Conclusion

Research Question: What would it take to get a greenhouse at LaFarm that would be sustainable and would best fulfill the current needs of LaFarm?

Research Goal: Analyze three standard greenhouse designs for how they would change LaFarm and enhance educational opportunities at Lafayette College, and define the processes for constructing them sustainably within that system.

Having examined the social context and analyzed the prospects of these three greenhouse designs from a policy, technical, and economic standpoint, and having taken into account the goals of Lafayette College and all applicable stakeholders, we have reached a set of conclusions about what we think the best plan is and how to achieve that. In addition, because we recognize the multiple changes that can occur we have also laid out a general plan for the implementation of any of the three designs. Below, we analyze the advantages of each and summarize the implementation of them, and end with our suggestions.

Hoophouse.
The hoophouse has a low cost of ~$5,000. This amount of money and the labor needed to construct it could be compiled through a student organization like the Lafayette Food and Farm Cooperative (LaFFCo), meaning administrative help would not be necessary. Such a student organization would need only to request money for the greenhouse from Student Government, then order the parts, and work with LaFarm Manager Edmonds to construct it. Since its maintenance would not need training and would not be a daily activity, it is overall an easy project to undertake. As such, the hoophouse could be simply implemented concurrently with another larger scale greenhouse with greater capabilities.

The hoophouse would enable LaFarm to extend several plants’ seasons later into the fall and it offers students and faculty the opportunity to conduct research therein. Potential research projects include studying how the microclimate of the hoophouse differs from the outside climate, how different plants are affected being grown inside rather than outside, how soil fertility changes in the hoophouse year after year by various practices like cover cropping or double planting, or what kind of integrated pest management plan works well for the hoophouse. The hoophouse would be operated by Edmonds and the normal LaFarm workers without difficulty and would increase the potential overall yield of LaFarm and stretch the timing that food would be available for the dining halls, students, and donation.

Gothic Greenhouse.
The medium scale, Gothic greenhouse would cost between $25,000 and $35,000, depending on whether construction was contracted out, and to also construct enough energy infrastructure at LaFarm to power it sustainably the cost would rise to ~$50,000. Though this is significantly more costly than the hoophouse, such funding being secured through a student organization is not unprecedented, and it is therefore possible for this greenhouse to be constructed in the same way as the hoophouse. The construction being contracted out might be preferable to make sure the powered systems are placed correctly, but this is ultimately the decision of Manager Edmonds based on whether she feels it would be constructed correctly. Furthermore, it could cost thousands more to install the energy infrastructure necessary to power the greenhouse sustainably. To construct all of this together, with contractors would change the process for implementing the greenhouse would be different, as it would have to go through the Capital Project Process. The Capital Project Process begins with an application for the capital project. The application states why the project should be undertaken by the college, must be endorsed by a Division Head of the college (most likely in our case the Provost), and then be approved, the funding for it is found, and it is scheduled for being built. The reasons for the college to construct this greenhouse are all of the education, community outreach, and food production capacity expanding functions that it offers.

First, and maybe most importantly, it makes starting seeds early possible. Seed starting is one of the most crucial aspects of modern vegetable growing, as it is necessary to grow most vegetables in our climate. It is only possible to start seed in a greenhouse with powered ventilation and added heat, which is the main divergence of Gothic greenhouse from the hoophouse design. LaFarm currently must start seed in rented greenhouse space or buy transplants from a nursery (a professional greenhouse which starts seeds for farmers,) so creating this greenhouse would be bringing this function on-site. This function of our greenhouse would allow farmers to lease space within our greenhouse and simultaneously offer significant educational potential for these local farmers as well as students and faculty conducting research. The research that could be conducted in this greenhouse includes all the potential projects that the hoophouse offers and significantly more. Additional projects include a plethora of engineering projects centered on studying the effects and efficacy of the ventilation and heating systems of the greenhouse, exploring potential alternatives, investigating the material science of the polyethylene sheeting and potential improvements to it, as well as determining and working with the energy infrastructure necessary to power the greenhouse. Additionally, since starting seed usually requires potting mix, research could be done into how to produce suitably fertile soil on-site. These research projects would compliment the greenhouse’s function in starting seed and growing some plants in ground in the fall.

