RIPE (Rapid Installation Process for ETFE) – facilitating the use of advanced ETFE glazing materials into commercial greenhouses

Greenhouses (GH) protects crops from adverse conditions, allowing year-round crop
cultivation and enhanced management against pests and diseases. This is particularly essential
for warm crops (tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers) in Europe. Although glass is the
traditional material for commercial GH, innovative materials such as ETFE can offer
enhanced properties and impact to the crops. Experimental studies confirms that ETFE is the
ideal material for GH, minimising the energy use and eco-compatible. Japan has 3,500ha of
ETFE GH’s, developed as the alternative to glass, some with over 20yrs old, with no
measurable material change. ETFE is growing worldwide (9.91% CAGR) mostly driven by
glass replacement on architectural projects. Yet, there is huge entry barrier on European
professional GH building industry. Paramount is the shift from handling glass (a hard and
heavy material) to ETFE film (a soft and light material, 1% glass weight). Based on our
expertise and access to supply chain, we have developed the initial concept of a roof
installation system (‘RIPE – Rapid Installation Process for ETFE’) that would provide
builders with an effective method to handle and install the film on GH’s roofs at same cost
level as the current model. The technology is based on achieving tension with heat (with total
freedom to operate in the UK and EMEA) and mechanising the ‘roll to roof’ process. This
project will support Evolve in proving the technical feasibility of a tension system to install
ETFE on rooftops. That will enable us to reach Evolve’s goal of advancing ETFE adoption by
the horticultural market, and therefore, contributing to: (i) higher quality produce due to better
lightning conditions; and (ii) potential significant reduction in pesticide use due to UV
transmission affecting the plants own mechanism’s for resisting these vectors.