26 March 2017

This is a greenhouse


Specifically it's a structural component of the Bombay Sapphire Distillery in the United Kingdom.
...they use the excess heat from inside the distillery to be able to create a greenhouse environment outside and allow the distillery to grow tropical and Mediterranean herbs and spices directly on site. Herbs and spices that are then used in their gin products.
There are actually two greenhouses:

One of the greenhouses has the environment and climate necessary to grow tropical plants and other one grows mediterranean plants, using a different climatic environment.

The gardens are taken care of by a team of botanical garden experts who oversee the growth of hundreds of plants as well as herbs and spices that grow alongside the original 10 used in their recipe.
Kudos to the designers and developers for recycling the energy and for making the project esthetically appealing.

5 comments:

  1. Amazing! Alaskan Brewing in Juneau also uses waste heat to create its own feedstock.

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  2. I had a similar idea recently. I would appreciate comments from any readers as to whether they think this is a good (or bad) idea. I have a small garden plot on the side of my house. Immediately adjacent is the vent from my furnace. (The plastic vent, exhausting relatively low temperature air from a high-ish efficiency furnace.) I had thought to, over the winter, enclose the plot with plastic and vent the furnace into the space, creating a green-house-type environment, filled with a warm-ish, carbon dioxide-enhanced atmosphere. Any thoughts from anybody smarter than me?

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    Replies
    1. My first thought would be concern about possible carbon monoxide output from your furnace. I have no experience re this, but I did find a couple links with possibly relevant info in the comments -

      http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1628869/heating-a-greenhouse-with-exhaust-from-h20-heater-etc

      http://articles.extension.org/pages/36862/can-i-use-the-exhausted-heat-from-a-high-efficiency-furnace-vent-to-heat-a-greenhouse

      Note the comment about a possible building code violation if trapping or restricting the flow of the exhaust might lead to problems inside the house.

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    2. Thanks for the links. With spring coming I've got a while to think about this. My plan was really for a cold-frame type structure, not something that I would actually enter. CO production from a properly tuned furnace is not all that great; about 40 lb per million cubic feet of gas burned. I used 13,500 ft^3 last December, so 0.54 lb for the month. The extra length of exhaust pipe was my biggest concern although your thoughts about building codes is something else to consider. Thanks again.

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