Learn how an eastern New Mexico gardener constructed a greenhouse from recycled materials. From the Southwest Yard & Garden series.
Video Rating: 4 / 5
Video showing my Greenhouse with plants and fruit in Port Alberni. Music written and performed by GJ Anderson.
This is an awesome must see! The Pond Plant Girl will show you how you can build your own 5 ‘ x 10’ cold frame green house for under . Join the fun and laughs too!
Video Rating: 4 / 5
SEE HOW A HOUSE IS REALLY BUILT OUT OF STRAW THESE DAYS! DESIGNED FOR COMPLETE ENERGY EFFICIENCY, THESE STRAW BALE HOMES ARE IN CRESTONE, COLORADO, A SMALL TOWN JUST NORTH OF THE GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK ,AT THE BASE OF THE SANGRE DE CHRISTO MOUNTAIN RANGE-AWESOME!
What are green houses
Building green houses is the ultimate way to the future. As everyone in the world are worried about the environment, the National Association of Home Builders and the International Code Council has developed the National Green Building Strategy , which will control the problem of each individual who are taking part in the building process.It mainly focuses on construction, including the design, materials and operation of the home, focus on energy and water efficiency.
The main components of a Green Home
There are some of the energy-efficient features of a green hose are appliances, windows and heating systems with proper Energy Star ratings, which will consume less energy for that photovoltaic electricity and water heating systems are installed in it.For conserving water, the green house uses low-flow shower head, faucets and toilets. If sprinkler systems are also needed, then programmable low-volume systems are the best option.Other functions may also include collecting rainwater and hot water recirculation systems.The placement and design should use the natural daylight that will reduce the needs of electric lighting. Materials should be reusable resources such as bamboo, carpet and tile that use recycled contents.
Another important feature is the heat and air conditioning system. It should be carefully designed to properly ventilate the home. Fans should bring fresh air in and take the stale air out.
Paint and wallpaper used in the house should be low VOC. Even the landscaping is important to a green house. While building, special care should be taken to protect as many trees and plants as possible from our surroundings . The planted landscaping should be properly arranged so that plants requiring significant water are in the same area.For more features one can visit our site www.idream.in and www.lightgreen.in
Rajendar Bairi is a Mumbai based writer. He is associated with idream and lightgreen
Having your own green house nursery is a dream of many gardeners. Imagine being able to walk through your own garden full of herbs and vegetables and beautiful plants protected from the elements and roving destructive insects and animals. If you have a green thumb this could be your idea of heaven and construction is not that hard which makes this an attractive project to get into.
Building a greenhouse requires first of all a decent amount of room, at least 10 meters by 20 meters is a good size but you can go much larger if you choose. The more compact the cheaper and easier of course but if you want small you can always get a DIY green house kit but the limitations on these are quite restrictive.
Next you need your materials:
-Wooden poles to construct doors and frames for each end of it and if quite a large greenhouse you may need more to prop up the roof. A strong end structure and centre are vital for sturdy construction. Make sure the wood is treated however as it can get quite damp and you do not want it to rot.
-6mm clear plastic, enough to cover the entire area of your greenhouse. Getting more than you need is ok as you may need to replace some sections as time goes on.
-Enough PVC piping to create the structure for the green house like a rib cage curving from the ground one side to the other. This is done in pieces not one long piece.
-Metal stakes, this is for hammering into the ground for a solid base for your PVC piping which then slide onto it to hold it in place.
-Duct tape, an essential part of any handyman’s kit! You will need to use a fair bit of this to join pieces together.
-Hammer, nails and so on
While you may need a few other bits and bobs this is the main structure for your greenhouse. You will need to use the wood to create the doors and ends of the greenhouse making sure they are well propped up by hammering them deep into the round or by having some wooden poles propping the structure up on a 45 degree angle from the frame.
You then need to hammer the metal stakes into the ground at even intervals between the frames keeping them about 2 meters apart is about right. The metal stakes must line up on the left and right side also of course.
Once the stakes are on you can slot the PVC piping onto the metal stakes giving the PVC a good solid structure at the bottom so it can hold up your roof. Bend the PVC piping as much as you can so it makes a U shape over the top of where the green house will be and slide the other end into the metal stake at the other side.
This may mean you need to cut the PVC into smaller sections and use some small PVC flexible joiners you can buy from any hardware store.
By now you should have the frame for it and quite a study one. Now you need to put the plastic cover over your green house. This can be tricky and you may need to cut lengths to fit but using your duct tape and measuring well you should be able to create a cover for the whole structure and keep it in place with more duct tape or even by plastic ties if you choose, the cover must be attached to each piece of the structure so there is no movement. Do not forget to cut a door in the cover also!
The cover can be held in place at the ground by good duct taping or by some large heavy rocks; some have used tent pegs to tie it to the ground but whatever works best for you.
You now can build your own and can bring in all the extras you need to tend your green house nursery!
Do you need more information on how to build a greenhouse?
Do you want to know the best green house gardening methods?
