At Prospiant, we specialize in commercial greenhouse design and construction—from concept to completion.

When we design a gorgeous greenhouse for a client, our number one priority is ensuring the space meets and exceeds their needs.

We work with growers at each stage of the greenhouse design and construction process to guarantee their commercial greenhouse will foster plant growth, protect plants from the elements, increase potential yields, and so much more.

What We Offer:

We help growers of all sizes make their greenhouse vision a reality with:

• Design, engineering* and construction of custom greenhouses for produce growers, ornamental flower growers, nursery growers, and retail garden centers. 
• Institutional greenhouse design and construction for schools, universities, and public botanical gardens.
• Greenhouse renovation and restoration, or repair of damaged greenhouses

Whether our clients are interested in one of our standard greenhouse designs or are considering a customized option, our in-house experts can help you make practical and profitable decisions for your operation.

With experience in contracting services, site surveying, construction, and permitting, Prospiant can be your one-stop shop for all things relating to commercial greenhouse design and construction.

Planning Your Commercial Greenhouse Design and Construction Project

Planning is a vital part of successful greenhouse construction. The better you plan, the better your results. Whether major factors include site location or opportunities for future expansion, it is crucial to understand as much as possible about your business’s needs. 

While you can make certain decisions on the fly, others need to be made before primary construction begins.

Any decision that would affect the greenhouse’s size, style, and location should be made before construction begins.

Here’s what you should know before you break ground:

• How much investment capital do you have available?
• What plants/crops do you plan to grow? (vegetables, flowers, herbs, etc.)
• Would you like to cultivate year-round or seasonally?
• How do you plan on growing your plants? (pots, hydroponically, flats, etc.)
• What growing media do you plan to use? (soil, compost, soilless mix, water/propagation, etc.)
• What other greenhouse accessories do you need? (greenhouse benches, greenhouse tables, greenhouse shelving units, etc.)
• How much space do you think you will need?
• How do you plan on selling your plants? (wholesale, retail, etc.)
• Is eventual expansion something you’re interested in?

Choosing the Right Site for a Commercial Greenhouse

Surrounding Environment

For most commercial greenhouse construction projects, you’ll want at least a 2-acre plot of land—for the greenhouse, parking, storage, and room for expansion.

The ground soil at your site is an essential factor to consider. If you break ground on a site with rich and well-draining soil, you can later use that soil within your growing operation.

Locations near major roads and highways can also be beneficial for both retail and wholesale commercial operations.

Retail businesses near significant roads are much more likely to see an influx of visitors. As for wholesale companies, a location near a highway can be helpful when you consider the potential for heavy truck traffic. 

Locate your operation in an area that can receive ample amounts of sunlight. Without sunlight, greenhouse cultivation is nearly impossible.

Typically, commercial greenhouses benefit from full sun, especially in cooler months when sunlight is less powerful. It is always easier to shade plants that receive too much sun exposure rather than having to artificially light plants that do not receive enough.

Retractable shade cloth systems can be an excellent addition to your commercial greenhouse for cultivating both sun-loving and shade-loving plants.

Utilities

Utilities are a significant factor when it comes to commercial greenhouse design and construction. Even though a greenhouse largely relies on the sun as an energy source, other necessary utilities like electricity and water should be considered. 

Many factors determine the amount of water necessary for successful commercial cultivation. Some of these factors include:

• Location/Climate
• Type of irrigation systems
• Type of plants/crops grown

Sometimes, testing is necessary to ensure your water supply doesn’t contain contaminants like sediments, irregular pH measurements, chemicals, etc. While all water sources likely contain some impurities, certain ones can be highly harmful to your plants.

Common Types of Greenhouse Plans

Even-Span Greenhouse

An even-span greenhouse is a common structure type. Even-span greenhouses are single-room structures with an even-pitched roof. 

Uneven-Span Greenhouse

While uncommon, uneven-span greenhouses are similar to even-span greenhouses. The main difference between the two types is that in an uneven-span greenhouse, the structure’s roof pitches are uneven and often have different widths. Typically, uneven-span greenhouses are built on hillsides.

Retractable-Roof Greenhouse

Retractable-roof greenhouses feature a roof system with motorized panels that can open and close, either partially or fully. Growers use them to harden off plants and reduce reliance on supplemental light or ventilation.

These types of greenhouses allow growers to use natural elements for plant steering and conditioning. Growers use them to harden off plants and reduce reliance on supplemental light or ventilation.

Greenhouse frames that allow for opened ceilings also allow for increased light levels as there is no medium the sun rays have to shine through.

Complementary Facilities for Commercial Greenhouses

Most cultivation operations that use greenhouses have other facilities nearby that serve different purposes, for example:

Shadehouses

Shadehouses are designed just like greenhouses but covered entirely with shade cloth material. These cloths protect shade-loving plants from direct sunlight and heat. 

Headhouses

Growers use headhouses for many different purposes, particularly for aspects of cultivation that do not need to take place inside the actual greenhouse. Some uses for a headhouse include:

• Equipment storage 
• Office space
• Potting areas

Sometimes headhouses are structured like greenhouses, allowing for light transmission. Other times, headhouses are designed like garages and warehouses using metal decking. 

Commercial Greenhouse Design: Insights on Your Interior

When you purchase a commercial greenhouse from Prospiant, there are a number of items you need to think about before going through the design and construction process.

