'Smart' greenhouse nabs Yukoner prize for innovation

A Yukon inventorhas won this year's Yukon Innovation Prizeto help develop his concept for agreenhouse intended to extend the northern growing season.

Maxime Dugre-Sassevillewas announced the winner of the $60,000 cash prizeon Wednesday. He was selected from a shortlist of four, which was announced in April. The prize is sponsored by Cold Climate Innovation centre at Yukon Collegeand the Yukon government.

"I thought my idea was a winning idea. I was confident," Dugre-Sassevillesaid. "I gave it all that I got, and it paid off."

His idea is to develop a "smart" thermodynamic greenhouse that automatically responds to changes in temperature. Solar panels heat an underground pool of water beneath the structureand plantingbeds inside are built like mini greenhouses that can be heated individually during colder months.

"Since we can actually tweak the temperature into the planting beds, we can actually open up to more heat-loving plants.

"It's all about heat exchange. We're conserving what we can get from the environment and then we're alsoenhancing the gain with a heating system," he said.

The greenhouse is meant to be "self-operating", he said, using only solar energy.

Dugre-Sasseville says his design is more efficient than a standard greenhouseand could be used eight to 12 months of the year, in Northern communities.

The prize money will help him develop a prototype "our flagship for commercialization" and prepare his concept for market. He hopes to sell customized greenhouses to both the commercial and residential markets, for prices comparable to standard greenhouses.

He's hoping to have his prototype perfected within three years.