A few weeks from now, we will be starting work at Ter Laak Orchids in Wateringen. That’s no big news in itself, of course, but this will be one of the most innovative greenhouses in the Netherlands: the Daylight Greenhouse, a concept that is built by Technokas from De Lier.
A few years ago, the first 4,000-square-metre Daylight Greenhouse was built at Ter Laak, making them the first user of this unique greenhouse concept. Which is hardly surprising. As the company themselves say, they are ‘fully committed to corporate social responsibility’.
They went to ErfGoed for the floor. As Richard Ter Laak said at the time: ‘ErfGoed has an excellent reputation in the horticulture branch. If you want the best product, you must also work with the best people. And when it comes to floors, that means ErfGoed.’
The Daylight Greenhouse ensures that more natural light is used and that heat is harvested. That maximises energy savings and, according to Richard Ter Laak, improves plant quality enormously: ‘The results are good. We achieve better plant and root quality, stronger crops and a faster transition to the next cultivation phase. In addition, we save 50% on energy.’
“We achieve better plant and root quality, stronger crops and a faster transition to the next cultivation phase”
In the meantime, the company has decided to build another Daylight Greenhouse. This time covering an area of more than five hectares! Once again, Ter Laak has opted for an ErfGoed Floor®. And that is something we are quite proud of here at ErfGoed.
Obviously, I understand that the focus in a building project of this kind is primarily on all the innovations at the top of the greenhouse. After all, they are in plain sight and new. Even so, the floor also plays a crucial role when it comes to saving energy, water and fertilisers, and creating the best possible growing and working conditions. In other words, an innovative roof must have an innovative floor!
When I visit clients and describe the structure of our cultivation floors and the benefits they bring, it makes me realise again how innovative and forward-thinking our floors really are. And also that we always need to deliver tailored solutions. For example, at Ter Laak, we included some concrete drains to capture and remove dirt and grease (from the bark).
We do this because we want to further sustainable horticulture. By developing cultivation floors that provide significantly higher returns but also take people and the environment into account. If you are interested or have ideas about how to make things better, please email me!
