Cooler Greenhouses, Lower Costs: UC Davis’ New Film Technology

A new technology out of UC Davis could help California growers tackle one of the toughest challenges in greenhouse farming: keeping crops cool without wasting water or power. Engineers there have developed a multilayer “Cool-Cover” film that reflects heat-producing infrared light while still letting through the sunlight plants need for photosynthesis.

Greenhouses are already known for boosting yields, but in hot regions like the Central Valley, they can easily overheat. Traditional cooling methods rely on fans or evaporative systems that guzzle electricity and water. Shade cloths help with heat, but they also block the very light crops need to thrive.

The new film, built from layers of zinc oxide, calcium fluoride, and silver, was designed using advanced simulations. Tests suggest it can cut near-infrared heat by nearly 90% while still allowing more than half the photosynthetically active radiation through. Models show that in places like Fresno, this could slash water and energy use with only a slight dip in yields. As the researchers put it, “The tradeoff of water and power savings against yield is critical to consider.”

Next up, the team is working with Lawrence Berkeley National Lab to produce a version of the coating, and a provisional patent has already been filed.