Modular design refers to a design approach that breaks down complex systems into smaller parts that can be assembled, disassembled, and rearranged as needed. The concept of modular design is gaining popularity in many industries, including architecture, manufacturing, furniture, retail, and software. This is because the modular design increases operational efficiency, reduces costs, promotes flexibility, and provides many other benefits across all these diverse industries.
In horticulture, products with modular design, such as DuraPlas' Dura-Bench, give you flexibility and convenience to create greenhouse spaces that work in various situations. In this article, we outline the multiple benefits of modular design in horticulture.
Increased Work Efficiency Through Flexible Arrangements
With Dura-Bench’s modular components, you can easily scale your greenhouse to work efficiently with multiple types of plants. You can arrange and stack benches in the optimal formation to take advantage of specific needs and light requirements.
This flexibility allows you to increase the number of plants you grow in a limited space. You can also incorporate your lighting and irrigation systems directly into your tabletops and benches or in vertical racks. All your plants will get what they need and when they need it without requiring space-consuming installations.
For example, vertical stacking lets you use all the available light in your space to increase your yield per square foot. It also makes it easier to use particular zones for specific growing stages or crops.
Thanks to Dura-Bench and its modular components, you can use one space for multiple purposes, water more plants with smaller systems, and increase yield per square foot. All this will save you effort, time, and money.
Dura-Bench is available in two sizes:
- 36” x 48”
- 24” x 48”
You can easily combine or separate them to create customized gardening bench sizes.
Smooth Scalability for Incremental Growth
The modular design found in Dura-Bench lets you start small and scale up with demand or growth. You can add sections during the busy season and remove them during the off-season. As your business grows, you can easily add on to increase your growing capacity.
If you need to temporarily arrange a setup for a plant sale or other short-term tasks, you can do so and then move your benches back when you’re finished. This is ideal if you’re selling at a farmer’s market or other events.
It’s important to highlight that strength is critical for effective, scalable design. Cheaper plastics will break with frequent moves and rough handling. Because Dura-Bench is made from high-grade polypropylene with reinforced stress points, it will hold up to multiple installations over time.
Healthier Plants
Being able to customize your space means you can optimize it for the health and well-being of your plants. Proper airflow is critical for growing healthy plants, and Dura-Bench’s design allows for efficient airflow throughout, regardless of how you set it up.
Plastic, modular components are also easier to clean. Traditional materials such as wood or metal are more challenging to sanitize properly. Because Dura-Bench is so simple to clean, you can use milder cleaners that are less likely to harm your plants. Eliminating mold and bacteria prevents the spread of disease among your crop, so you’ll have less waste in dead or diseased plants as well.
Enhanced Accessibility
When you design with modular components, you can increase the accessibility of your workspaces, which benefits both your employees and your business. The Dura-Bench modular system can help you make your employees more comfortable at work, which directly impacts employee satisfaction, retention, and productivity. Ultimately, this will also positively affect your bottom line.
You can arrange your modular benches to accessible heights and depths so plants are easier to reach and work with. Modular systems also let you create flexible walkways, so you have the best setup to access and care for your plants without physically taxing your employees.
Creating a more accessible work environment for all employees can open up opportunities for more people to find work. This can establish your company as a community-oriented brand and attract more people to your company.
Increasing Productivity
Functional workspaces improve employee productivity by allowing employees to focus on tasks without distractions and frustrations. You can design workflows that eliminate unnecessary work and maneuvering around crowded areas.
Work surfaces with the ideal height and space also reduce employee fatigue. Whether they need to work standing or sitting, employees will feel less strain on their shoulders, necks, and backs with benches that are set up at the right height. It will help them easily reach all the plants so they can provide better care and notice small issues before they cause serious damage.
Optimizing your physical space can reduce handling time, so tasks such as watering, pruning, and transplanting don’t take as long.
Saved Time and Costs
Modular systems can require more of an upfront investment in materials. However, over time, your investment will pay off.
Dura-Benches are more durable and last longer than wood, metal, or cheap plastic. You won’t need to replace them often as they’ll hold up to extended use for many years. You’ll also have fewer expenses for repair and maintenance, as there’s no need to reseal these benches the way you do with wood or worry about corrosion.
You can also recoup your investment with increased profits from healthier plants, happier workers, and reduced operating costs.
A Step Toward Sustainability
Many benefits that make modular systems easy to work with and flexible also make them more sustainable. Dura-Bench worktops are lightweight, which means they’re easier to ship. Lighter loads consume less fuel and require less carbon emissions.
Because they last longer, Dura-Bench panels also cause less waste in the supply chain. The fact that they’re easy to clean means you don’t have to use harsh chemicals harmful to the ecosystem. Designing a system to maximize efficient use of water and lighting also benefits the environment by preserving resources.
