The first unique greenhouse design feature is, of course, the geodesic dome shape. While it is a beautifully shaped building, its real beauty lies in its strength and efficiency. The triangle shapes forming the Growing Dome create a geometric pattern of strength not replicated in a simple rectangular shape. Otherwise known as the ‘Bucky Dome’, the geodesic shape was first invented by Buckminster Fuller for its strength, efficiency, and beauty.
Strong in High Winds
The Growing Dome is incredibly wind friendly as the wind simply flows around it. A rectangular greenhouse has a much larger surface area for the wind to push against. The standard engineered plans that come with the Growing Dome are stamped for 115 mph wind loads. The engineer can modify the wind loads on the plans if your local building department requires higher loads.
Designed for Heavy Snow Loads
The round greenhouse design handles snow effortlessly because it allows snow to slide off naturally, so there’s rarely, if ever, that much snow pushing down on the green house. The geodesic structure is immensely strong, as it is made of triangles: the most rigid shape. Even when fresh, heavy snow weighs down the Growing Dome, the structure will not buckle or collapse, unlike other greenhouses. The standard engineered plans that come with every Growing Dome greenhouse are stamped for 75 lbs/sq.ft. snow loads. Again, if your local building department requires higher loads, our engineer can modify the plans and provide calculations, if necessary.
Consistent Solar Input
The curved surface of the Growing Dome allows for very even solar gain throughout the day. A rectangular greenhouse has a large flat area sloping south, allowing a larger amount of sunlight to come in at mid-day, whereas in the early morning and late afternoon the light input is negligible. With the Growing Dome greenhouse, the light input from the sun is consistent all day long. In the summer months, too much sunlight can be a problem for any greenhouse. Growing Spaces includes four very important features that work together in the summer to keep the geodesic greenhouse cool: The Above Ground Pond, Reflectix® North Wall Insulation, Undersoil Heating & Cooling System, and Automated Vents.
Energy Efficient Greenhouse Design
Heat loss from any structure is proportional to the surface area of the structure. A spherical shape has the smallest surface area for the amount of floor space enclosed. The Growing Dome is much more effective at keeping the heat in on a cold winter night simply by having 40% less surface area than a rectangular structure through which the heat can escape. This helps keep raw material and completed greenhouse costs low. Fewer raw materials helps reduce our carbon footprint. Furthermore, Growing Spaces minimizes waste in the manufacturing process. The Growing Dome design is sustainable from start to finish! Learn more about the benefits of a geodesic dome greenhouse.