Trends in commercial greenhouse design

Greenhouses were originally developed to help growers shield crops from harsh weather conditions. Over time, however, the goal has expanded far beyond simple protection. Today, the push for greater independence from external variables has led to cultivation methods that move crops out of the soil and allow much tighter control over costly resources such as water and energy.

“Now we are becoming more independent of chemicals for pest and disease control and even of natural light,” says Sjaak Bakker, manager of the greenhouse horticulture research and development centre at Wageningen UR in the Netherlands, widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost institutions for commercial greenhouse research.

This pursuit of independence—especially in terms of food security—is fueling the rapid growth of greenhouse farming in countries like China, where population growth and food safety concerns are major drivers, and in Russia, where expansion followed EU food trade sanctions introduced in 2014. At the same time, innovations such as the semi-closed greenhouse are making it possible to grow food closer to consumers, including in dry regions of North America and the Middle East. Although many of these systems are developed for edible crops, the technology often becomes applicable to floriculture as well.

Closed, semi-closed and conventional

“At Wageningen we’re now focusing on helping growers be independent of fossil fuel,” says Bakker. “We have a four-compartment demonstration house that’s fully electric. Heat pumps source warmth from the dehumidification system and CO2 for enrichment is taken as waste from a nearby factory.”

Wageningen was a pioneer of the closed greenhouse concept. While Bakker notes that the full model is still too expensive to be broadly viable on a commercial scale, many of its individual features are increasingly being incorporated into modern greenhouse systems. Major Dutch greenhouse builders such as Bom Group, Certhon, and Kubo have each developed their own versions of the semi-closed greenhouse, which can significantly reduce both energy and water consumption, particularly through improved ventilation strategies. “In many areas, as with projects we are involved with in the Middle East, water is a bigger issue than energy,” Bakker explains.

At Estidamah, Saudi Arabia’s sustainable agricultural research and development centre in Riyadh, Wageningen is collaborating with Bom Group to evaluate nine different greenhouse models. These include a closed greenhouse and a more conventional design that uses pad-and-fan cooling, all aimed at identifying sustainable crop production solutions for the region. Researchers are also testing photoselective claddings to determine how effectively they can lower greenhouse temperatures.

In the newest generation of semi-closed systems, such as Bom Group’s Sunergy 2, ventilation is increasingly managed by a fan-and-duct network. This allows roof vents and energy screens to remain closed for longer periods, helping retain more heat. Air treatment units are equipped with heat exchangers that recover heat during dehumidification, while excess summer heat can be stored in underground aquifers. According to the company, these systems can deliver overall energy savings of 30% to 40%.

Ultra-Clima greenhouse

Semi-closed greenhouse systems also provide advantages when it comes to pest and disease management. Kubo’s Ultra-Clima greenhouse emerged from collaboration with North American tomato producer Casey Houweling, who was initially searching for a way to block insect pests. Houweling believed that screened vents reduced light levels too much, so Kubo developed an alternative based on active ventilation, cooling pads for humidity regulation, and a slight positive air pressure inside the greenhouse.

Over the past decade, Houweling has built 50 hectares in California and 20 hectares in British Columbia, Canada, allowing for year-round tomato production. The system’s water efficiency also made it possible for him to establish operations in Utah, one of the driest states in the U.S., to supply the Salt Lake City market. There, the greenhouse uses residual heat and waste CO2 from a nearby power plant.

Gutter height

Greenhouses have gradually become taller in order to support high-wire crops and create more space for lighting and screening systems. At the same time, the larger air volume above crops such as cut flowers and potted plants has helped reduce swings in temperature and humidity.

“A gutter height of 6 to 7 metres is probably the maximum it is going to reach,” says Bom Group commercial manager John Meijer. “Apart from crop requirements, planning permissions are also restricting heights in some places.”

Light

Efforts to maximize the use of natural light remain a major focus in greenhouse design. “I’m surprised how much has been done in the last few years to reduce the impact of structural elements,” says Bakker. “New composite materials will enable these to be even smaller. Although we can make some improvements to glass, with light diffusion and non-reflective coatings, we are probably getting close to what we can practically achieve.”

Today, the best greenhouse glass can transmit more than 95% of outside light. Wageningen engineers worked with Bom Group on the development of its Winterlight greenhouse, where a combination of high-transmission glass and screen design allows 10% more light to reach crops compared with a standard greenhouse structure. Increasingly, growers are choosing diffuse glass in new greenhouse builds to improve how light penetrates the crop canopy, and research continues into the most effective diffusion patterns.

So-called smart glass systems are already on the market. These use glass panels that contain special particles whose behavior can be changed—for example, by applying an electric current—making it possible to create switchable light transmission or photoselective claddings. Greenhouses with photovoltaic roof panels have also been built, though they can significantly reduce the light available below. Still, Meijer believes that electricity-generating glass could become commercially viable in the future.

At the same time, advances in glass technology and construction methods are helping reduce both installation and maintenance costs. For example, Kubo’s click facade system makes frame assembly faster, while its w-cover rubber seal offers stronger support for larger panes, lowering breakage risk, minimizing water leakage, and improving thermal insulation. Modern Dutch glasshouses now typically have a lifespan of 30 to 40 years.

Urban farms

Greenhouse technology is also driving the rise of a new model in protected cultivation: the urban farm. Kubo has partnered with Lufa Farms in Canada to construct three Urban-Clima glasshouses on top of industrial rooftops in the Montreal area, with the newest covering 5,800 square metres.

Meanwhile, Certhon has launched an innovation centre focused on crop production in LED-lit closed environments. “Using indoor farming, all outside influences are excluded,” says Certhon chief executive Hein van der Sande. “With Certhon’s Phytotron system, for example, all climate systems can be controlled – and with indoor farming there is no need for crop protection.”

Certhon’s technology has already been tested in Freesia production, where unpredictable weather conditions can negatively affect the early growth stages. In another example, Dutch orchid grower De Hoog uses an LED-lit indoor farm to improve quality control, shorten production cycles, and better manage scheduling.

Adaptive design

Bakker emphasizes that greenhouse technology must always be aligned with local climate conditions, market demands, and the level of technical expertise available. “We call this adaptive design,” he says. “In areas like Africa or tropical lowlands in East Asia where some of the fastest expansion in protected cropping is occurring it’s not appropriate to have automatic environment control, for example. The best technology there is spectral-control claddings to reduce tunnel temperatures, passive roof venting and mesh sides.”

He also notes that in lower-technology production systems, the most critical issues are often root diseases, irrigation, and nutrient management. “The fundamental issues in low-technology production are root disease, irrigation and nutrition so the first thing is substrate, rather than soil, cultivation which can improve productivity by 30% without having to address the greenhouse structure.”

Commercial greenhouse design is moving steadily toward greater efficiency, resilience, and environmental independence. From semi-closed systems and high-performance glass to urban farms and adaptive design strategies, the industry is no longer focused solely on protecting crops from the weather—it is now about creating highly controlled, resource-efficient growing environments tailored to specific climates and markets. As part of this shift, materials like corrugated greenhouse panels and fiberglass walls are becoming increasingly relevant for growers seeking durability, light management, and lower maintenance.

As energy costs, water scarcity, and food security concerns continue to shape global agriculture, the most successful greenhouse projects will be those that combine advanced technology with practical local adaptation. In the years ahead, commercial greenhouse design will likely continue evolving into a smarter, more sustainable model for modern crop production. For those evaluating greenhouse materials and building components, https://www.stabilitamerica.com/ can serve as a useful reference for modern panel and wall system solutions.