Wageningen University & Research (WUR) is one of the top-ranking agricultural universities in the world, where important crop science research and experiments are conducted in their greenhouse complex Unifarm. The research aims to improve life, higher crop productivity, healthier food, and sustainable production systems. To keep the leading position of WUR, the Unifarm greenhouse complex needs to be renewed, by building a new complex applying the highest level of technology. Through a European tender process Bosman Van Zaal, as a highly experienced research greenhouse designer, manufacturer and builder, has been chosen as the contractor to build phase 1 of the new plant research complex, which will be built in four phases in the period 2019-2025.
In 2019 Bosman Van Zaal will start phase 1 of the 4, which consists of a greenhouse of 4,000 m2, divided into 63 compartments varying in size from 16 to 50 m2, each separately controlled. The compartments are equipped with an access lock, heating and cooling and under- or overpressure. We build the technical installations outside the cultivation areas so that maintenance and repairs can be carried out safely and properly. The assimilation lighting will be prepared for the latest development in the field of LED supplemental lighting.
From 2020 to 2025, phases 2 to 4 will take place, covering a greenhouse area of 10,000 m2 and consisting of 80 compartments. These include insect cultivation, tropical collection, potato breeding, short-day cultivation and substrate cultivation. In addition, a special greenhouse will be built for plant phenotyping.
During construction, Bosman Van Zaal will work closely with the WUR-Unifarm team to ensure that education and research are not hindered and delayed by the construction activities, and we will exclude (construction) technical risks so that WUR can carry out optimal trials under fully controlled conditions. Above all, we are realising an energy-saving new building, with double glazing, maximum light penetration and a low-temperature network in combination with heat/cold storage, and all-electric. In this way, WUR maintains their leading position as an educational and research university worldwide.