"We are now growing two greenhouses of tomatoes and two greenhouses of cucumbers"

Wilfred Barendse, co-owner at Red Harvest in Middenmeer, Netherlands, is a loyal Svensson customer. He recently had the Luxous 1147 H2no FR premium screen installed in one of his four vegetable greenhouses, and Alweco managed the project and installation. The project is highlighted as a success for Svensson, Alweco, and Red Harvest and in this article, we will explore key questions such as: Why did Wilfred choose this screen? And how was the collaboration with Alweco?

“We have always been sustainable and we opt for quality in this. This screen is also an example of our commitment to that,” says Wilfred, co-owner of Red Harvest. The special H2no technology of the Luxous screen prevents condensation and instead, water droplets flow into a water film. “Once the water is gone, the screen can close earlier and stay closed longer.” The result is significantly more light at times when condensation occurs on the screen. That means more production, but also more screen hours and therefore, more energy savings, as Wilfred states.

Optimization through double screening
The Luxous 1147 H2no FR is a second installation in the relevant greenhouse. “There is a blackout screen above. Of course, this screen cannot stay closed for long but the new screen does.” The Luxous 1147 H2no FR has been installed in one of Red Harvest's four greenhouses, measuring 7.5 hectares. “We will first see how this goes.” Wilfred grows tomatoes and cucumbers alternately, for hygiene reasons, to prevent viruses. "We are now growing two for two for the first time, so two greenhouses of tomatoes and two greenhouses of cucumbers." So far Wilfred is satisfied with the new installation, but he expects more from the spring. “That’s when we will increase our screening hours and really see the results.”

A strong collaboration
The screen was installed by Alweco Screen Installations from Maasdijk, during the crop rotation in the second half of 2022. Ramon Bol talks about the collaboration between the three companies: “We have a good click and are on the same page. There was also a nice synergy between our installation team and the staff on-site.” The various screen options were discussed in detail during the preliminary phase. “H2no was one of the screens we offered and Wilfred listened to that. We further explained the properties of the screen in a conversation with Wilfred and Bart Bakker (Svensson Climate Consultant). So we actually came up with a good proposal quite quickly.”