CRETA Group

In the Arabian Gulf summer, greenhouse production faces sustained heat that can require cooling systems to run continuously. In many arid settings, the most common approach relies on evaporating water to reduce air temperature, converting scarce water into vapor as an operating requirement.

CRETA Group is advancing an approach that targets water use associated with temperature control in protected agriculture. The solution is intended to reduce overall farm water demand through more efficient climate management, aligning with Al Miyah Challenge for Agriculture’s focus on innovations that can be tested and proven in the field, then deployed and scaled. Protected agriculture can raise yields and improve reliability, yet in hyper-arid climates it often depends on cooling systems that consume water continuously. Many efficiency efforts have improved irrigation delivery, while cooling-related water use has remained a major load in greenhouse operations. In Gulf conditions, evaporative cooling can require approximately 8 to 15 liters per square meter per day during peak summer. When cooling represents a major share of total water use, resource planning becomes more difficult for growers and operators. In water-scarce regions, that dynamic can increase pressure on groundwater supplies and raise operating costs, particularly during periods of extreme heat.

CRETA Group advances an approach that reduces water use tied to temperature control in protected agriculture. The work supports Al Miyah Challenge for Agriculture’s objective to accelerate field tested, scalable innovations that improve agricultural water productivity in water scarce conditions.

CRETA is advancing a physics-based approach to greenhouse cooling that focuses on infrastructure and design, reducing dependence on water-intensive cooling methods. The approach draws on a stable feature of arid environments. At a depth of around 3.0 to 3.5 meters, soil temperature can remain relatively steady at approximately 25 to 26°C across the year, even when outdoor temperatures rise above 48 to 50°C.

In practical terms, hot desert air is pulled through underground channels at roughly 3.5 meters depth. As air moves through these channels, heat transfers into the surrounding soil mass. The preconditioned air then enters a dual-shell greenhouse structure, a “Mother Greenhouse,” intended to buffer thermal load before air reaches the crop zone.

Instead of attempting to cool the entire internal air volume uniformly, conditioned airflow is directed to stabilize the crop microclimate closer to the canopy and root environment. Energy demand remains limited to controlled airflow, supported by variable-speed fans and sensor-informed operation. Extending underground travel time improves heat exchange during peak hours, delivering cooling benefits without resorting to high-energy mechanical cooling. Most greenhouse cooling relies on either water or power. Evaporative cooling lowers temperature but consumes water continuously. Mechanical chillers avoid cooling water use but typically require significant electricity. CRETA’s approach enables zero cooling water with lower energy requirements by reducing heat load before it builds up inside the greenhouse, using subsurface heat exchange and greenhouse architecture as part of the thermal strategy.