Welcome to
The Living Rainforest
Horticultural Development Council - Protected Crops Panel - 15 November 2007
Creating a sustainability experience, connecting
global and local issues
&
promoting sustainable ways of living to safeguard
future communities and ecosystems
A Brief History
In the very beginning (mid-1900s) ...
One of Europe’s foremost orchid nurseries, Wyld Court Orchids
1993
Wyld Court Rainforest opened
Integrated Greenhouse Project
Phase 0 (2003/4)
SEEDA 2003
Seed funding for EC bid - £40k
GreenSys 2004
Established partnerships with Professor Gerard Bot and team at
Wageningen University, and the renewable energy team at TV Energy
Integrated Greenhouse Project
Phase 1 (2005/6)
Human Impact Building (ReDiscover/Millennium Commission)
Purpose: To demonstrate sustainable low-carbon greenhouse
design, integrated with other buildings
Our Heating Journey
… from fossil fuel to local wood chip
CO2 emissions per unit of energy supplied
450
Grams of CO2 per kWh
400
350
Woodfuelled heat
300
Wind power
250
Solar PV m-si
200
Solar PV p-Si
150
Natural gas heating
Light fuel oil heating
100
50
0
... the first public indoor garden
to convert to wood chip heating
Integrated Greenhouse Project
Phase 2 (2007/8)
Green Greenhouse / Vertical Soil Heat Exchanger (VSHE)
Integrated Greenhouse Project
Phase 2 (2007/8)
Green Greenhouse / Vertical Soil Heat Exchanger (VSHE)
The Problem
Unsustainable food/crop production in energy-wasteful
greenhouses, using non-renewable energy
Lack of integration of greenhouses with associated buildings for
improved energy management
Lack of investment in low-carbon footprint greenhouses
Confusion about what is best practice for producers and consumers
Integrated Greenhouse Project
Phase 2 (2007/8)
Green Greenhouse / Vertical Soil Heat Exchanger (VSHE)
Seven Steps to ‘Greening our Greenhouse’
1. Improve glazing design to reduce energy demand by 50% compared
to a conventional greenhouse
2. Integrate the greenhouse with associated buildings for
improved
energy management
3. Utilise the greenhouse to capture solar energy
4. Store excess heat underground in a Vertical Soil Heat
Exchanger (VSHE)
5. Heat the integrated buildings during colder periods
using the
stored energy
6. Use renewable biomass energy from local sources for
back-up/peak demand
7. Use the Green Greenhouse to inspire and educate producers
and consumers
Integrated Greenhouse Project
Phase 3 (2008+)
Roll-out of design to entire site
before
after
Thank you!
Please contact us if you have any questions.
Karl Hansen, Project Leader
[email protected]; 01635 202444 x13
Andrew Logan, Project Coordinator
[email protected]; 01635 202444 x15
Lisa Mather, Marketing & Dissemination Officer
[email protected]; 01635 202444 x10