Our Vision: Efficient Greenhouse Design
Ceres was founded in 2011 with the goal of designing the most energy efficient greenhouse design solutions.
Fast forward 12 years and Ceres has expanded its commitments to designing sustainable systems for growing food to bring technology, data, and well resourced partnerships together in order to offer “whole solutions” to our clients.
We recognize that beyond providing a well designed facility, we must bring together appropriate technologies, natural solutions and focused data in order to maintain systems that both consider the environment and make financial sense.
Beyond the best engineering we must make sure that our solutions land in the hands of those who need access to them. Access to fresh and healthy food is a basic right, and no matter how well designed a system is, it is only as good as it is useful.
"Designing for a better future"
Our vision as a greenhouse company is to design for the future. To always put our clients’ needs first. And to always think about our impact.
Who is Ceres?
Inspired by the Roman Goddess of Agriculture, Ceres is a company devoted to growing plants. Our core team consists of Engineers, Architects, Builders, Plant Experts, Designers, and Tinkerers.
Our Internal Commitments
We are a company made up of leaders. It is our belief that providing ownership to our employees allows for natural leadership, care for our vision and commitments, and internal mutual reciprocity to flourish.
We work together to make sure all of our voices are heard. That both internal and external decisions are made equitably. That we listen to our clients. That we remain assertive, nimble, and always open to new and better solutions.
Our External Focus
One of our primary commitments is bringing efficient greenhouse design to schools and non-profits that aim to help students and others both learn about greenhouses and Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) solutions, as well as provide food for their fellow students or communities.
Proprietary Technology and Data
We use our own technologies to optimize renewable energy solutions. It is our goal as an efficient greenhouse design company to leverage appropriate technologies in order to increase our greenhouse yields, our clients profits, and keep energy costs at a minimum.
Using Our Voice
We aim to use our blog as a platform to both help our growers learn more about how to grow as effectively as possible, and to amplify our commitments to the core tenets of our vision: food access, sustainable growing solutions, and renewable energy solutions.
Meet the Team
Marc Plinke
Founder/Chief Innovation Officer
Marc is an inventor-innovator who started his career as a chemical and process engineer working for Gore Technologies. When he landed in Boulder, CO, he retrofitted his family’s 1950’s ranch house into a “beyond-net-zero-energy home.” That experience led him into his second career in greenhouse building design. He has spent the past decade applying his engineering mindset and expertise to building better and more energy-efficient greenhouses. After helping build a state-of-the-art commercial greenhouse funded by the Colorado Department of Agriculture, Marc started Ceres with the intention of enabling people to grow their own food sustainably and year-round. Marc’s passion is his family and his belief in leaving the world a better place for his children.