Decision support
Commercial Greenhouse System Comparisons
Commercial greenhouse system comparisons
Side-by-side comparisons of greenhouse structures, climate control, irrigation and growing systems — with indicative CAPEX ranges, operating implications and the questions to settle before issuing an RFQ.
Frequently asked questions
Five inputs decide almost everything else: crop and growing system, cultivated area and phasing, site climate extremes (temperature, humidity, wind and snow loads), water source and water analysis, and available electrical capacity. Structure type, covering, ventilation, screening, cooling, heating, irrigation, fertigation and automation follow from those inputs. Any of them left blank is filled in by each manufacturer with a different assumption, which is the usual reason two proposals for the 'same' greenhouse cannot be compared.
Structure and covering, foundations and civil works, ventilation, cooling and heating, screens, irrigation, fertigation equipment, water treatment, growing system or substrate, climate control and automation, electrical, energy and backup, packhouse and pre-cooling, then installation, commissioning, training and spare parts. Splitting the project this way exposes the packages a supplier has quietly excluded — civil works, electrical connection and water treatment are the three most often left out of a headline price.
Water quality versus fertilizer solubility, irrigation flow versus dosing capacity, fertigation controller versus climate computer, drain recirculation versus disinfection, greenhouse climate design versus crop assumptions, and imported equipment versus local civil and electrical works. Each sits between two contracts, so it is nobody's scope unless the RFQ names an owner for it.
Indicative planning ranges: net house USD 8–20/m², single-span polytunnel 25–50, multi-span mid-tech 50–120, Venlo glass 150–350, and semi-closed controlled-environment 300–600. Climate severity typically adds 5–35%, site works 15–30% and financing costs 8–15%. These are feasibility figures for budgeting only — binding pricing comes from suppliers once site data and specification are fixed.
When land control, water source and analysis, electrical capacity, crop plan, area, technology tier, budget band and target timeline are all documented, and one written specification exists that every supplier will quote against. Until then a requirement is scoped as 'early concept' or 'needs clarification' and is reviewed manually before anyone is contacted.
One private brief is submitted; a sourcing specialist reviews it manually, identifies the missing information and normalises it into a single written specification; qualified manufacturers, integrators and EPC contractors are approached only after that internal approval; returned offers are normalised to the same scope, lead time and delivery terms so they can be compared line by line. No supplier is contacted automatically and no buyer contact details are released automatically.
Side-by-side specification decisions with spec tables, cost deltas and the conditions that make each option the right call — written for buyers finalising an RFQ, not for retail growers.
Greenhouse covering
Polycarbonate vs Polyfilm Greenhouse Covering
Covering choice sets your recladding cycle, light transmission and structural load. Polycarbonate lasts far longer per m² but costs more upfront and needs a heavier frame; polyfilm is cheapest to install and replace but is a recurring OPEX line.
Compare →Greenhouse cooling
Pad-and-Fan vs Mechanical (HVAC) Greenhouse Cooling
Evaporative cooling is cheap and effective in dry heat but consumes water and cannot dehumidify. Mechanical cooling controls temperature and humidity independently at a much higher CAPEX and energy bill.
Compare →Growing system
Hydroponic NFT vs Substrate Growing Systems
NFT suits fast, light, short-cycle crops with continuous flow. Substrate suits heavy fruiting crops that need root buffering and precise irrigation control. The choice drives crop range, risk profile and consumables.
Compare →Greenhouse structure
Gutter-Connect Greenhouse vs Multi-Tunnel Structures
Gutter-connect houses give higher gutters, better climate control and full automation readiness. Multi-tunnels are cheaper, faster to erect and easier to phase, at the cost of climate precision.
Compare →Structure materials
Painted Steel vs Hot-Dip Galvanised Greenhouse Frames
Frame corrosion protection is one of the cheapest specification decisions to get right and one of the most expensive to get wrong. The differentiator is zinc coating thickness and how the structure behaves in humid, coastal or fertigated environments.
Compare →Greenhouse type
Glass Greenhouse vs Plastic Greenhouse
This is the first structural decision on almost every commercial project, and it sets CAPEX, light, insulation, lifespan and the recladding cycle for the next 15 years. Glass wins on light, insulation and asset life; plastic wins on entry cost, phasing and speed of build.
Compare →Technology level
Low-Tech vs High-Tech Greenhouse
A low-tech greenhouse uses passive ventilation and simpler manual controls to reduce capital and operating complexity. A high-tech greenhouse adds active climate control, automation and data systems for more stable commercial production. This comparison shows the differences in CAPEX, energy, labour, operating skill and project risk before a buyer fixes the specification.
Compare →Heating plant
Gas Boiler vs Heat Pump for Greenhouse Heating
Heat plant choice is decided by the local ratio of gas price to electricity price, by grid connection capacity, and by whether the crop needs CO₂. Neither option is universally cheaper — the tariff structure at your site decides it.
Compare →Lighting
LED Supplemental Lighting vs No Supplemental Lighting
Supplemental lighting converts electricity into winter production. It only makes sense where the winter light deficit is real, the electricity price is workable and the market pays a winter premium — three conditions that must hold together.
Compare →Project route
New Greenhouse Build vs Retrofit of an Existing House
Retrofit is usually the faster and cheaper route to better climate control, but only within the limits the existing frame allows. Gutter height, structural loading and ventilation area cannot be bought back later — they decide whether retrofit is an upgrade or a ceiling.
Compare →