On Friday 18 January 2013, the official opening of the new-build project Beijing Florascape Co. Ltd, established at Beijing Flowerport (China), took place. Principal Florascape is the largest producer of various types of planting in and around Beijing. It is a very innovative and hyper-modern project with a total size of 2.5 ha. for the purposes of Research & Development.

Photo of the delegation after official opening of Beijing Florascape. Far left Mr Zhou Qiang (Dushi Green) and fifth from left Rob Grootscholten (The Bom Group)

In recent years, the Bom Group has brought into being a joint venture with Shanghai Dushi Green Engineering Co. Ltd, one of China’s most prominent greenhouse-building companies. Within this cooperation, knowledge and market developments in various fields are shared. One activity here is that the front-rank Dutch technological knowledge and quality in the field of greenhouse construction, glazing and screen systems are being marketed by Dushi Green in China.

Florascape Project

In September 2010, in cooperation with Dushi Green, the first contacts were made with client Beijing Florascape. As well as an approx 1.2 ha Venlo greenhouse with glass roof, the project consisted of approx 1 ha greenhouse that was to be constructed in double-layer F-Clean (EFTE). To apply this material, an entirely new greenhouse concept had to be developed. The said concept was developed independently by The Bom Group, AGC Green-Tech (Japan) being consulted as regards the F-Clean.

Permanent exhibition area where different type of plants are shown.

Glance in one of the sections of the F-Clean greenhouse

Double-layer F-Clean greenhouse

The section with double-layer F-Clean, which has a diffuse inner layer, is continuously inflated into cushions by an inflation system. The powder-coated construction of the greenhouse has a 12.80 m truss, featuring two bays 6.40 m wide. This greenhouse – which also has an external screen – features aluminium gutters and galvanised steel powder-coated roof bars. The roof features continuous roof vents on both sides, and the exhibition area has a Max-Air system.

End gable equipped with inflation system for double layered F-Clean.

F-Clean greenhouse (double layered) with left continuous ventilation window (separate cushion) and outside screening.

F-Clean greenhouse with on top an outside screening system.

Glass greenhouse with Ecotec roof system

The glass part of the project (1.2 ha in size) consists of a Venlo greenhouse designed with 12.80 m truss construction (three bays of 4.27 m), column height 6.00 m, section size 5.00 m. This greenhouse also features an external screen system, for which special aluminium gutters were developed, these being suitable for the use of a greenhouse roof cleaner. The roof is equipped with an Ecotec glazing system from the Bom Group, produced under licence by Shanghai Dushi Green. The sections feature single-sided continuous ventilation (mounted alternately in each bay) and the Internetting insect mesh system developed by Bom. In all greenhouses, double screen systems are installed, featuring the ABS system, also designed by Bom. Thermopane double glazing (17 mm) has been installed in the outer walls as the local temperature in the winter can be very low.

Glass greenhouse provided with continuous ventilation windows with Bom “Inter-netting” netting system and ABS screening systems.

Corridor/service area

Between the F-Clean greenhouse and the glass greenhouse there is a corridor 8.54 m wide, with pad walls erected on both sides. The project obtains its heat supply from a geothermal source present on the site, which supplies the entire area of Beijing Flowerport with geothermal heat. At the head of the project, a service area has been built, comprising a single span of width 22.60 m implemented in trusses and covered with 100 mm thick sandwich panels which are mounted like a Holland-style sandwich roof.

Corridor between the glass greenhouse (left) and the F-Clean greenhouse (right) with Pad-walls on both sides.

Mini Seminar

During the official opening, at which all the suppliers and participants who had contributed to the project were present, a mini seminar was organised in the afternoon. During this, all the companies were given the opportunity to put their latest developments in the spotlight and present their businesses.

NERCPA project

Presently, Shanghai Dushi Green is realising a demonstration project approx 2.5 ha in size on

Chongming Island off Shanghai. This project is entirely fitted into a kind of Agropark, where all facets of modern glass horticulture may be exhibited at a practical scale. In the greenhouses, which are designed with different section types, as well as strawberries, various types of vegetable will be cultivated, and the raising of these vegetables will also be arranged independently. The greenhouses were developed and engineered in cooperation with the The Bom Group and the whole project will be complete in mid-2013. We will come back to this in more detail in due course.

Project NERCPA under construction on Chongming Island (Shanghai) with Twinlight® substructure.