Project Proposal

Project Proposal

Problem Statement

Implementing a source of renewable energy on a greenhouse to provide year round power. Maximizing seedling growth in a limited space and sustaining plant life in a contained space.  Primary need is to provide heat to the greenhouse.

Background

The Walnut Hill Community Farm is a non-profit organization who’s main focus is to bring fresh produce to the community in addition to education. It has been a working farm for two years running. While bringing fresh produce to the community ,Walnut Hill Community Farm also has an education program for high school students that teaches them about agriculture.The Walnut Hill Community Farm is also trying to expand their planting season in addition to starting their seeds.  The acred structure was put up in the beginning when the farm started ,however, it was not yearly. Since the Walnut Hill Community Farm wants to expand they need to be able to grow crops all year round. The new type of greenhouse that is being insulted is the Gothic Arch Greenhouse that has the dimensions of 12’x 28x9’ with a total square footage of 336sf. This Greenhouse is made possible by a local grant that has been given to them.The Greenhouse will allow the Walnut Hill Community Farm to keep producing all year round.

Stakeholders

• The local Walnut Hill community

• Local high schoolers working on the farm

• Allison Blansfield & The Enterprise Center Community Development Corp.

• Our design group

Needs

The Walnut Hill Community Garden needs an energy source for its greenhouse that will be installed later this year. Allison Blansfield and the CDC need a sustainable source because there is no utility line that can be connected to the greenhouse.  A fan/ventilation system in addition to lights and electric heaters needs to be powered by it. The greenhouse will be used year round to extend the growing season and start seeds. The priority for the local high schoolers and general community is education.  Allison explained that the mission of the CDC with the Walnut Hill Farm is to educate teenagers on how the farm functions, getting them involved, and giving them a sense of responsibility and connection to their local food.  Our design group's main priority is to tend to the needs of the other stakeholders.  Our job is to work with the stakeholders and consider their different needs when designing our final product.

Priorities & Constraints 

• Cost and materials: because the farm is a non-profit and wants the most “cost efficient design” 

• Space/Design: The roof of the greenhouse is sloped, creating a challenge for the design

• Seasons/Climate: The right type of Greenhouse will make it attainable to grow most things in almost any climate [1].  

• Pests: During some of the seasons, the farm will be infested with different species of insects

• Irrigation: Currently there is no directly connected irrigation to the Greenhouse location

• Soil: Most likely the depth of soil contained in the Greenhouse will have to increase to sustain early plant life

• Education: part of the farm’s objective is to education the community

• Safety: there is a small likelihood of vandalism/theft

Initial Concepts

•  Metal House: Thin material sheets to be replaced by sturdy metallic plates. Solar Panels connected from an arbitrary distance, safe from vandalism. Inside filled with high powered lights to mimic sun rays. Irrigation system connected runs underground and connects underneath the plants. 

• Solar roofing:  Solar panels contribute only to the "roof" of the greenhouse. Connected to the panels are connected to a combiner box which converts DC electricity to AC, readily available to use [2]. 

• Quonset Frame: Simple and efficient construction with an electrical conduit or galvanized steel pipe frame.The frame is circular and usually covered with plastic sheeting. Quonset sidewall is low,which restricts storage space and headroom. 

• Thermal Mass Wall: A simple design that captures the heat during the day and regulates the temperature of the closed area.

• Pyrolysis fuel and oven: Agriculture waste is transformed into coal. The coal is than placed into a stove to heat the greenhouse.  Hybrid system: in tandem with the biochar oven, using insulation on the walls of the house to maintain heat levels.

• Wind turbine: The use of engine that uses the kinetic energy is than converted to mechanical energy. The engine is powered by wind.             

Project Deliverables

Design a sustainable heat source for the greenhouse that will be installed at Walnut Hill Farm.  It must work year round and be economical. Throughout the design process, maintain a steady contact with the main stakeholder Allison Blansfield.  Use the project schedule to stay on track and finish the design in a timely manner. Also, create a design that can be taught to and used by high school students.

Projected Budget 

Solar panels: $161.49 at Sears

Thermal Mass Wall: Quote varies with different construction companies.

Wind Turbines: $199.00 on eBay

Combustion stove: $150 on Wood-Stove.org

If funded by University and design group: ideal total budget will be $350

Project Schedule 

Week 4:·       

Keep in contact with stakeholder through weekly phone callsContinuing elaborate research on DeliverablesUpdate blog      Create classification tree      Propose varies solar panels     Find a way to capture the power for the greenhouse     Find a way to store the power for the greenhouse    Find a way to distribute the power to all of the utilities within the greenhouse      

Week 5:·      

 Keep in contact with stocker holder through weekly phone calls Continuing elaborate research on Deliverables (make sure they are scholarly sources Update reference page with new research Make sure that the added material stays within the budget and the constraints Update the blog as much as possible Blog is done by the end of the week Group meeting to share new research
  finalize classification tree

Week 6:·       

Keep in contact with stocker holder through weekly phone callsContinuing elaborate research on deliverables (make sure they are scholarly sources) Update blog with new material Start the rough draft of the report Change concepts if another idea is presented Update blog with new concepts

Week7:·      

 Keep in contact with stocker holder through weekly phone calls Continuing elaborate research on deliverables (make sure they are scholarly sources) Update the reference page Update blog with new material Revise the rough draft of report Start on presentation slides
· Group meeting to share new research

Week 8:·       

Make sure blog is updated for the final blog check Finish up any research Put together final report Finish presentation slides Keep in contact with stocker holder through weekly phone calls

Week 9:·      

 Group meeting to go over the final report and representation Update blog for the last night Keep in contact with stocker holder through weekly phone calls Make sure finial report is finished Make sure presentation is finished Practice presenting

Week 10:·       

Hand it final report

Present