In 2015 Ceres became involved in a student-led design project at Pomfret School, in which students of a science class taught by Bill Martin used engineering-design thinking to envision a passive solar greenhouse for their school. The goal was to design and build an educational greenhouse space where future students could build and operate aquaponic…
Before 2019, teachers at Saugerties High School - located in Saugerties, New York - held outdoor classes in the school’s garden. There was heightened interest in more opportunities for hands-on learning, so a few visionary individuals engaged Ceres to design a 30’x50’ HighYield™ educational greenhouse. Constructed in the months leading up to the pandemic, the…
Written by Coach, Ceres Designer Marina Gieres Wageningen University & Research hosted the second edition of the Urban Greenhouse Challenge and we participated as the coach of the Skygardeners. The Challenge Trends in urban growth present opportunities as well as challenges when it comes to the environment and our food systems. Many cities are starting…
The importance of all aspects of higher education in creating alternative forms of sustainable agriculture for a smarter workforce and a healthier economy There is a common misconception that farmers are uneducated and that farming is a lowly career choice. How do we reconcile this misguided idea with the growing movement toward an even more…
Project Timeline and Updates provided by Pomfret School teacher Bill Martin. In the summer of 2017 construction of an 850 sq. ft. Ceres greenhouse was completed, a milestone in an endeavor to design and build a year-round aquaponic solar greenhouse to house the Helios Project at Pomfret School in Pomfret, Connecticut. The Helios Project’s…
In the spring of 2017, the Ceres residential design team collaborated with a passionate environmental science professor at Allegheny College in Pennsylvania to integrate Soliculture photovoltaic roof panels into our 12x16 DIY greenhouse design. The goal was to create an energy efficient campus greenhouse that produced its own electricity and enhanced the incoming light spectrum…
Building a year-round school greenhouse is a significant endeavor. Using passive solar greenhouse design, the north wall is insulated, and glazing slopes strategically to maximize solar gain and reduce the dependence on fossil fuels. The structure is engineered for any snow or wind load, making a durable greenhouse much like building a commercial building project.…
Greenhouses for schools create hands-on classrooms where math and science projects can unfold. They teach students how to grow food while simultaneously providing a healthy source of nutritious vegetables for school meals. They can also become an integral part of the community. At The Pomfret School aquaponic greenhouse, for example, students grow food both for…
“What’s that white stuff? “Roots!” And so proceeded the conversation between two second graders at Vail Mountain School about that hidden elemental part of the plant. Despite the chilly November afternoon that existed outside, this exchange occurred in a warm sunny greenhouse attached to the school. Instead of seeing a pictures in a textbook, these second…
