An efficient greenhouse design for hot climates

Greenhouses are needed in hot climates to protect plants from excessive heat, which limits productivity, and to reduce the excessive energy and water requirements associated with controlled environment agriculture under such conditions. In Kuwait, where ambient air temperature can reach 50°C during the summer and where fresh water is scarce, a new approach to greenhouse design was used. This approach included passive, as well as active, energy conservation measures, which made the utilization of such a greenhouse economically feasible. A computer program is proposed here for greenhouse design in Kuwait, aimed mainly at reducing the cooling load in an arid climate. It takes into consideration the climate, the material and the geometry of the greenhouse. The concept is to reduce the amount of intense solar radiation received in Kuwait (infrared radiation) but to maximize the amount of the solar spectrum needed for plants, as well as control the other environmental factors.