Click here to find out comprehensive information about green house construction and maintenance! http://homegardenstyles.blogspot.com/2007/11/complete-guide-to-building-your-own.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Porteous
LEED certification potential is the ideal way to assess green house plans, principally because it is comprehensive. Instead of focusing on a certain area of construction and design, LEED certification covers at every facet, including indoor air quality, resource use, land issues and construction materials. Moreover, the certification process requires meticulous attention to detail. LEED certification is not easily won; to earn it, the result of sustainable house plans must be tested and inspected. Given all of this, it’s no wonder that LEED certification is considered the zenith of sustainable home design.
Green house plans for LEED certification aren’t just good for the planet – they’re also wonderful for the people who end up living in the homes they describe. People who have lived in a house constructed from green house plans can vouch for the following advantages of LEED certification:
1. Reduced water and energy costs. Sustainable home design must provide significant energy and water savings in order to qualify for LEED certification. As an example, one way green house plans achieve improved water efficiency is by including rain gardens that harvest free water.
2. No toxic off-gassing or other fumes. Paint, vinyl and other traditional construction materials may release toxic chemicals. Vinyl off-gases have been found to contribute to cancer rates. To avoid noxious materials, the “Materials and Resources” section of the certification process confers points for selecting toxin-free, environmentally friendly materials. You can be confident that your family will be safe in a home built from green house plans.
3. Exceptional durability. Another section of the certification process, “Innovation and Design,” obliges builders to create long-lasting homes that will require fewer costly repairs in the future. This is one of the top benefits of sustainable house plans – less worry over the entire period of habitation.
4. Universal green building standards. Peers, family members and neighbors will be in awe of your green roots when you show them your LEED certification. Your positive example could even induce some of them to choose sustainable house design!
5. Qualification for environmental incentives. A slew of environmental building incentives require LEED certification.
6. Assured transit access and walkability. Another certification category, “Location and Linkages,” considers accessibility to common locations such as churches, daycare centers and grocery stores. If you enjoy walking or biking to nearby restaurants and boutiques, you will love living in a LEED certified home that has been created according to green house plans.
7. Improved air quality. The EPA estimates that indoor air is often five times more polluted than outdoor air. Builders must pay attention to interior air quality when earning LEED certification for sustainable house plans. As an example of how this manifests in design, a detached garage helps isolate toxic fumes and combustible gases.
8. Complimentary homeowners’ manual. The last LEED certification category we’ll mention is “Awareness & Education.” This section awards points for efforts to increase homeowner knowledge. Many builders choose to earn points in this area by providing handbooks on the green technologies that are included in specific green house plans. Many LEED builders also include a walk-through to personally describe how to care for a new green home over the long haul.
These eight advantages are key reasons why many homeowners choose to purchase homes with residential LEED certification.
Learn more about the benefits and versatility of sustainable house design at HousePlans.co, your online destination for stock and custom home design. Their large inventory of house plans is only a click away.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rob_Digby
When you are considering building green house plans for yourself or for a friend these 4 tips will help you understand what a good green house plan should include. From knowing how to get water to your plants, where to put your green house and how to make sure the proper amount of sunlight hits your new greenhouse you will know what to look for when purchasing your do it yourself blueprints!
1. When building a green house the plans should include specific details about where to best place or locate your new structure. Some types of garden houses require very little maintenance and utilities to grow your plants and function properly where as others require more maintenance. More maintenance means different locations like somewhere close to a water source, electricity, and heating systems. Any good blueprint will include this critical 1st step for building your gardening center.
2. What about materials? Well there are really only a few common materials used to put together the frame of a growing house and those are PVC piping, some types of wood, and also aluminum. PVC can be great in terms of giving you more options for irrigation and misting systems. Wood can look more natural and have better appeal while being much easier to construct. Aluminum is probably the most common only because it is the easiest to maintain for people who don’t spend a lot of time gardening in general.
3. The other items that should be included inside a guide or building green house plans are different and various sizes of greenhouses. The more plants, trees, flowers, and other plant life you plan on growing the more growing room you will need in your garden shed and growing house. So when you purchase your plans make sure they include several designs, blueprints, and instructions for a number of sizes.
4. The other area of importance you will really need to consider and should get help with from a complete do it yourself guide is that of a proper foundation. Foundations in general should be areas where you won’t end up with a puddle or lake of water from irrigating your plants inside your greenhouse. A complete guide will tell you and suggest the best preparations to take for getting a great foundation.
So there you have it. Just keep these 4 tips in mind when purchasing your greenhouse blueprint guide or plans. There are lots of books and DVDs to buy that can show you how to build a garden shed or other gardening structure but won’t include other tips and ideas for irrigation systems, drainage ideas and designs, and other critical tips for having a properly functioning growing area. Building green house plans doesn’t have to cost lots of money either, in fact you should be able to get a complete downloadable guide online these days for around $25-30. These online plans typically will come with many more bonus items to help you improve your gardening results! Good luck and lets help improve our environment starting today!
For the top online source for tips, suggestions, and downloadable do it yourself greenhouse plans go to Do It Yourself Greenhouse.
If you are just wanting a direct source for purchasing a complete greenhouse blueprint guide and plans plus many more ideas and design tips go to Do It Yourself Greenhouses.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ronny_Prothero