Chinese greenhouses are everything that conventional greenhouses are not. They are considerably less voluminous or spacious— meaning there are fewer cubic feet of space to heat and cool, which makes it much easier and a lot less expensive to maintain optimal growing conditions.

They have less surface area of glass or plastic exposed to the elements— which reduces surface area for heat loss on cold winter nights, as well as reducing solar gain, and overheating, in the summer.

They are very well insulated— enabling growers to create and maintain suitable temperatures for optimal growth, even in cold weather.

They contain lots of thermal mass— to store and release heat and maintain thermal stability during cold months.

They are oriented on east-west axes to better capture the low-angle “winter sun”— increasing heat gain in the late fall, winter, and early spring and reducing heat gain throughout the rest of the year.

Finally, many are earth-sheltered— meaning they naturally stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

All these design features mean that Chinese greenhouses can be heated solely by sunlight. Unlike conventional greenhouses used for year-round production, in most locations Chinese greenhouses require no additional sources of heat. You won’t need to burn wood, natural gas, or propane, or pay for huge amounts of electricity to run space heaters. Its energy intelligent design eliminates heating and cooling systems found in many conventional greenhouses— fairly expensive equipment that greenhouse manufacturers are happy to sell their customers.

Because of their design, Chinese greenhouses are about as sustainable and self-sufficient as a greenhouse can be. My wife and I often joke about carving out some living space in our Chinese greenhouse, just because it’s so comfortable in the winter. You might consider leaving room for a few comfortable chairs and a table to enjoy your morning coffee and a good novel.