Life cycle assessment (LCA) on three types of greenhouses construction

To determine the extent and the maximum impact factors of the greenhouse construction on the environment, this paper assessed the environment impacts of three types greenhouses construction by using the LCA. The results showed: the greenhouse building mainly impacted the environment in the mineral depletion, fossil fuel depletion, global warming and photochemical smog. The building materials production phase was the major impact stage which account to 90%. The impact types were varied according to the greenhouses. In general, according to the service life of various greenhouse, the environment impacts of unit area per year of the Venlo-type greenhouse was minimum which were fossil fuel depletion, mineral depletion, global warming, acidification, photochemical smog and the dust. The fresh water depletion, wood depletion, eutrophication and the solid waste of brick-wall steel-frame solar greenhouse had the minimum effect on enviroment in the construction. But the environment impacts of the brick-wall steel-frame solar greenhouse construction was most severe considering the weighting of the impact types. Those results provide the methods to assess the resource depletion and environment impact and the consultation to select the building materials for greenhouse.