# Screening > Part of: [Greenhouse Horticulture](/greenhouse-horticulture.md) · Provider: [DutchGreenhouses](/) Screening draws movable cloth beneath the greenhouse roof to manage heat, light and humidity from one installation. The same cloth saves energy at night, tempers radiation by day and controls photoperiod on schedule, so the screen package a greenhouse needs follows its radiation and temperature profile rather than a standard specification. ## Facts | Property | Value | |---|---| | Screen gap above which insulation is lost | 5 % gap | | Screen gap sufficient for moisture removal | up to 2 % gap | | Firebreak support wire diameter | from 2.5 mm | | Firebreak support wire spacing | up to 4 m | | Apex seal spacing above a closed screen | 30–40 m | Technology # Screening & shading. One installation, three jobs: save energy, steer light, control humidity. Screens are, pound for pound, the most cost-effective climate installation in the greenhouse — a single moving cloth beneath the roof that does three quite different jobs depending on how and when it is deployed: it saves energy, it steers light, and it helps control humidity and radiation. Because one relatively inexpensive installation touches so many parts of the greenhouse’s energy and light balance, screening is very often where a project gets the best return on each euro invested. The three families each solve a different problem. Energy screens close at night to trap a still layer of air and dramatically cut heat loss through the roof — the fastest energy payback in greenhouse technology, and standard wherever heating is a significant cost. Shading and diffuse screens tame radiation peaks in bright or hot conditions, scattering harsh direct sun into even, deeply penetrating light that lifts photosynthesis and yield while preventing scorch and heat stress. Blackout, or light-deprivation, screens create total darkness on schedule to control photoperiod for light-sensitive crops such as cannabis and chrysanthemum, and to block light emission to the surroundings where regulations demand it. Crucially, the right screen package is not universal but follows the climate profile. Cold and temperate climates lean on energy screens — often two of them, in a double-screen configuration — to minimise heating costs through long winters. High-radiation and hot climates prioritise diffusion and shade to manage the sun and protect the crop. Many greenhouses combine several screens, each with its own cloth and its own control strategy, to cover the full range of conditions across a year. All of them are orchestrated by the climate computer hour by hour, balancing energy saving, light and humidity against the risk of condensation, so insulation never comes at the cost of a damp, disease-prone canopy — climate control is the first line of crop protection. Which screens earn their place in your greenhouse depends on your radiation and temperature profile — and we compute exactly that. Explore the screen types below, or get in touch to design your screening. Screen types ## Three families of screens. ### Energy Screens Cutting night-time heat loss ### Blackout Screens Photoperiod control, light-tight ### Diffuse Screens Spreading light deeper into the crop ## Which screens fit your climate? Your radiation and temperature profile decide — we compute it. Get in touch From the knowledge base ## Reads you might find interesting ceacultivationbusiness-case ### Grow Like a Pro: Starting Smart, Growing Strong How Grow Like a Pro combines smart farming, CEA technology and local partnerships for eco-friendly, profitable, pesticide-free greenhouse pr Read article education ### The Case for a College Greenhouse Why a college greenhouse belongs in the curriculum: teaching science, craftsmanship, business logic and sustainability, and preparing studen Read article education ### The Case for a High School Greenhouse Why every high school greenhouse matters: how it makes STEM tangible, builds responsibility and teamwork, and helps students discover their Read article education ### Greenhouses in Education: The Case for Schools Greenhouses in education reconnect students to reality — the full case for why every school, high school, college and trade program should h Read article historyconstruction ### The Origins of Greenhouse Horticulture: My Backyard A tour through greenhouse horticulture history: from 19th-century Westland fruit walls to the “City of Glass” and today’s international high Read article company ### DutchGreenhouses Rebranded: A New Corporate Identity Announcing our new corporate identity — a visual style reflecting our dedication to advanced, high-quality greenhouse projects and The Futur Read article ## FAQ **What is greenhouse screening?** Screening is a movable cloth installation beneath the roof that a grower opens and closes through the day and night. One installation saves energy, tempers radiation and controls photoperiod, depending on which cloth is fitted and how the climate computer deploys it. **Which screens does a greenhouse need?** That follows the climate profile rather than a standard package. Cold and temperate climates lean on energy screens, often two of them; high-radiation climates prioritise diffusion and shade. Many greenhouses combine several screens, each with its own cloth and control strategy. **Can screens be installed in an existing greenhouse?** Yes, provided the structure has clearance for the installation and the end gables can carry the pulling force. The climate computer is then extended to drive the new screen alongside the systems already in place. **How far can a screen be left open before it stops insulating?** A gap of two percent or less is usually enough to carry moisture away. Beyond five percent the screen loses its insulating effect entirely, and gaps above roughly two and a half percent start to cause horizontal temperature differences. ## Related [Greenhouse Horticulture](/greenhouse-horticulture.md) · [Energy Screens](/screening/energy-screens.md) · [Blackout Screens](/screening/blackout-screens.md) · [Diffuse Screens](/screening/diffuse-screens.md) · [Screen Installation](/glossary/screen-installation.md) · [Climate Computer](/glossary/climate-computer.md)