By controlling the growing environment in a commercial greenhouse and being able to manipulate the weather at any time, Energy Shield Curtain Systems manufactured by Agra Tech, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of commercial greenhouses, are used by growers throughout the country for a plethora of different uses.
John Pound, owner of Agra Tech, Inc. has seen literally thousands of applications for his greenhouses in conjunction with his Energy Curtains, so he knows the best ways to use them and how to achieve optimum results in almost any greenhouse scenario, he said.
“It’s all about control and saving energy in the process,” Pound explained. “By using this product, you can produce better quality plants and that’s what every grower is striving for. By incorporating the fabrics that suit them the best, growers can keep the heat in or get the cold out, depending on their plants, their geographical location and the time of the year.”
In short, Agra Tech’s Energy Curtains are retractable interior ceiling curtains system manufactured for use in Agra Tech greenhouses. All Agra Tech structures are factory punched to accept the Energy Shield, which allows growers to add them conveniently after they install their greenhouses and are up and running.
By choosing from a wide range of shade fabrics that have been designed to reflect excess sun back out the roof in greenhouses, Energy Curtains by Agra Tech, Inc. can provide a cooler climate in the greenhouse if desired. By using thermal curtain fabrics, growers can retain more heat in their greenhouse on cool days and overnight. Most fabrics on Agra Tech’s energy curtains have both shade and thermal value, making them versatile and thereby easier to use.
The basic features built into Agra Tech’s curtain systems improve growing environments while maximizing energy savings; enhancing space utilization, and assuring continued problem-free performance. They’re available in Slope-Flat-Slope systems or can be used in a Flat system. All Agra Tech Energy Curtains can be either computer or manually controlled, powered by Agra Tech’s certified motor/gearboxes and controllers. The Energy Shield Curtain System can also be retro-fitted into non-ATI greenhouses.
Agra Tech has designed all of its Energy Curtains for easy installation and drama-free maintenance, Pound explained. “All of our greenhouses are set up so that an Energy Curtain can be added at any point, because all off the frames already contain all of the necessary mounting holes, etc. Many customers will purchase a commercial greenhouse from us and then down the road they will opt to incorporate the Energy Curtain. It’s like when people buy a house and then add a deck or a patio, for example. They’re enhancing the greenhouse’s performance and saving money almost immediately.”
Once installed, Agra Tech’s Energy Shield Curtain Systems work automatically and require little attention, according to Pound. “It’s simple to set up the timing and once you’ve got it dialed in, you can forget about it and concentrate on more important things. In the end, the quality of the plants will improve and that’s our #1 priority. And by consuming less energy these curtains are a smart investment, because they optimize the greenhouse’s purpose and eventually pay for themselves several times over, in many instances.”
Sunridge Nurseries in Bakersfield, California uses Agra Tech, Inc.’s Energy Curtains in all of its 28 ATI greenhouses, as they help the company to produce more than 6 million grape vines annually for wineries worldwide. Eloy Rodriguez oversees the growing of these vines and could not do his job as effectively without his Energy Curtains, he explained.
“Our season runs from December through June,” Rodriguez said. “So, we have to keep the vines warm in the winter and cool them down as we enter summer. Agra Tech’s Energy Curtains allow us to completely control and monitor our plants, so that we can produce the best quality season after season. Every morning, we determine how much light we want in the greenhouses, and the curtains make it so easy to achieve. 20 years ago, we had to get up on top of the greenhouses and lay netting along the roof. It was all manual and very time consuming. Now, it’s just a matter of pushing a button.”
Sunridge Nurseries has been slowly replacing its original Agra Tech Energy Curtains, which it began purchasing in 1984, Rodriguez said. “We started changing them for newer ones about six years ago. These curtains will last 10-12 years, so we’ve been retiring roughly eight each year. They’re highly reliable, very easy to maintain and have performed extremely well since the first day we installed them.”
Agra Tech’s Slope-Flat-Slope design includes:
Agra Tech’s Push-Pull design includes:
All Agra Tech Energy Curtains include:
Published on:
11/13/2012
Post by:
Admin
Category:
Controlled Environment Greenhouse
Greenhouse Accessories
Greenhouses
Tag(s):
#Agra Tech
#Commercial greenhouse
#Energy Curtains
#Energy Shield Curtain Systems
#Growing environment
#John Pound
#Slope-Flat-Slope
Sunridge Nurseries is excited to announce that it has embarked on an expansion project that will increase their overall production area by an additional 7 acres of greenhouses and shade houses. These state of the art, Agra-Tech solar light ranges will come equipped with the latest technologies in greenhouse climate and irrigation controls. By incorporating higher gutter heights, ridge roof vents and internal shade curtains, coupled with energy efficient double wall polycarbonate coverings, we expect to shorten our crop time on potted grafted vines and do it with fewer energy inputs. Other features include the addition of HAF fans and light diffusion in the polycarbonate coverings which will allows us to grow at higher crop densities without sacrificing plant quality.
The expansion project will increase our overall capacity by 2 million potted vines under a protected insect free environment. This, along with all concrete flooring and roadways throughout the entire project and our continued use of all metal benching, will help to provide for a more disease free growing area. The ability to wash down benches, floors and walkways with disinfectants both before and after vines move thru the facility is a critical step in keeping the vines free of unwanted diseases.
Read article: Sunridge Nurseries Undergoes Large Greenhouse Expansion
Sunridge Nurseries
Michael Vietti
Bakersfield, CA