Greenhouse climate control systems — heating, cooling, screens and dehumidification
A vendor-neutral executive guide to greenhouse climate control: heating, cooling, ventilation, screens, dehumidification, CO₂ enrichment and integrated controls. Set-point strategy, capex, opex and evaluation criteria.
- •Climate control drives 30–45% of lifetime OPEX — evaluate on 10-year TCO, not headline CAPEX.
- •Climate is a control problem, not an equipment problem — the controller and set-point strategy matter as much as the hardware.
- •Design for the worst week of a 10-year weather series, not the average — undersized climate systems cause first-year yield loss that never recovers.
- •Integrate dehumidification from day one in humid or heated climates — retrofitting is 2–3× the cost.
The 6 climate control sub-systems
Each greenhouse RFQ must specify each of these with target set-points.
- 1
1. Heating
Boiler, CHP, heat pump, biomass or geothermal — sized to peak load with 15–20% margin.
Deliverable: Heating spec.
- 2
2. Cooling & ventilation
Natural ventilation, pad-and-fan or high-pressure fog — climate-zone specific.
Deliverable: Cooling spec.
- 3
3. Screens
Energy screens (night), shade screens (day) — often multi-layer.
Deliverable: Screen specification.
- 4
4. Dehumidification
Mechanical or ventilation-based — critical in humid or heated climates.
Deliverable: Dehumidification strategy.
- 5
5. CO₂ enrichment
Pure CO₂ or combustion recovery — sized to photosynthesis window.
Deliverable: CO₂ system spec.
- 6
6. Climate computer & sensors
Multi-zone control, sensor redundancy, remote access, alarming.
Deliverable: Controls spec.
Climate CAPEX benchmarks
Per-m² ranges for moderate climates.
| Category | Indicative rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Heating (gas boiler + distribution) | $40–$80 / m² | Higher for CHP, biomass |
| Cooling (pad-and-fan) | $15–$30 / m² | Excludes energy source |
| High-pressure fog cooling | $25–$45 / m² | Preferred for premium crops |
| Energy screens (installed) | $8–$18 / m² | Reduces heating load 30–50% |
| Dehumidification (mechanical) | $18–$40 / m² | High-humidity climates |
| CO₂ enrichment | $5–$12 / m² | Excluding CO₂ source |
| Climate computer + sensors | $15–$35 / m² | SCADA + multi-zone |
Extreme climates (desert, sub-arctic) push CAPEX 40–70% above moderate-climate ranges.
Climate supplier evaluation
Weight controls capability and long-term service.
| Criterion | Weight | What to evaluate |
|---|---|---|
| Reference projects same climate zone | 20% | Similar temperature/humidity envelope and crop. |
| Controls capability | 20% | Advanced set-point strategies, integration with agronomy. |
| Local service and remote support | 20% | Response SLAs; remote monitoring included. |
| Performance guarantees | 15% | Set-point compliance %; alarm response time. |
| Energy performance | 10% | kWh / m² / year — 10-year OPEX driver. |
| Warranty & maintenance package | 10% | Structured contract available. |
| Commercial terms | 5% | Payment, LD regime. |
Risk register — the six that matter most
Undersized heating or cooling
Mitigation: Design for P95 hour of 10-year weather series.
Dehumidification omitted
Mitigation: Design in from day one in humid or heated climates.
Sole-source climate computer
Mitigation: Open protocols (Modbus, OPC-UA) and multi-vendor SCADA fallback.
Rising energy costs
Mitigation: Screens + heat recovery + model 10-year energy scenarios.
Downloadable templates
Editable, supplier-neutral templates you can adapt to your project. Pair the CAPEX planner with the RFQ template — the RFQ handoff sheet is pre-wired to feed your commercial section.
Interactive tools
Supplier-neutral calculators to stress-test assumptions before you issue an RFQ.
Greenhouse Climate Calculator
Size heating, cooling and ventilation.
Open toolGreenhouse Energy Calculator
Model energy load and OPEX.
Open toolProject Configurator
9-step configurator that outputs a component list, procurement packages and expert list you can push into the RFQ Builder.
Open toolMove commercial greenhouse procurement into a structured RFQ
Editorial · not a sales pitchWhen your feasibility, financing envelope and technical specification are aligned, the RFQ Builder produces a supplier-neutral request that comparable suppliers can quote against on the same basis.
What a complete, supplier-neutral request on this topic usually includes. Use it as a checklist before submitting.
- Structure type (Venlo glass, polycarbonate multi-span, tunnel) and covered area (m² / ha)
- Climate strategy: heating, cooling, screens, dehumidification and target set-points
- Growing system, irrigation and fertigation scope with water source & quality data
- Energy mix (boiler, CHP, PV, storage) and grid capacity constraints
- Contract structure (EPC, EPC-M, multi-contract) and required performance guarantees
- Financing route: equity/debt split, DSCR target, off-take letters and permitting status
Open the builder with the topic pre-selected. You stay in control — nothing is submitted until you review and confirm.
Free to submit · supplier-neutral · reviewed by a specialist before any supplier is contacted.
Frequently asked questions
Executive-level answers in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.
English
How much does greenhouse climate control cost?+
$70–$130/m² in moderate climates for a complete package; $130–$220/m² in extreme climates. Individual sub-systems benchmark separately.
Which climate control drives the largest OPEX?+
Heating (in cold climates) or cooling (in hot arid climates). Screens and dehumidification are the two most impactful capex additions for lifetime OPEX reduction.
Should climate computers be open-protocol?+
Yes — insist on Modbus, OPC-UA or BACnet compatibility. Vendor lock-in on controls is expensive to unwind.