Terms used in greenhouse procurement
Fifteen terms that appear in every specification and quotation, in plain language.
The distance between two adjacent frame lines along the gutter; with span, it sets the structural grid.
The width between two gutters that one truss carries.
Height from floor to the gutter line; sets working height and crop wire height.
Vapour pressure deficit: the drying power of the air, used to control humidity against crop stress.
Daily light integral: the total photosynthetically active light a crop receives in a day, in mol/m².
Electrical conductivity of the nutrient solution, a proxy for nutrient concentration.
Evaporative cooling: air passes through wet cellulose pads and is cooled by evaporation.
A house run with controlled inlet air and slight over-pressure instead of relying on open vents.
A retractable screen that reduces heat loss at night and can shade by day.
Collecting and disinfecting nutrient drainage for reuse in substrate systems.
Immersion coating that protects steel inside and out, including welded joints.
Dutch applied research organisation whose load calculation method is widely used for greenhouse structures.
Standard trade term (EXW, FOB, CIF, DAP) defining who pays freight, insurance and risk at each point.
Bill of quantities: the itemised material list a project is priced against.
Testing and tuning systems against design before handover.
Still unsure what a term means in your quote?
Send the line from the quotation and we will explain it, in writing.