Recently VDH Foliekassen completed an F-Clean-covered 8,000 square meter greenhouse for the cultivation of organic vegetables at Ackerlei Bioland Betrieb in Bruchköbel, Germany.
It is a wide-span 12.80-meter greenhouse, supplied and built by VDH according to the local building regulations. According to Sales Manager Johan van Tuijl, the double-sided continuous ridge ventilation guarantees 'a very large ventilation capacity of 40%'. The greenhouse is equipped with F-Clean. "That is an ETFE film with very high light transmission and a long life," says Johan.
Maximum light transmission
The greenhouse is fitted with F-Clean film, a thin ETFE (fluoropolymer) film specially developed for horticultural greenhouses. "The film allows more light to pass through than glass, PE film, polycarbonate, and PMMA sheets and will last for twenty years without any problems, if properly stretched and properly processed." F-Clean has light transparency of up to 94 percent, 4 to 5 percent more than glass or other PE films for greenhouses.
UV light
F-Clean allows the full spectrum of UV light to pass through, which has a positive effect on the quality of vegetables. The presence of UV light makes the plant less susceptible to diseases. A grower who also grows outdoors has the guarantee that F-Clean can provide the conditions of an outdoor climate, says Johan. "The compactness and strength of the plants are comparable to outdoors. In addition, F-Clean has anti-drip and self-cleaning properties, boasts high reflection and refraction rates, and sunlight has virtually no degrading effect on the film itself."
Savings
The greenhouse was developed in line with the client's vision, which combines the organic cultivation of vegetables with the least possible impact on the environment. Therefore, the greenhouse is equipped with a screen system with energy-saving cloth, double foil walls, and tubular rail heating for optimal energy savings. Through the integrated application of these systems, the client saves about 40% in energy.
Ackerlei Biolandbetrieb
Ackerlei is an organic vegetable farm with 40 hectares of cultivation area. A family business with production sites in Bruchköbel-Oberissigheim and Seligenstadt. Vegetables are grown on the organic farm according to the principles of organic farming. The high-quality organic food is marketed in farm stores, at markets, and through a delivery service in large parts of the Rhine-Main region. Potatoes, asparagus, pumpkins, strawberries, and about 40 other types of vegetables and salads are currently grown on the arable land. In addition, various fruiting vegetables, herbs, early leaf lettuce, and winter lettuce are grown in several foil greenhouses.
For more information:
Johan van Tuijl
VDH Foliekassen
info@foliekassen.com
www.foliekassen.com