5 Steps For Planning A Successful Greenhouse Expansion
In the past we've talked about retrofitting your greenhouse. When retrofitting your greenhouse is not the answer a new construction expansion may be more what you need. Planning a construction project from the ground up involves a lot of details that you may not deal with on a regular basis. Don’t hesitate to use your greenhouse manufacturer and greenhouse construction company to help you with the planning process. GGS is here to help. Here are a few pointers to help you start:
1. Establish size and allow for future growth
Since building a new greenhouse is generally determined after production demand is assessed, this is the logical first step for establishing the size of the greenhouse footprint. Consider beyond your immediate needs and plan to allow for some future growth as well if possible.
2. Plan for optimum growth
Now consider the environment you need for optimum plant growth, and talk to your GGS rep about how extra under gutter height, additional ventilation, glazing material options, and the different styles of greenhouses can improve or detract from the environment you want.
3. Allow space for expansion of existing facilities and systems
Next you need to look at your existing facilities and systems. What is sufficient for this expansion, and what will require more capacity. This includes shipping bays, warehouse space, office space, environmental controls, and of course the heating system. You should always get a qualified greenhouse heating engineer like Niagrow to review your current greenhouse heating and your expansion plans.
4. Check your regulations
With most greenhouse builds you will need to talk to your local building inspector. Every year more regulations are put in place - make sure that your proposed expansion follows all laws and town regulations. For instance, if your building is too close to your neighbor’s land, you may have to file a variance with the town.
5. Accommodate more warehousing and storage space
If you are expanding your production space, consider that you may need more warehousing and storage space to accommodate this extra yield. Most greenhouse growers ask us to build these areas out of our greenhouse structures. Widespan greenhouses are particularly good for shipping areas.
If all this is starting to sound like too much… we haven’t even gotten into all the greenhouse options. Consider hiring us to project manage your expansion. GGS has been building greenhouses all over the world since 1979. We are here to help.
Author
Leigh Coulter
Leigh Coulter is the President of GGS Structures Inc. a leading greenhouse manufacturer with sales worldwide. Leigh holds a degree in business from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario, and she has been asked to speak at numerous events regarding manufacturing and business development. GGS manufactures greenhouses for all crops, as well as manufacturing fabric covered buildings. After years of working with cannabis growers to improve medical marijuana cultivation technologies, and as part of the company’s strategic development in 2013 Leigh established a division within the company dedicated to the emerging legal cannabis industry, and as such GGS is on the forefront of the movement. As part of this division new people were brought into the company to expand the company’s knowledge in indoor controlled agriculture cultivation (CEA) as well. GGS was the first greenhouse manufacturer worldwide to actively promote cannabis cultivation in greenhouses through their website, brochures, and in the media. Leigh believes passionately in “doing the right thing” and that supporting people’s rights to choose how they take care of their bodies is fundamentally “the right thing”. Working with cannabis growers all over the world she has developed the utmost respect for people who want to perfect their craft, and grow their best plants, and everyone on the GGS team is delighted to be part of that mission.
