A geodesic dome is a sphere-like structure that consists of an interconnected network of triangles. You have probably seen this structure in small-scale projects like a geodome greenhouse or large buildings like the Biosphere in Montreal, Canada.
The engineering of a geodesic dome may look intricate and highly mathematical, but the concept behind its creation is rather instinctive. The geodesic dome design was improvised and firstly patented by an American engineer and architect named Richard Buckminster Fuller in the late 1940s.
Early on, the main appealing characteristic of a geodesic dome was its sturdy structural integrity which is not compromised by minimal use of materials. In the more modern era, the framework of a geodesic dome remains relevant. Its usage is highly popular in the agricultural industry, both on a larger or smaller scale as an effective structure for a greenhouse.
Read on for our 11 reasons why you should opt for a geodesic greenhouse instead of a traditional greenhouse.
Top 11 Reasons Why Geodomes Make Better Greenhouses
Energy Efficient
One of the reasons behind the recent rise of favorability for a geodesic greenhouse is its energy efficiency. Considering that a surface area of a building is a major determinant of heat loss, a geodesic dome has the advantage to preserve energy since its construction consists of at least 30% less surface area than a traditional rectangular building for similar floor space.
In addition, due to its spherical surface, the level of sun exposure across the dome is dispersed fairĺy evenly allowing heat and light energy to be transmitted to the plants more effectively, especially during winter months.
Cost-Effective
As mentioned above, a geodesic dome would save farmers or gardeners at least 30% total surface area for building construction if compared to conventional rectangular buildings.
As a result, this directly indicates that you would require lesser building materials which would translate into highly desirable savings in your budget. Your overall expenditure on the eating element would also be reduced since a geodesic dome has a higher heat retaining ability due to its efficiently receptive sun energy design.
Flexible Design
A geodesic dome greenhouse enables farmers and gardeners of various scales to customize their buildings to the highest level of flexibility. From an extensive selection of materials including glass, plastic, wood, steel and PVC, you can simply choose the materials for both the frameworks and covers to suit your needs and conditions.
Additional features of a geodesic greenhouse which can greatly help with temperature regulation such as a vent system and automatic window openers can also be installed without much hassle making a geodesic dome greenhouse the ultimate adjustable greenhouse.
Solid Construction
A properly constructed geodesic greenhouse has the capability of providing additional structural strength when compared to similarly sized roof structures. The equal force and gravity distributed across the network of triangles make a geodesic dome stronger than most rectangular structures without requiring any internal support.
This quality, therefore, enables it to withstand extreme temperatures and weather allowing for all-year-round farming as compared to other conventional greenhouse designs that can accommodate 2-3 seasons annually. Besides, its aerodynamic structure and lack of flat surfaces make it almost impervious to wind since this element would just pass around the dome.
Nature Friendly
If you are an eco-conscious person, you would be glad to know that replacing a greenhouse with a geodesic dome would help your goal to contribute to a greener earth. In general, its lesser use of materials for construction means they are more sustainable than traditional buildings.
Because of the flexibility in the materials of constructions, farmers or gardeners can opt for largely recyclable and renewable materials for their greenhouse. In addition, a geodesic dome greenhouse has more superior energy conserving property which directly contributes to a lesser carbon footprint on the earth.
Smart Design
A geodesic dome greenhouse is not just recommended for its long list of functionalities, but it has a more visually contemporary look than a traditional greenhouse. The minimalist yet modern exterior of a geodesic dome would make a great addition to any backyard or planting site with ease of integration.
Cheaper Construction
Unlike most heavyweight buildings, a geodesic home greenhouse can be constructed at a lower cost than can be adjusted to your budget. There are various favorable contributors to this factor, firstly, the choice of cheaper materials such as PVC and plastic is not restricted in the construction of a geodesic dome greenhouse.
Secondly, the market offers DIY prefab geodesic domes for sale which may be advertised with variable price ranges but are still evidently more economical than traditional greenhouses. The DIY geodesic dome kits can be assembled with lesser manual labor thus, further saving you money for construction workers.
Farmers and gardeners can also opt for a readily constructed geodesic dome which may come at a higher price but would save them valuable time for construction.
Space Saving
A unique feature of a geodesic dome greenhouse is its power of maintaining its weight without the usage of bulky construction poles or frames. Since its interior does not require any additional support, that would mean that the entire area of the enclosed floor space is ready to be utilized for your gardening or farming needs.
So, if you are concerned about space availability, switching from a traditional rectangular greenhouse into a geodesic dome would save you plenty of floor space from construction supports.
Easy Portability
It may be surprising to know that such an efficient geodesic greenhouse is also portable. Even with the most meticulous planning, you may require making impending changes to the layout of your planting site.
The good news is a geodesic dome kit is very easy to assemble as well as disassemble since its basic framework does not require any permanent sealing agent such as cement or glue. Therefore, it offers a high degree of portability which is an excellent quality to have to keep your space organized.
Easy construction
Even the best futuristic looking geodome greenhouse in the world does not require a comparatively high level of energy and manual labor compared to traditional buildings. A geodesic dome greenhouse is rather easy to construct with its intuitive assembly.
To make it easier for those interested in a geodesic dome greenhouse, the market offers various customizable geodesic dome kits DIY with or without the full components, but they are all generally easy to assemble with simple instructions.
Excellent Durability
From a pure engineering standpoint, the shape of a geodesic dome is a stable construction as the pressure applied on it is distributed evenly throughout the network of triangles in its framework.
This conglomeration of triangles forms a strong and durable frame for the geodesic dome and when paired with high-quality building materials, you can be sure that your geodesic greenhouse would last much longer than the conventional greenhouses.
Where Can I Buy A Geodome Greenhouse?
With the list of pros above on why you should build your next geodome greenhouse in a geodesic form, the next reasonable question to ask is where can I get them?
Geodesic dome manufacturers typically deliver DIY geodome kits worldwide, including geodesic dome greenhouse kit Australia for Asia Pacific customers, geodesic dome greenhouse kit UK in Europe, and geodesic dome greenhouse kits Canada or geodesic dome greenhouse Colorado for North American consumers.
The construction of a geodome can be simply divided into two: you can either have it designed and built for you by any construction expert or you should highly consider geodesic dome kits for a much cheaper option at equally effective performance.
Most geodesic domes kits come in two forms, one comes in a kit with a complete assembly and materials such as the Ekodome DIY Geodesic Dome Kit. It may come at a more expensive price since the kit is complete but you do not have to worry about finding the right fittings or materials for your geodome greenhouse.
Secondly, the much cheaper alternative to this is the DIY geodesic dome kits that come with the complete set geodesic dome greenhouse hubs and connectors but you would need to purchase your sticks separately such as the Hubs Geodesic Dome Kit and Natural Frequency DIY Geodesic Dome Hub Connector Kit for PVC Pipe (1.25 inch).
You can check geodesic dome greenhouse kit price on these manufacturers websites or e-commerce sites like Amazon.
For more information on our top 3 recommended DIY geodesic dome kit, please visit this page.
Thank you for talking about how geodesic greenhouses are so energy-efficient. I am building a new home this year and want it to be alright for the environment. I will find a good residential geodesic dome design service to assist.