that plants don’t use anyway. Models suggest that in some cases these greenhouses could become completely self-sufficient.

Northern France isn't generally thought of as a tropical paradise but a section of it soon will be, courtesy of Coldefy & Associates. The French firm recently unveiled its plan to construct the world's largest single-domed tropical greenhouse in the Pas-de-Calais area.

​​Greenhouses already receive a lot of sunlight, so why not incorporate solar panels into them? That's just what Soliculture has done. But there's one thing to note about its greenhouses – their roof glass is colored magenta. According to a new study, though, it doesn't harm plant growth.

An abandoned military base in Taiwan has been converted into the Penghu Qingwan Cactus Park, a leisurely landscape complete with greenhouses full of cacti, an artists’ village and sea views. Designed by CCL Architects & Planners, the tourist attraction has won a 2017 American Architecture Prize.

​Does TRAPPIST-1 have three potentially habitable planets or four? New research indicates that number four is a possibility if there are hydrogen volcanoes on it to generate a greenhouse effect that could warm the atmosphere enough for the planet to sustain life.

A Canadian-based team has launched a product aimed at individuals who want to grow plants and herbs year-round without all the guesswork. The Grobo indoor gardening system features smart tech designed to simulate ideal growing conditions while providing real-time information to users.