Grant: Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 1
Red River College of Applied Arts, Science and Technology
$25,000.00
Energy-efficient building envelopes for commercial greenhouse applications for vegetable production in Northern Canada_x000d_
FY 2020-21
Summary
Food security and affordability are a prolonged problem in northern and remote communities who are heavily dependent on the South for food. Community gardens and greenhouses are seen as viable and sustainable solutions to minimize the reliance on costly foods imported from the South. Energy consumption, moisture control, and ventilation of the greenhouse are big problems. The temperature difference between outdoors and indoors of a greenhouse could be as high as 80°C. Extensive indoor moisture and its exhaust make the issues very complicated. Building envelope plays a vital role in controlling the temperature and humidity of a greenhouse. The OCN Smart Farm, a Manitoba-based Company, plans to adopt and commercialize a South Korean technology to grow vegetables, herbs, and fruit in shipping containers. The technology was initially developed and commercialized by Korea Agriculture System & Technology (KAST) Engineering Co. Ltd. While the OCN Smart Farm is 900 square feet of growing capacity (4 lanes x 4 layers each), the OCN Smart Farm will utilize shipping containers to grow crops. The container is designed for a South Asia region, which has an entirely different climate. The objective of this project is to adopt the KAST technology for the Canadian environment. The adaptation of the KAST technology is through modification and adjustment of the building envelope. Three building envelope systems will be developed in this project. These building envelope systems will be tested in dual-environmental chambers, while temperature humidity and heat flux sensors are installed in the systems. The sensors measure the variables as the chambers are operating. Based on the findings of these tests in a controlled environment, the optimum building envelope system will be selected for prototyping and field-testing in extreme climatic conditions.
Program
Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 1
Location
Manitoba, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
556393-2020
Name nom
Potter, Simon
Department département
Head Office
Organization id
22155
Institution établissement
Red River College of Applied Arts, Science and Technology
Province en
Manitoba
Province fr
Manitoba
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2020
Competition year année de concours
2020
Award amount
25000
Program id
CARD1
Program name en
Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 1
Program name fr
Subventions de recherche et développement appliquée - niveau 1
Group en
Research partnerships programs
Group fr
Programmes de partenariat
Committee code
1561
Committee name en
Applied Research and Development Grants
Committee name fr
Subventions de recherche et développement appliquée
Area of application code
103
Area of application group en
Agriculture and primary food production
Area of application group fr
Agriculture et produits alimentaires primaires
Area of application en
Plant production and plant primary products
Area of application fr
Production végétale et produits végétaux primaires
Research subject code
2001
Research subject group en
Materials science and technology
Research subject group fr
Science et technologie des matériaux
Research subject en
Materials structure, properties and testing
Research subject fr
Structure, propriétés et essais des matériaux
Installment
inst:1 - 1
Partie
1
Nb partie
1
Application title
Energy-efficient building envelopes for commercial greenhouse applications for vegetable production in
Northern Canada_x000d_
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
Food security and affordability are a prolonged problem in northern and remote communities who are heavily dependent on the South for food. Community gardens and greenhouses are seen as viable and sustainable solutions to minimize the reliance on costly foods imported from the South. Energy consumption, moisture control, and ventilation of the greenhouse are big problems. The temperature difference between outdoors and indoors of a greenhouse could be as high as 80°C. Extensive indoor moisture and its exhaust make the issues very complicated. Building envelope plays a vital role in controlling the temperature and humidity of a greenhouse. The OCN Smart Farm, a Manitoba-based Company, plans to adopt and commercialize a South Korean technology to grow vegetables, herbs, and fruit in shipping containers. The technology was initially developed and commercialized by Korea Agriculture System & Technology (KAST) Engineering Co. Ltd. While the OCN Smart Farm is 900 square feet of growing capacity (4 lanes x 4 layers each), the OCN Smart Farm will utilize shipping containers to grow crops. The container is designed for a South Asia region, which has an entirely different climate. The objective of this project is to adopt the KAST technology for the Canadian environment. The adaptation of the KAST technology is through modification and adjustment of the building envelope. Three building envelope systems will be developed in this project. These building envelope systems will be tested in dual-environmental chambers, while temperature humidity and heat flux sensors are installed in the systems. The sensors measure the variables as the chambers are operating. Based on the findings of these tests in a controlled environment, the optimum building envelope system will be selected for prototyping and field-testing in extreme climatic conditions.
