Maxime Dugre-Sasseville believes he’s found the way to substantially lengthen the greenhouse growing season in the North. So do a whole bunch or other people.

Dugre-Sasseville was Wedneday’s recipient of the $60,000 Yukon Innovation Prize for his plans to build a fully automated greenhouse heated and powered by solar energy.

“I am very, very grateful for the opportunity that has been given to me for the project to go forward,” he told a hearty audience gathered at the Yukon College Pit for the announcement of this year’s winner.

“A contest like this and the prize being given to me today will help me bring forward my innovation.”

Dugre-Sasseville, of Max Design Construction, said his design centres around using cells of water constructed beneath the greenhouse to store the solar energy in the form of heat.

The intent is to distribute the heat to beds of produce using an automated system also powered by solar energy.

The Fox Lake mechanical engineer and general contractor is hoping to have a 40-by-100-foot greenhouse ready for the commercial market in five years, to be followed with the design of a backyard version.

He’s putting together an early test model at his property right now, but expects to build the 20-by-40 prototype next year to prove his product over the following three years, he explained in an interview afterwards.

Dugre-Sasseville said the $60,000 will go a long way in purchasing the necessary materials and equipment. As a custom designer and builder, he has the ability to do the rest.

Having a fully functional greenhouse from late February to November and maybe longer – with plants growing in soil maintained at a constant temperature – is his intention. The planting beds will be immersed in a bathtub-like set-up with the water temperature surrounding the beds controlled automatically.

While the interior temperature of the greenhouse may only be five degrees on the coldest days of winter, the growing beds will be maintained at 20, though there will be the need to cover them with the standard mini-hoop houses.

Dugre-Sasseville told the audience his work was not the product of rocket science. Rather, it’s an effort in pulling together different technologies, including advancements in existing cold climate greenhouse technology.

“I knew my idea was a good idea, and I was confident, but it was not the only idea around,” he said.

“This will take me to the completion of my prototype. You will see my produce coming on the market in coming years.”

Dugre-Sasseville was among 28 Yukoners who put forward their ideas after the second-annual innovation contest was launched in February, with a theme of food security and agriculture in the North.

As one of four finalists selected in April, he was given $10,000 to refine his proposal in advance of the June 17 deadline.

Funding to support the innovation contest was provided by the territorial Department of Economic Development.

Stephen Mooney, the director of Cold Climate Innovation, a branch of the Yukon Research Centre, told Wednesday’s audience all five judges who reviewed the final submissions came up with different verdicts.

“It was a very good discussion about two hours long about the strength of the different projects,” he said, describing how the judges arrived at the final selection.

Last year’s first innovation contest was focused on the enhancement of building technology and construction in northern climates.

Adam Greetham of Groundtrax Environmental Inc. was awarded the $60,000 to advance his proposal on radon mitigation. The technology is currently being revised with new partners in the United States.

Janet Moodie, the college’s interim college president and vice-chancellor, shared some of the successes of the research centre and its Cold Climate Innovation program.

“It should be no surprise that our small northern college is being recognized across the country to accomplishments in research and innovation,” she told the audience.

“We ranked first in the country for college research intensity, and we are third and fifth respectively for research funding and partnerships among small Canadian colleges.

“The Yukon Research Centre and our instructors are sharing their knowledge with our students, our communities and our governments – with benefits to Yukon, the circumpolar North and the world.”

Territorial cabinet minister Currie Dixon presented the award to Dugre-Sasseville.

“Cold Climate Innovation at the Yukon Research Centre created this prize to support Yukon innovators whose ideas have a strong potential to be commercialized and economically benefit the Yukon,” said Dixon.

“... There were some very impressive entries for the contest, confirming what we already know to be the case – that Yukon’s potential to be a leader in innovative northern ideas is strong and thriving.”

In addition to Dugre-Sasseville’s automated thermodynamic greenhouse, Dixon recognized the efforts of the other three finalists:

• Bob Mellet – (aquaponics system) – proposed a design and working model for an aquaponics system that manages the growth of plants and fish;

• Sharon Katz – (plant-sourced ink) – investigated a Yukon native plant as a non-toxic ink source that could reduce packaging in the food industry and create a lucrative crop for Yukon; and

• Alexandre Poitras – (organize feed source) – proposed the concept of using ducks in a hydroponic system to grow duckweed as an organic feed source.

Dugre-Sasseville knew he wanted to grow produce to feed and educate guests as part of a future agri-tourism bed and breakfast business at his Fox Lake home, which is off the grid.

He wanted to use regular soil. He wasn’t interested in hydroponics or something similar.

Growing produce in regular soil produces the most nutritious product, he said in Wednesday’s interview.

Dugre-Sasseville said he didn’t want to burn all the trees on his property to provide the energy. He didn’t want to burn oil. So he turned to solar.

Solar energy, Dugre-Sasseville said, will not only heat the water, but it will also power the fully automated system to distribute the hot water to maintain the constant soil temperatures.

If the wish is to have a higher temperature around one planting bed to provide for optimum growing conditions of a particular vegetable, the system will do that.

Dugre-Sasseville said irrigation of the beds will either be by an automated drip system or by hand, but it’s separate from the heating system.

“That is the focus of the whole thing – to provide heat for free,” Dugre-Sasseville said.

During the regular season, he said, the greenhouse will function like most greenhouses.

His idea is designed to expand the growing season into the spring and fall, to substantially expand the annual yield, Dugre-Sasseville explained.

He said he hasn’t refined the cost per square foot, though he estimates the payback on the commercial greenhouse will be eight years while the greenhouse will have a lifespan of 25 years or longer.

By Chuck Tobin Star Reporter