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A practical decision-gate method for testing a commercial greenhouse project before land, equipment or construction commitments.
CFGET original buyer tool
Commercial Greenhouse Project Feasibility Workbook
Free editable Excel workbook with 5 working sheets. No email is required. Save a controlled project copy before the team begins entering evidence.
A low structure price can make a weak greenhouse project look attractive. The trouble usually appears later: the water source cannot supply the peak hour, the market rejects the planned grade, the utility upgrade takes nine months, or the first crop needs working capital that was never included.
The decision is not “Can a greenhouse be built here?” A supplier can often design a structure for many locations. The useful question is whether this crop, market, site and operating plan can work together at a risk level the owner accepts.
Begin with the saleable product
Write down the customer, harvest window, grades, packaging and rejection rules before estimating production. Yield has little commercial meaning until the owner knows what portion may be sold, at what time and through which channel. A premium price should have evidence behind it, such as buyer discussions, seasonal price records or an off-take arrangement.
Then connect the commercial target to a crop and cultivar strategy. Crop spacing, crop work, pollination, trellising, root-zone design and harvest labor affect the structure and systems. They also affect the ramp-up period. A financial case that assumes full saleable output from the first cycle deserves another look.
Test the site as an operating system
Monthly climate averages are too smooth for equipment decisions. Obtain accepted hourly data and the local structural design basis. The same site review should cover land rights, approvals, flood paths, soil, access, water quality, peak water flow, electrical capacity, outage history and communications.
UMass Extension advises greenhouse operators to test irrigation water through a laboratory. The result needs crop and system interpretation; pH by itself does not describe alkalinity, salinity, individual ions or clogging risk. The workbook therefore records the report, reviewer and action rather than applying a universal pass mark.
Separate a supplier price from the project budget
| Cost group | What buyers often miss | Evidence to request |
|---|---|---|
| Greenhouse supply | Options, exclusions, controls subscriptions and commissioning limits | Clause-by-clause scope and deviation list |
| Owner works | Earthworks, foundations, utilities, drainage, access and permits | Local quantities and quotations tied to drawings |
| Operations | Labor, energy, water treatment, inputs, maintenance and spares | Stage-based operating budget and local rates |
| Crop ramp-up | Establishment time, early rejects, sales delay and working capital | Cash plan with a downside case |
Run downside cases for price, saleable yield, energy and delay. The workbook does not calculate a guaranteed return. It makes the assumptions visible so the owner can decide which claims need an agronomist, engineer, market adviser or financial reviewer.
How to use the five sheets
- Start Here: enter the project identity and watch the gate counts change as evidence is reviewed.
- Project Case: define the customer, crop, production system, capex boundary, operating boundary and decision being made now.
- Gate Review: answer 32 questions with Yes, No, Unknown or N/A. Add confidence, evidence, owner and due date.
- Decision Memo: record proceed, hold or stop, along with conditions that must be closed before RFQ, contract or construction.
- Sources: replace general references with the local code, weather data, laboratory report and controlled project documents.
A practical rule: do not turn Unknown into Yes because a meeting felt positive. Keep the gap visible and assign it. Early uncertainty is manageable. Hidden uncertainty becomes a change order.
Keep the completed workbook with the project’s controlled documents. You can also review the CFGET download library, greenhouse climate control options, irrigation and fertilization systems, and the commissioning and handover guide.
A CFGET project view to use with the workbook
Greenhouse ROI: What You Should Know gives the project team a visual reference. Watch for interfaces, access, equipment position and work sequence, then record project-specific findings in the workbook rather than treating the clip as a design specification.
Who prepared this workbook?
Frequently asked questions
Does a positive ROI spreadsheet prove feasibility?
No. It proves that a set of assumptions produces a result. Check the market, saleable yield, operating costs, utility constraints, schedule and working capital behind those assumptions.
Should the supplier complete the feasibility workbook?
The owner should control it. Suppliers can provide technical and commercial evidence, while market, legal, crop, utility and local approval inputs may come from other qualified parties.
When should a project move to RFQ?
Move to RFQ when the project basis is clear enough for suppliers to price the same requirement and all unresolved critical gates have owners, dates and an accepted treatment.
