Passive Solar Greenhouse Design - Technical Details

Our passive solar greenhouse design not only provides year round growing, but it also provides superior engineering and durability in a variety of environments. Unlike some greenhouse kits, The Growing Dome^® withstands wind, snow, heat and a variety of harsh weather conditions.

Our passive solar greenhouse kit is for ready for owner building or installation by our highly skilled Growing Spaces crew.

We provide a detailed Instuction Manual, Owner Supplied Items list, Installation Disc, along with many other useful documents to ensure your success in assembling your Growing Dome. And, we are always just a phone call or email away and are happy to answer questions.

Geodesic Dome Greenhouse Structure

Structural units of the Growing Dome are 2x4 Douglas Fir lumber, treated with Lifetime Wood Treatment, ready to fasten to connecting hubs of 1/8" aluminum. The Growing Dome structure is warranted for 5 years from the date of purchase.

Our greenhouse kits come pre-cut, pre-drilled, and color coded... if you are semi-handy with the appropriate tools, you can choose to assemble the Dome yourself.

Greenhouse Foundation Wall

The wall is built from 2 x 4 lumber studs and plates clad with a cementatious siding, insulated with R-12 insulation, and lined with galvanized metal flashing on the inside.

Most Dome sizes come standard with a 16" high foundation wall; however, the 15' & 22' Domes come standard with a 24" foundation wall.

All standard 16" walls can be upgraded to the 2 foot wall option. You'll enjoy 8 more inches of overall height inside your Growing Dome when you upgrade to the 24" wall option. Enjoy raised bed gardening!

Polycarbonate Greenhouse Glazing Panels

The high quality GLAZING is a clear translucent covering that allows 62% to 82% light transmission. It resists breakdown by ultraviolet light and harsh weather impacts, like hail. Life expectancy is over 20 years and both glazing densities come with a 10 year warranty by the manufacturer against yellowing and hail damage. You and your plants will love the soft diffused light inside!

The STANDARD, 8mm double-wall glazing carries an R value of 1.9.

The PREMIUM or 16mm multi-wall glazing is rated R 3.0 Premium glazing recommended for Domes above 7000 feet altitude.

The Following Features
are included with the Growing Dome Kit

North Wall Insulation:

Reflectix® custom-cut insulation panels are provided to cover the northern 2/5ths of the Dome, cutting down heat loss in the winter months and shading the water tank during summer months. This keeps the Dome warmer in the winter and cooler during summer. The reflective surface increases the available light inside the Growing Dome.

Automatic Vents:

Solar powered actuators open and close the vents which prevents the Growing Dome from overheating. The activators are adjustable and work by the natural heating and cooling of a tube of compressed wax.

Cooling System:

The 26 foot Dome comes standard with one thermostatically controlled, solar powered, 12V cooling vent fan (a $465 value).

The larger Domes (33'-51') come standard with 110V cooling fans which require an electrical power supply. Solar Powered Cooling Fan upgrade available at additional cost.

Under Soil Heating/Cooling:

A small fan blows warm air under the soil, raising the soil temperature to enable plants to grow better during cold weather conditions. The kit contains the fan and distribution box. The fan is powered by an included photo-voltaic cell that is mounted high on the outside of the Dome. The corrugated irrigation pipe is one of the locally purchased items. See the Budgeting and Preparing Document for more details.

Water Tank:

The main thermal mass of the Growing Dome is a large vesica pisces (eliptical) shaped water tank for the 15'-26' domes. However, round tanks are standard for the larger Domes.

Pre-drilled brackets, hardware, & pond liner are provided by Growing Spaces. Locally purchased items include sheet metal and 4 pieces of lumber to complete the tank.

 

 

Dome Size	Dimensions	Volume	Sq. Ft.
15'	9'x4'x4'	600 Gallons	25'
18'	9'x4'x4'	700 Gallons	30'
22'	12'x4'6"x4'	900 Gallons	35'
26'	13'x5'6"x4'	1200 Gallons	45'
33'	10' Circular	2300 Gallons	75'
42'	Custom	Custom	Custom

The water tank can be used as an indoor pond to grow aquatic plants and fish and is a critical feature of the domes passive solar design! Ask us about our Solar Fountain Option!

Owner Supplied Items

The Growing Dome is purchased as a kit. However, there are items that are very bulky, costly to ship and inexpensively available at your local building supply store. These items are not included in the kit; doing so lowers the overall cost for the dome owner. A detailed list of these items with measurements and quantity will be provided along with the installation package you receive from Growing Spaces.

Some of these locally purchased items include: the under-soil heating ducts, perimeter and wall insulation, sand, 3/4 inch washed gravel for Growing Dome perimeter, sheet metal** and lumber for the water tank.

Below is an estimate of the cost of the above items, but they can vary according to local suppliers. For further detail see our Budgeting and Preparing Document:

^**The sheet metal can be found at a heating & air conditioning or sheet metal supply store.

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