Benches

Our greenhouse benches come in portable and stationary options. Portable benches are great for those who want to consistently change up the flow and floor plan within their greenhouse, such as in a retail garden center.

Stationary benches can be placed in rows, and rows of continuous greenhouse benches are ideal for space maximization within retail greenhouses.

Growers can also utilize benches for research applications, plug growing, standard plant cultivation, and much more!

Greenhouse Tables

Tables for greenhouses perform the same functions as their greenhouse bench counterparts, with the primary difference being available surface area.

Greenhouse tables are often longer, wider, and further from the ground. They are another popular option for retail greenhouses as they allow for easy product displays and simple floor plan possibilities. 

Shelving Racks

Greenhouse racks are another versatile growing and display solution. With greenhouse shelving racks, you can fully maximize your greenhouse space, as the possibility of floor-to-ceiling plant storage becomes achievable.

A three-tier greenhouse rack can provide triple the amount of space compared to a greenhouse bench of the same size.

While these racks are great for space maximization, they are less common in retail applications as many business owners often gravitate to more open and easily accessible floor plans. 

Greenhouse Flooring Options

There is a wide variety of flooring options out there for commercial greenhouses. With so many different types of greenhouse flooring available, making a decision about which is best for your space can be challenging.

The top greenhouse flooring options include:

• Concrete Slab Greenhouse Flooring: An ideal greenhouse floor option is a poured concrete floor. An insulated concrete floor could be even more beneficial. Concrete surfaces also make it easy to move plants around the greenhouse with rolling carts and equipment.
  
  Concrete foundations are easy to walk on, and if the floors are correctly poured, they will drain away any excess water. Concrete floors also reflect light while retaining heat. The material is also easy to clean, so you can quickly sweep up and keep your commercial greenhouse tidy.
  
• Sloped Concrete Flooring: Concrete floors that are either slightly sloped from on bay to the next or raised in the middle help direct water toward floor drains. This setup makes it easy to manage runoff and just as easy to clean and sanitize the surface.

• Vinyl Greenhouse Flooring: Commercial vinyl flooring is becoming quite popular in the greenhouse world. This durable and stylish flooring option comes in many different styles, allowing you to get the perfect look for your space.
  
  Vinyl flooring for a greenhouse is virtually effortless to clean. All you need is a simple broom and mop to keep the floors looking as good as they did on install day. 
  
• Brick Greenhouse Flooring: Bricks are porous and can be great for flooring in a greenhouse. Considering how effectively brick can absorb water, it is also a material that can help you keep humidity levels just right.
  
  When you install brick flooring, use a material that provides utility while also looking pleasing to the eye. As a business owner, if you plan on bringing prospective clients, customers, or partners to your space, you can rest assured that your floors will look professional while remaining functional.
  
• Gravel over Landscape Fabric: You can use several inches of gravel by itself for greenhouse flooring, but you must pull weeds by hand or spray them with an herbicide. A ground cover or landscape fabric laid down first provides a weed barrier and still allows for good drainage.
  
  One challenge with any type of gravel flooring, however, is the difficulty of sweeping and cleaning the floor for sanitation.

The End-to-End Process of Commercial Greenhouse Design and Construction

Commercial greenhouse design and construction involves more than just building a structure—it’s a detailed process that requires thoughtful planning and design, the right team, and compliance with local codes.

From the first site walk to the final inspection, every step matters to ensure your greenhouse performs efficiently and grows with your operation.

Choosing the Right Team

The success of your commercial greenhouse starts with selecting the right greenhouse construction professionals.

You’ll need an architect who understands greenhouse-specific codes and workflows, a general contractor with greenhouse construction experience, and a reliable MEP team (mechanical, electrical, plumbing).

Prospiant supports this process by supplying all the structural documentation your design team needs for permits and project approval.

Site Evaluation and Structure Selection

Location plays a major role in commercial greenhouse design and construction. Site factors like climate, wind and snow loads, and zoning rules all affect the type of structure and foundation you’ll need.

A solid plan should include room for expansion, accessibility to utilities, and space for complementary buildings like headhouses and storage.

Step-by-Step Greenhouse Construction

Once plans are approved, greenhouse construction moves quickly:

• Workers prepare the site and lay a strong foundation (concrete is preferred for cleanliness and drainage).
• Crews then install columns, trusses, and greenhouse coverings like polycarbonate or glass.
• Next, they add internal systems such as shading, insect screening, ventilation, supplemental lighting, and irrigation.
• They also connect plumbing, electrical, and mechanical equipment.

Using prefabricated trusses and proper load calculations helps ensure your greenhouse meets regional and local code and permitting requirements and performs reliably under all conditions.

Timelines and Final Inspections

A standard commercial greenhouse design and construction timeline ranges from three to six months, depending on size, complexity, and weather.

Expect a few weeks for proposal design, followed by engineered drawings, material production, installation, and final inspections.

At the end of the process, you’ll receive a Certificate of Occupancy and be ready to grow.

How Prospiant Can Help with Your Greenhouse Plan

If any questions cross your mind, always feel free to reach out to us at Prospiant and get more information whenever you need it.

Our expert staff is knowledgeable on all thing’s commercial greenhouse design and construction. They’re more than happy to talk you through the process!

Frequently Asked Questions