Paper
The Application Mode of Soilless Culture Facilities on the Rooftop of Rural Cottages
- Authors:
- Zhongyi Yang; Ken Nagasaka; Yanbin Hua
- Abstract
- The authors proposed a new concept for growing vegetable sprouts and ornamental plants by combining greenhouse design and soilless cultivation technology together with house construction. This new planting design of soilless structure is installed on the rooftop of a house, combined with a small household solar cell module; lightening system of energy-saving lamp and embedded cobblestones on the roof wall is not only fully utilizing the available energy, but also maximizing the preserved amount of heat energy. Considering the design idea, technological process, the selection of raw materials, along with their practical value and future prospects, the authors construct a double-layered, vertically cultivated vaulting greenhouse. As a result, the use of soilless cultivation techniques on the house rooftop in the Chinese countryside shows as the promising potential solution to deal with the shortage of arable land resources now. This new cultivation technique may be more effective in promoting agricultural productivity and sustainable development of the economy and society since it can take full advantage on available resources in order to achieve higher economic benefits. There are three major benefits for rooftop agriculture: 1) maximize the utilization of sunlight energy in the roof area; 2) roof agriculture doesn’t require any extra arable land; 3) the vegetables can be planted all year-round. The life circle of crops was shortened as found. This new design will increase economic efficiency and the value of the idle house rooftop in rural and suburban areas.
- Keywords
- Soilless Culture Facilities; Flat Roof Space in Rural Areas; Economical and Intensive Land Use; Solar Cell Module
- StartPage
- 33
- EndPage
- 36
- Doi