Ridge vents on top of the frame and side vents on the eastern and western sides of the greenhouse can be opened or closed as desired. This system circulates the air within the greenhouse, helping to keep temperatures down in the summer. A fifty percent shade cloth is placed over the top of the frame to eliminate direct sunlight during the summer months. Not only does this help in reducing temperatures, but it also prevents the plants from scorching on hot days. The temperatures for the individual rooms are maintained through sensors linked to central control computers in Facilities Management.
Humidity is adjusted in several rooms with misting sprinklers that are manually controlled.
The potting room, known as the head house in many greenhouses, is where the dirty work is done, including such important activities as seed sowing, pot scrubbing and repotting. The room is used to store pots, soil, tools and various necessities such as bark chips, peat moss, rocks, and sand. Also present is a refrigerator that is used as a seed repository and a water still for carnivorous plants and some delicate ferns. This is one of four display rooms featured in the greenhouse. Harold, the greenhouse manager, has a wide variety of succulents with nativity's ranging from all over the world, including South Africa, Brazil, and the U.S. to name just a few.