Overview

Grow vegetables year-round in a greenhouse powered only by solar energy Originally developed in China to feed millions, Chinese greenhouses are earth-sheltered, solar-heated, east-west oriented, intelligently glazed, and well-insulated. They have proven highly effective in growing warm-weather vegetables and fruits like green peppers and tomatoes in cold climates through fall, winter, and early spring using passive solar energy as the sole heat source. The Chinese Greenhouse is a full-color comprehensive guide to these passive solar greenhouses for self-sufficiency and growing year-round in soil or aquaponic grow beds with no additional heat. Coverage includes: How to design, build, and operate a Chinese greenhouse How to improve performance via short-term and long-term heat banking How to provide additional heat to make your greenhouse operate even more effectively How to cool the greenhouse during the summer. Become a more self-sufficient gardener, growing and harvesting a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables year-round, with your own Chinese greenhouse.

Full Product Details

Author:   Dan Chiras
Publisher:   New Society Publishers
Imprint:   New Society Publishers
Dimensions:   Width: 19.10cm , Height: 1.60cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.635kg
ISBN:  

9780865719293

ISBN 10:   0865719292
Pages:   240
Publication Date:   03 November 2020
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

1. My Introduction to Chinese Greenhouses     Early Experiences with Greenhouse Growing     Building a Four-Season Greenhouse     The Chinese Greenhouse     Meeting Dr. Sanjun Gu and The Real Chinese Greenhouse     What's this Book about? 2. What's Wrong with Conventional Greenhouses?     Shortcomings of Conventional Greenhouses     Conclusion 3. What Makes the Chinese Greenhouse so Special?     A Closer Look     The Advantages of Earth-Sheltering     How Earth-Sheltering Actually Works     A Brief History of the Chinese Greenhouse     Evolutionary Changes to Chinese Greenhouse Design     A Chinese Farming Success Story     Do Chinese Greenhouses Really Work?     Chinese Greenhouses and All-Season Greenhouses     Conclusion 4. Building a Chinese Greenhouse: Site Selection, Excavation, and Drainage     Above Ground or Underground: That's the Question     Compensating Strategies     Selecting and Excavating Your Site     Getting it Right: Proper Orientation     Proper Drainage: Protecting Your Greenhouse from Water Infiltration     Water, Water, Everywhere, and You can be Sure It Will Find a Way In     Conclusion 5. Thermal Mass, Framing, Glazing, and Insulation     Thermal Mass     Framing Your Greenhouse     Roof Slope: What's the Optimum Angle?     Glazing or Plastic     Insulation     How Much Glazing do you Need?     Conclusion 6. Improving Performance: Daytime Internal Heat Banking     Daily Internal Heat Banking     Additional Considerations     Conclusion 7. Improving Performance: Daily Heat Banking with a Solar Hot Air System     Using a Solar Hot Air Collector to Bank Heat     Where Can I Purchase a Solar Hot Air Collector?     Mounting a Solar Hot Air Collector     How does a Solar Hot Air System Work?     What's the Proper Tilt Angle?     Mounting a Solar Hot Air Collector on a Rack     Controlling Hot Air Systems     Build Your Own Solar Hot Air Collector     Conclusion 8. Improving Performance: Daily Heat Banking with Solar Hot Water Systems     What Is a Solar Hot Water System?     Drainback Solar Hot Water Systems     Pump-Driven Glycol-Based Solar Hot Water Systems     Which System Should You Use?     Evacuated Tube Solar Hot Water Collectors     Installing a Solar Hot Water System     Conclusion: How about Long-Term Heat Storage? 9. Improving Performance: Long-Term (Seasonal) Heat Banking     Long-term Heat Banking: A New Idea?     Long Term or Seasonal Heat Banking     Heat Banking in Earth-Sheltered Buildings like the Chinese Greenhouse     Active Annual Heat Storage     Which Way to Go?     Daily Internal Heat Recovery System     Solar Hot Air System     Seasonal Heat Storage with a Solar Hot Water System     Conclusion: An Invitation to Share 10. Battling the Heat: Summertime Production     Summer Options     Retiring the Greenhouse for the Summer     Continuing to grow in a Chinese Greenhouse in the Summer     Quit Bugging Me     Conclusion 11. Getting it Right: Designing Climate Batteries     Climate Battery Design and Construction     Climate Batteries and Cooling     Conclusion 12. Supplementing Solar Input: LED Lighting     Do You Need to Supplement Lighting?     What Kind of Lights Work Best?     Understanding Light     Understanding PAR     When do you Need Supplemental Lighting?     DLI: One More Thing About Lighting     Conclusion     Determining Daily Light Integral 13. Building My Chinese Greenhouse: A Pictorial Documentary     Site Selection and Preparation     Building the Thermal Mass Wall     Building Rammed Earth Tire Walls     Earth-Cooling Tube Installation     Waterproofing Mass Walls     Framing the Greenhouse     Installing the Roof     Mudding the Walls     Exterior Insulation and Backfilling     Insulating the Interior Walls and Roof     Installing Siding     Revegetating the Berm     We Made It! Index About the Author About New Society Publishers

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Author Information

Dan Chiras, PhD, is the author of 38 books, including Solar Electricity Basics, Power from the Wind, Power from the Sun, and The Homeowners Guide to Renewable Energy. He has taught workshops on solar electricity and passive solar heating for the Evergreen Institute, the American Solar Energy Society, the Colorado Renewable Energy Society, the Missouri Solar Energy Industries Association, and the University of Colorado. Over the past 45 years, Dan has published articles on natural building, green building, solar electricity, passive solar design, self-sufficiency, and sustainability in publications such as Solar Today, Home Power, and Mother Earth News. He has installed numerous solar electric and wind systems in Missouri and has lived on solar electricity since 1996. He lives on a solar- and wind-powered farm in Gerald, MO.

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