A student research team led by professor Carolyn Lorimer from the Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence (ACCE) has developed an innovative greenhouse design that could become the long-term solution for Canada's food insecurity crisis.
Canada's fleeting summers and long winters mean that the only way to produce fruits and vegetables year-round is by using greenhouses. So what's stopping Canadians from doing that?
Greenhouses in Canada rely heavily on natural gas for heating and lighting during winter. This results in high energy bills and significant greenhouse gas emissions, according to Greenhouse Canada. To produce locally at a fair price for consumers, greenhouses need to be completely redesigned to make it a cost-effective option, according to Lorimer.
For Lorimer and her team, even a problem as complex as this can be untangled by their penchant for innovation. Led by her expertise, students at ACCE have designed a greenhouse that is wheelchair accessible, cost-effective, energy efficient, beyond self-sustaining and more than eco-friendly. It will absorb far more carbon than is produced in constructing and maintaining the facility, according to Lorimer.
Read more at Algonquin Times