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Environmental Sustainability of Greenhouse Covering Materials

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  • Chrysanthos Maraveas

    (Department of Civil Engineering, University of Patras, 26500 Patra, Greece)

Abstract

The fundamental objective of the review article was to explore the ecological sustainability of greenhouse covering material based on the following themes; considerations for greenhouse materials, properties of polymers and glass, additives, fillers, stabilizers and reinforcements, performance, Ultraviolet (UV) transmittance, phase change materials (PCMs), and environmental sustainability. A comparison of various polymers (polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylic, D-polymer, Linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), polyolefins), and silica glasses illustrated that each type of greenhouse cladding material has its unique merits and limitations. The performance of silica glasses, PVC, polyolefins was influenced by weather, greenhouse design, plant under cultivation, percentage UV transmittance, incorporation of additives and stabilizers, reinforcements, and integration of photovoltaic panels into the greenhouse roof among other factors. Polymers can be customized to achieve 0%UV transmittance, slow-insecticide release, and anti-microbial properties. In contrast, glass materials are preferred based on suitable photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) transmittance and near-infrared (NIR) reflection and less risk of photo-oxidation. From an ecological perspective, polymers can be recycled via mechanical and chemical recycling, closed-loop cycling, and polymerization of bio-based feedstock. However, post-consumer plastic films do not possess the same optical and energy properties as virgin polymers. The combined benefits of different polymers suggest that these materials could be adopted on a large scale over the long-term.

Suggested Citation

  • Chrysanthos Maraveas, 2019. "Environmental Sustainability of Greenhouse Covering Materials," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-24, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:21:p:6129-:d:283122
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    1. Rabhy, Omar O. & Adam, I.G. & Elsayed Youssef, M. & Rashad, A.B. & Hassan, Gasser E., 2019. "Numerical and experimental analyses of a transparent solar distiller for an agricultural greenhouse," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 253(C), pages 1-1.
    2. Hassanien, Reda Hassanien Emam & Li, Ming & Yin, Fang, 2018. "The integration of semi-transparent photovoltaics on greenhouse roof for energy and plant production," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 377-388.
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    1. Román-Roldán, N.I. & Ituna Yudonago, J.F. & López-Ortiz, A. & Rodríguez-Ramírez, J. & Sandoval-Torres, S., 2021. "A new air recirculation system for homogeneous solar drying: Computational fluid dynamics approach," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 1727-1741.
    2. Asim Ahmad & Om Prakash & Anil Kumar & Rajeshwari Chatterjee & Shubham Sharma & Vineet Kumar & Kushagra Kulshreshtha & Changhe Li & Elsayed Mohamed Tag Eldin, 2022. "A Comprehensive State-of-the-Art Review on the Recent Developments in Greenhouse Drying," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-42, December.
    3. Edwin Villagran & Rommel Leon & Andrea Rodriguez & Jorge Jaramillo, 2020. "3D Numerical Analysis of the Natural Ventilation Behavior in a Colombian Greenhouse Established in Warm Climate Conditions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-27, October.
    4. Chrysanthos Maraveas & Christos-Spyridon Karavas & Dimitrios Loukatos & Thomas Bartzanas & Konstantinos G. Arvanitis & Eleni Symeonaki, 2023. "Agricultural Greenhouses: Resource Management Technologies and Perspectives for Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-46, July.
    5. Zhang, Menghang & Yan, Tingxiang & Wang, Wei & Jia, Xuexiu & Wang, Jin & Klemeš, Jiří Jaromír, 2022. "Energy-saving design and control strategy towards modern sustainable greenhouse: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    6. Piotr Kacorzyk & Jacek Strojny & Michał Niewiadomski, 2025. "A Concept of New Generation Films for Haylage Production Which Meets the Condition of the Closed-Loop Material Cycle," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-18, August.
    7. Chrysanthos Maraveas, 2020. "Environmental Sustainability of Plastic in Agriculture," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-15, July.
    8. Mohammad Akrami & Can Dogan Mutlum & Akbar A. Javadi & Alaa H. Salah & Hassan E. S. Fath & Mahdieh Dibaj & Raziyeh Farmani & Ramy H. Mohammed & Abdelazim Negm, 2021. "Analysis of Inlet Configurations on the Microclimate Conditions of a Novel Standalone Agricultural Greenhouse for Egypt Using Computational Fluid Dynamics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-23, January.
    9. Sathinathan, P. & Parab, H.M. & Yusoff, R. & Ibrahim, S. & Vello, V. & Ngoh, G.C., 2023. "Photobioreactor design and parameters essential for algal cultivation using industrial wastewater: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).

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