A Community and Forum For Aquaponic Gardeners

HOAs and greenhouse in new construction

I've been very busy in my head and on my sketchpad (the old fashioned kind where you use a pen, not a mouse) designing a solar greenhouse ("solarium") that will be part of our new house project in a Central Florida active adult community. It's a different kind of challenge from many of the projects in this forum, as it must meet the same building code and architectural standards as the rest of the house. It will cost a bit to build, so it also has to be useful to someone else for something else down the road - so it'll likely be convertible to a workshop or pool cabana.

I've been assuring the builder I know how to do these things (designed several for clients back during the First Great Solar Scare). We'll have to have engineering for 140 mph hurricane wind loads to ease the building code official's mind, and get the HOA's Architectural Review Board comfortable with the appearance. So right now I'm not talking too loudly about raising tilapia and catfish and feeding plants on fish waste.

This will be a reinforced concrete block and stucco shell, with a south-facing vertical wall plus a half-roof of polycarbonate glazing panels supported by either aluminum framing or wood framing; the rear roof will be insulated wood frame construction. I'll have low vent air intakes and high exhausts- likely from solar roof exhaust fans. I expect temperature control will be a big challenge in the summer, even with shade cloth. I'll do modular grow beds coordinated with the layout of several fish tanks. I plan to work on maximizing food production - we eat a lot of fresh vegetables and fish, and would eat more. It's an expensive diet. This greenhouse is expensive, too, but it'll be cheaper than golf and a lot less boring.

I'm sure others have tackled similar issues with making AP work in tight suburban settings, as well as in creating greenhouses intended to be permanent improvements to residential properties. I'd welcome your comments, insights, and chuckles.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Linda Logan on December 26, 2012 at 5:40pm

No technical advise but I agree a lot more interesting than golf

Permalink Reply by Two Jay on December 26, 2012 at 7:12pm

Sounds like an interesting project, we are looking to do something similar here on our property with 2 duplexes. Good luck with your project, keep us posted on your progress.

Permalink Reply by k edmonds on December 27, 2012 at 8:52am

Like your post. Maybe consider using Insulated Concrete Forms for your outer shell instead of block. I build with these and there is not a better way to construct a structure that is both safe and also provide for constant temperature control.

A new product that we are beginning to use is called Gigacrete and replaces traditional stucco applications. This product looks like stucco but has ceramic properties. It is much harder/stronger than traditional stucco. Meets code for both interior and exterior applications.

Permalink Reply by Linda Logan on December 27, 2012 at 3:10pm

I did some looking around on GIgacrete. What an amazing product. I plan to put in some dry wall in my downstairs (all fake wood paneling from the 60's) and this would be a great way to go. How did you find someone to do your construction with this?

Permalink Reply by Phil Kabza on December 27, 2012 at 7:22pm

K: The ICFs are a great suggestion. I'll have to work with what the builder can economically use, and the rest of the house is CMU + a common stucco-like thincoat system. But I do need to insulate the north wall. I'm also looking at specialty split CMUs with XPS insulation board in the centers. Gigacrete is new to me; headed to Google.

Permalink Reply by Phil Kabza on December 27, 2012 at 7:41pm

Linda: Regarding constructing the solar greenhouse: I used to design and build solar greenhouses, and am now talking a semi-custom residential builder/developer into building one for me. I'm working on finding a subcontractor that will handle the glazing and glazing framing for the builder, as it is not a typical residential system and not familiar to them.

I haven't pursued the Gigacrete yet; I'm researching it and have contacted the manufacturer. We research building products for a living. I'm not sure it is that much different from other cementitious coating systems available in the marketplace; I'll know more later and comment here. I would think that for an interior application, a gypsum finishing compound skim coat would be much easier to apply, with many people around who know how to work with that. Not a DIY application, unless you keep the lights on low.

Linda Logan said:

I did some looking around on GIgacrete. What an amazing product. I plan to put in some dry wall in my downstairs (all fake wood paneling from the 60's) and this would be a great way to go. How did you find someone to do your construction with this?

Permalink Reply by Phil Kabza on July 4, 2013 at 8:44pm

Update: Progress: We've purchased an existing house in the development. Architectural committee is good with the sketches I've shown of the cart garage-to-greenhouse conversion. Next will be getting the building code official okay with it. Talking with a polycarbonate sheet manufacturer (who has Florida building code approvals) about selecting the proper sheets and the glazing clamping system needed for the high wind design - they have a greenhouse expert that can help answer my questions about selecting glazing. Many structural issues to solve in the cart garage - it wasn't designed for what I plan to do. But I'm reading everything I can find to prepare for tackling this. Building an all new greenhouse would be a piece of cake by comparison.