Design and Modeling of a Greenhouse for a Remote Region in Nepal

Food insecurity arises in circumstances where individuals or families cannot meet their most basic need for food. This problem is particularly common in remote mountain areas where the shortage of arable land and a harsh climate make it impossible to produce a sufficient quantity and diversity of food throughout the year. This investigation forms part of a project to improve food security using solar technology in Humla, an impoverished mountain region in Nepal. In similar locations, increased food production and preservation have been achieved using solar greenhouses and dryers. However, a systematic approach, where these technologies are used in a complementary way to supply the shortfall in food and address nutritional deficiencies has not been attempted. This paper describes the selection, construction and testing of an existing greenhouse design in Humla. An initial design selection was devised that was based on existing high altitude greenhouses but modified to incorporate locally available materials. A TRNSYS model was then created and validated from measured data. The model has then been used to explore methods to improve the performance and reduce costs of the basic design and further adapt it to the local climate.