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FeF Attached Greenhouse

The Open Building Institute

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This is the main document for the “FeF Attached Greenhouse” install of the modular greenhouse system

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Due to constraints on the height of the building, it was necessary to customize its wall and door modules.

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Index

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Overview

This is a development document for the first install of the Modular Greenhouse System - to be built at Factor e Farm on November 2015.

  • Goals
  • Specifications
  • Features

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Goals

  • Provide passive solar heating to attached house.
  • Provide 100% essential / 90% overall food production for a household of four.
  • Experiment in efficiency management practical for a household with outside jobs: 15 minutes per day per person outside of plant propagation and harvest events.

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Specifications

  • Four-season, attached greenhouse
  • 52x16 ft total area, including a separate room
  • 24 people participate in the build
  • Structure is built during 3-day workshop
  • Functional systems are built during 2-day workshop

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Features

  • Hydronic heating
  • “Cold” room
  • In-ground fish ponds
  • Aquaponic system
  • Organoponic system
  • Mushroom growing system
  • Vermicompost
  • Chicken house
  • Black soldier fly larvae rearing
  • Compost tea maker
  • Spirulina bioreactor
  • Elevated grow beds

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Base Plan & Layout

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Base Plan & Layout: 2D

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Base Plan & Layout: 3D

glazed wall

glazed wall w/ vent

door

door

fixed window

interior wall

glazed wall w/ vent

glazed wall w/ vent

glazed wall

door

wall

glazed wall

glazed wall

door

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Base Plan & Layout: Wall Height

foundation: 5.5”

wall & door modules: 84”

bond beam: 1.5”

Sill plate: 1.5”

total wall height: 92.5”

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Base Plan & Layout: Interface w/ House

fascia

roof ledge

9.5 (?) between bottom of fascia and top of roof ledge

house foundation

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Base Plan & Layout: Interface w/ House

9.5 (?) between bottom of fascia and top of roof ledge

104.5 (?) between top of roof ledge and bottom of footer

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Base Plan & Layout: Roof Rise

roof module height: 9.5”

roof rise: 12?

Roof rise: 104.5 (?) - 92.5 = 12?

Roof angle: 3.75 (?)

wall height: 98.5”

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Base Plan & Layout: CAD

FeF CAD

  • BasePlan.sw3d (3D model of structure, sweet home 3F file)
  • BasePlan.svg (2D base plan)
  • HouseSouthFacade.sw3d (3D model of house facade, sweet home 3D file)

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Modules

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Modules CAD Index

  • Door w/ dog door (custom)
  • Dog door (standard)
  • In-ground fish pond (custom)
  • Hydronic heating (custom)
  • Plumbing (custom)
  • Water catchment

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Modules Build Instructions Index

  • In-ground fish pond (standard)
  • Hydronic Heating (custom)
  • Plumbing (custom)
  • Water Catchment

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Modules Count

Roof (16)

(13) glazed roof w/ sliding vent modules

(2) glazed roof triangle modules

(1) frame roof triangle module?

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Doors (4) (each door has 2 modules)

(4) door frame modules

(4) glazed door modules

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Walls (24)

(10) glazed wall w/ sliding vent modules

(8) normal + (1) edge glazed wall modules

(2) fixed window modules

(2) wall modules + (1) w/chicken door

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Build Organization

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Pre-Build Documents

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Pre-Build Build Activities

  • Move porch to north side of house
  • Move raised bed?
  • Install roof ledge
  • Grade site
  • Install foundation: gravel, forms, pour
  • Install bottom bond beam
  • Dig fish ponds
  • Build 1 of each module: wall w/ vent, roof w/ vent, door, door assembly, triangle, fish pond.
  • Paint all lumber
  • Order materials

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Detailed Build Schedule

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Post-Build Activities

  • Move porch to north side of house
  • Move raised bed?
  • Install roof ledge
  • Grade site
  • Install foundation: gravel, forms, pour
  • Install bottom bond beam
  • Dig fish ponds
  • Build 1 of each module: wall w/ vent, roof w/ vent, door, door assembly, triangle, fish pond.
  • Paint all lumber
  • Order materials

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Development Notes

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Structural Requirements

  • Four-season (heated + ventilated)
  • Simple to operate (maximum of 15 minutes per day/person for maintenance)
  • Low cost and simple to build
  • Made of prefabricated modules (w/ most build work happening on the ground, pre-installation)
  • Prepared for aquaponics
  • Prepared for organoponics
  • Capable of bearing snow weight, strong winds, hail and ice
  • Air and water -tight seams
  • Mold proof inside
  • Mouse and insect proof
  • With “vacation” low heat system (two weeks without sun)
  • With outside access for chickens and dogs

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Roof Requirements

  • 4’x16’ total module dimensions
  • Automatable/openable/closeable vent at the highest part of roof with sufficient ventilation area (vent to be kept open full time in hot weather)
  • Must enable maximum light transmission
  • Polycarbonate top/bottom edges must be sealed
  • Insect and rodent proof (window screen)
  • Capable of bearing snow weight and strong winds
  • Hail and ice-proof (no channels or cavities where water can accumulate)
  • All seams should be watertight
  • Interior side of roof panels should be airtight
  • Must allow rapid build by inexperienced builders
  • Should be lightweight (for ease of installation, under 140 lb)
  • Must allow for clamping modules to each other during installation
  • Frame should be able to support 5 lbs per sq ft.
  • Should allow hanging of plants and towers with variable spacing (on bottom top and bottom third of module)
  • Must allow hanging of growing gutters
  • Must allow attachment of shade cloth

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References & Resources

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Materials

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Functional Components Modules

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  • Chicken coop + vermicompost combo
  • Elevated grow bed
  • Standing + hanging tower
  • Mushroom tower
  • Vermicompost tower
  • Trough
  • Spirulina bioreactor
  • Compost tea maker
  • Black soldier fly composter
  • Gutter
  • Algae gutter
  • Potato box
  • Outdoor: stratification containers, cold frames, water catchment

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Organic Components Requirements

  • Humane treatment of animals

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Organic Components Animals

  • Chickens (up to 6)
  • Fish
  • Worms
  • Bees
  • Other beneficial insects
  • Dogs (2)
  • Humans (up to 4)

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Organic Components Crops

  • Warm weather crops: cucumbers, eggplant, squash, peppers, pumpkins, okra, eggplant, beans, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, edamame, zucchini, celery, annual herbs, basil, beans, strawberries, watermelon, melon, duckweed, azolla, mushrooms, sprouts.
  • Cool weather crops: potatoes, onions, carrots, beets, radishes, mustard greens, lettuce, spinach, arugula, kale, radicchio, chard, collards, cilantro, cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, broccoli, peas.
  • Cool/warm weather crops: artichoke, asparagus, chives, garlic, leek, parsley, parsnip, shallot, sorrel, turnip.

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