Finding funding for this greenhouse can be done in several ways in conjunction. Money can be used from student organizations, academic departments, the LaFarm budget itself, and from Alumni donations like the Hendrickson fund (which would require teaming with arts students to make this project also an art project.) Raising this money, and constructing the energy infrastructure necessary to power this greenhouse sustainably means that the project could take a few years from when it is initiated to come to fruition. Beyond just getting the greenhouse, this design would also require a good pest management plan to make it suitable for starting seed, and the powered systems would need to be checked daily to assure nothing goes wrong. This means a trained employee, likely from Plant Operations, would need to be able to check the equipment, which means that Plant Operations should be involved in the planning for this greenhouse from early on and that training should be done soon after the construction.

A-Frame Greenhouse.
The A-Frame greenhouse design would be a permanent structure costing upwards of $100,000, as much as $131,000 including extra energy infrastructure, and would require an outside contractor to construct. This means it would require going through the Capital Project Process, as described for the Gothic greenhouse. With the increased cost though, comes a huge increase in the potential of the greenhouse design.

The A-frame option would be as state of the art as possible with automated ventilation, watering and forced-air heating systems. This highly controlled environment would be the best design for research projects. In addition to all the research that could be done in the hoophouse or Gothic greenhouse, the A-Frame offers a huge amount more. The much more controlled design means that science and engineering research done in this greenhouse would be significantly more accurate and in-depth than it could be in the other designs. Beyond that, such a permanent structure means that there is potential for vertical growing, hydroponics, aquaculture, and many other potential projects which could provide a lot of research for individual students as well as classes. Also, seed starting capabilities would be even more secure than the Gothic design. With this design, Lafayette would be able to give back to the community through very rigorous research as well as through renting space to farmers and other growers in the area, and using the space for demonstrations and instruction. It would do this while providing a valuable function in starting seed for LaFarm. While it would not allow for in the ground growing like the other designs, the A-Frame design would provide space for indoor growing through hydroponics, potted trees, or many other methods.

The funding for this greenhouse would have to be found piecemeal from the sources described in the Gothic section, and the energy infrastructure expansion for this design would not actually be any more intense than for the Gothic design, because they would use mostly the same systems (the only added systems for powering the passive roof vent and shades use very little energy compared to the ventilation and heating systems). Additionally, this design would require daily regulation to prevent issues, like the Gothic design. Since the systems are more complicated, it would require more training, but would be similar to the maintenance require for the Gothic design.  

As a bastion of higher education, Lafayette College spares no expense for student learning. This hi-tech greenhouse would echo this fact and set the standard for college and university agriculture and ecology programs around the Lehigh Valley.

Recommendation.
Our suggestion is to implement the hoophouse next fall and extend certain crops’ seasons. This implementation would ideally foster interest among students and faculty, creating an infrastructure and demand for greenhouse research and learning. This infrastructure would then give LaFarm the necessary momentum to expand its greenhouse program. To be able to power either of the larger designs sustainably, it will be necessary for a more detailed assessment of the potential for energy generation at Metzgar fields, which could take the form of an Excel project, a class capstone, an independent study, or thesis.  Since the Gothic greenhouse and A-Frame greenhouse would serve mostly the same functions on the farm, the next part of our suggestion is to begin the capital project approval process for the Gothic or A-frame greenhouses as soon as the source for energy and fuel is secured. Optimistically, the capital project process for the A-frame would take one year, fundraising would take another year, and construction would take another year. Complications in finding funding, getting the project approved, or finding a way for it to be powered could make this easily a five year long project.

Our goals through this incremental rollout plan are to attract greater and greater levels of interest in greenhouse mechanisms and technology from the student body, faculty, and local farmers over time as well as increase LaFarm’s production. That way, the spending on the large-scale greenhouse would be justified by its educational and harvest potentials. Our assumptions for the future of LaFarm include increased space, larger workforce, and greater funding.

Introduction
Social Context
Technical Analysis
Policy Analysis
Economic Analysis
Conclusion
Bibliography