A polyhouse is a type of greenhouse that uses polyethylene to cover the roof and/or sides of the building to let natural light in.
Using a clear material to let natural light in reduces the need for artificial light and creates heat inside of the structure. This allows plants to continue growing even when it’s cold outside.
A polyhouse is typically smaller than a greenhouse. It’s a popular choice because it costs less to build than a glass greenhouse does.
Because polyhouse farming is a type of indoor farming, it comes with many of the same benefits such as limiting pests, year-round growing, bigger yields and making it easier to be 100% organic.
Polyhouses are cheaper to start with, but permanent structures like greenhouses are not.
Both polyhouses and greenhouses can be naturally ventilated or environmentally controlled. If they’re naturally ventilated, it simply has a ventilation system to let out hot air and let in cool air, to keep temperatures ideal. If they’re environmentally controlled, they have systems that control air temperature like an air conditioning unit, humidity, carbon dioxide etc.
Depending on location, season and crop type, many polyhouses do not need to give their crops artificial light.
Lastly, most commercially available polyfilm greenhouses will have a 4 year, 6 mil film on them. That means that the UV protection on the film is expected to last 4 years and the film is 6 mil thick. Now, that is if there is not any type of major damage to the film. It will tear under the right circumstances. But, you can count on the fact that you will always need to replace the covering at certain intervals.
