A modular Arctic greenhouse, designed to be copied.

A modular, climate-adapted reference greenhouse for Arctic and sub-Arctic conditions, with integrated thermal energy storage from the first sketch. Polycarbonate cladding and a steel frame, dimensioned for −45 °C and wind loads up to 44 m/s. Designed to be built and operated locally — a replicable starting point, not a bespoke one-off.

Inside: a soft-winter testbed for low-light-tolerant crops. Leafy crops and herbs first; year-round production is the long-term scaling target, not the starting point.

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Why a reference design

A reference design scales; a bespoke prototype does not.

If the design works in South Greenland, local builders elsewhere can use the same CAD, calculations and material specs. Materials can be specified against known standards. Local trades can build it.

Arctic Ilua builds on the principles behind the north Chinese passive solar greenhouses — a tradition that has produced fresh vegetables through cold winters without active heating for decades — and on more recent Canadian and Nordic work on cold-climate greenhouses.

We are re-engineering these principles for Arctic and sub-Arctic conditions: lower sun angles, polar darkness, gale-force winds and snow loads that no existing solar greenhouse was designed for.

From South Greenland the model is intended to extend across the Arctic — Iceland, Faroes, Alaska, northern Canada, Svalbard.

Sketches of north Chinese passive solar greenhouse principles — North Chinese passive solar greenhouse principles: south-facing light, heavy thermal mass and a protected rear wall. Source image: Low-tech Magazine.

Design principles

The envelope, the frame, the climate it sees.

CladdingPolycarbonate panels, dimensioned for Arctic snow loads

StructureModular steel frame, assembled on site

Modular footprint100 m² base module, scaled to 300 m²

Climate envelope−45 °C and 44 m/s wind

CultivationLow-light-tolerant crops — leafy crops and herbs first

Operation targetSoft-winter prototype; year-round production is the scaling target

Thermal energy storageIntegrated thermal energy storage (e.g. sand battery)

Light & energyPassive light optimisation + partner-sourced energy supply

Engineered with a specialist engineering partner — formal agreement being completed; announcement on signature.

(placeholder: Technical drawing TYPE-002 — modular footprint plan + cross-section showing cladding, frame and thermal mass interface)

Open by default

All drawings, calculations and supplier specifications published openly.

We publish everything on GitHub once Phase 1 is complete — so others can adapt the design without licensing or royalty.

See the full open-source policy →

Status & next steps

Where the work stands.

Concept phaseEngineering partnership activeDetail design under wayConstruction: Phase 2 (2027)

Phase 1 (engineering & permitting) runs to mid-2027. Construction begins in Phase 2 once the reference design is locked.

Help fund the reference design