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Micro-Project: Building an earth-sheltered-greenhouse
In the permaculture park the gardener decided to build a twelve meter long earth-sheltered greenhouse. I was not directly involved in the design process but I always received the current information about the process.
The implementation of the earth-sheltered greenhouse started in May. In this project I am in the role of an active support person. Furthermore I am taking a jointly leadership-role in supporting the group.
To read more about earth-sheltered-greenhouses, the design of our greenhouse and my Experience Report with Reflection please take a look at the Supporting Evidence.
This micro-project is a classical example for the Action Learning cycle, both for the greenhouse implementation and the group process which goes with it.
Often the first step of an Action Learning cycle is a plan of what needs to be done, how to implement it in the best way and what the next steps are. Each morning we discussed the plans for the day as well as during the day when we needed to do something differently than we had planned. Then follows the Action part in which the plans are carried out. At the end of the day or a building process we reflected about what happened, what went well and what was challenging.
After the reflecting phase a learning phase might come. This is a phase which was mostly neglected by us and we have to expand it in the next building phases. The learning phase asks about the why (Why success? Why failure?). Based on the learnings further plans can be made for how to go on in the next days and trials. The cycle starts from new with a plan.
Fig.: Cross-section of earth-sheltered greenhouse with ventilation system (left) and vaulted earth cellar (right)
My primary achievements
- Being part of a semi-professional building site
- Being part of the group as a jointly responsible person for the group process
- Practical skills: Start building a vaulted cellar and connect theory and action with active experimentation by figuring out how to build a planking
Personal outcomes
- I became more aware of the power of groups
Professional outcomes
- experience of basic processes at a building site
- knowledge in earth-sheltered greenhouses (practical experience and theory)
- building site needs to be well planned: inexperienced persons need a lot of care (explanation) and big groups need a good coordination
Political and Patrix effects
- professional earth-sheltered greenhouse shows the public and other farmers a future-compliant way to produce food in a temperate climate by using passive solar techniques
Principle outcomes summarized
- innovative, future-compliant building which needs careful planning; good coordination and instructions for participants
Next steps
- plan the implementation for the second workshop carefully
- provide content for external participants
New goals
- a productive and well-planned second building workshop
- reach the implementation goal of the greenhouse, so that we are on time
- work more consciously with the Action Learning cycle
- being an active support person by taking a jointly leadership-role in accompanying the group