CFD-Based Pre-Evaluation of a New Greenhouse Model for Climate Change Adaptation and High-Temperature Response

Global warming has intensified heat waves, severely threatening agricultural productivity and food security. In South Korea, heat waves have strengthened since the 1980s, often causing summer cooling demands far exceeding winter heating needs. Controlled-environment horticulture offers a vital alternative to open-field farming, yet conventional structures such as the Venlo type remain vulnerable to high-temperature stress. This study pre-evaluates the thermal performance of a high-height wide-type greenhouse, developed by the Rural Development Administration, using computational fluid dynamics and compares it with a conventional Venlo-type structure. Simulations under extreme summer conditions (35–45 °C) considered natural ventilation, fogging, fan coil units, and hybrid systems. Thermal indicators, including air and root-zone temperatures, were analyzed to assess crop-sustaining conditions. Results showed that natural ventilation alone failed to maintain suitable environments. The high-height wide-type greenhouse achieved lower and more uniform temperatures than the Venlo type. Fogging and fan coil systems provided moderate cooling, while the hybrid system achieved the greatest reductions. Overall, the high-height wide-type greenhouse, especially when integrated with hybrid cooling, effectively mitigates heat stress and enhances thermal uniformity, providing quantitative guidance for structural selection and cooling-system configuration in greenhouse design under extreme thermal conditions.