A head house is a building that contains all the necessary facilities for producing and processing products within a commercial greenhouse. It's the central hub for operations.
These facilities include:
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Cold storage
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Boiler room
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Management office
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Restrooms (showers, toilets)
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Storage (dry and wet)
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Dining area
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Growing room
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Packaging and sorting area
Areas such as a guardhouse, staff accommodation, and worker rest areas are not considered part of the head house.
Sizing and Area Requirements
The required floor area for a head house depends on the size of the greenhouse operation:
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For small companies, the head house area should be 13% of the greenhouse's floor area.
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As the company expands, this percentage decreases to 7.5% for larger companies with a cultivation area of 37,000 square meters.
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On average, the head house area is about 10% of the total cultivation area.
Optimal Location and Design
For maximum efficiency and to prevent operational issues, the head house should be built in the northeastern corner of the greenhouse.
This location is chosen to:
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Prevent the building from casting a shadow over the greenhouse.
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Ensure that polluting gases from the boiler room are not carried into the greenhouse by western winds.
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Provide suitable dimensions for entry doors to allow for the movement of equipment and vehicles.
The head house should have a width of 4.9 meters to accommodate doors that are 3.7 meters wide and 4.2 meters high. These dimensions are ideal for allowing trailers and trucks to enter for unloading raw materials and shipping out plants. The building is located within the greenhouse complex to maximize efficiency.
The layout of the head house for a wholesale (production) greenhouse must be arranged to maximize efficiency in production and workflow.
Here's the translated breakdown of the specific design features you mentioned:
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The management office is located at the front of the head house, allowing the manager to monitor the entry and exit of both staff and customers.
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Direct entry into the greenhouse is not possible from the outside.
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The area for filling pots is located near the equipment entrance.
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Separate restrooms are provided for men and women.
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The product loading area is also part of the head house.
This design ensures a streamlined process, from production to shipping, all within a centralized and controlled environment.
Propagation Greenhouse (Netherlands)
This type of greenhouse features a lightweight structure where the space inside is efficiently utilized.
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The roof structure is used as a lightweight storage area.
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The transparent roof covering is replaced for the service hall.
Production Greenhouse (Netherlands)
This type of greenhouse features a lightweight structure where the space inside is efficiently utilized. The roof structure is used as a dining and rest area for staff.
This type of greenhouse features a lightweight structure and a transparent roof with shade screens. It is equipped with a seeder machine and large doors for product transfer.
Head House Design for Plot 24
The design of the site and the central building must follow specific principles outlined in the book "Greenhouse Engineering." These principles can vary depending on the type of product and the land's layout. For this plot, the goal was to apply the core principles of a head house design, considering both wholesale and retail functions, while keeping the building's footprint to a minimum.
In site design, it's crucial to pay special attention to the workflow. The pathways are designed based on the specific function of the greenhouses.
Here is a breakdown of the key pathways:
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Route 1: The movement of staff and customers into the greenhouse.
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Route 2: The movement of staff from the central building to the greenhouses.
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Route 3: The direct entry of goods from outside into the greenhouse.
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Route 4: The entry of products from the propagation or quarantine hall into the main greenhouse (main route).
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Route 5: The entry of products from the propagation or quarantine hall into the main greenhouse (secondary route).
The propagation or quarantine greenhouse is located at the shortest possible distance from the main greenhouse.
The following points were considered in the design of the head house:
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The building is located on the north side of the greenhouse to minimize shading.
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All visitors, including staff and customers, must pass in front of the greenhouse office. This functions as a sales counter for retail purposes.
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There is no direct connection between the outside air and the greenhouse's internal environment.
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Facilities such as a dining and staff rest area, as well as restrooms, showers, and changing rooms, have been included in the design.
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The final section is dedicated to the boiler room and irrigation system, with space for a cold storage room and a laboratory.
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The greenhouse columns are 4 meters high, while the height of the service halls is 3 meters. The upper section of these halls will be used as dry storage, accessible by stairs. The maximum height of this storage area is 2.7 meters.
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The central hall will be used for packaging, customer order preparation, potting, and temporary storage.
Currently, most applicants for greenhouses are using the permit for service halls to build residential units for the operators, which is a need for greenhouse facilities. Therefore, a permit for the construction of a residential building should be reviewed based on the area of the greenhouse.
Therefore:
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The area of the service building should be determined based on the greenhouse engineering design.
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The permit for the residential building should be issued based on the area of the greenhouse.