Retrofit & Automate
Make More From What You Already Have
It comes down to return on investment. Replacing a greenhouse means a very large outlay for a modest gain. Retrofitting and upgrading the one you have costs a fraction of that — for a far greater gain.
Typical gain from new concrete, steel and glass alone. Full capital cost.
Real results from Saturn's own retrofit projects. A fraction of the cost.
Masters of the Retrofit
Real Results, Proven Across Every Sector
Saturn has spent 15 years and over 100 projects working on facilities that already exist — commercial hydroponic and greenhouse operations, university research glasshouses, municipal and heritage sites. Retrofit and upgrade work is one of the areas we know best.
Density Increase
Reduction in Loss Rates
Harvestable Yield
Statistical Power Increase
Faster TRL Progression
Labour & Process Gains
Manor Farm Fruits
A farmer-led retrofit on a modest budget delivered a 4x increase in growing density.
See the case study →UNESCO World Heritage Site
System recovery and propagation upgrade at a heritage site, with no structural modification.
See the case study →University of Birmingham
A retrofitted research facility, acknowledged in New Phytologist, across a decade of grant-funded work.
See the case study →Four Disciplines, One Retrofit
The foundations, steel and power connections on your site are the expensive part, and they're already there. No rip-out. No rebuild. We add precision across four areas, wherever the gap is biggest.
Your crop or research goals set the environmental and nutritional targets before anything else is specified.
Every physical system added is engineered to your crop, not pulled from a generic catalogue.
- Irrigation — from a single fixed line to modular, zone-by-zone systems: ebb & flood, drip, or several protocols side by side
- Dosing & Nutrition — multi-channel precision dosing in place of a single feed line, enabling comparative trials
- Glazing & Coverings — cleaning the glass you have, or re-skinning a polytunnel to restore light lost to UV exposure
Legacy motors, vents and pumps unified under one control layer through CultivaTECH — automated and zone-precise, not just switched on or off.
Every zone reporting into one dashboard through FarmIntel Analytics Hub, backed by the Lean Six Sigma process consultancy that makes the gains stick.
Equipment is only replaced where it genuinely outperforms integration — existing cabling, motors and control systems are assessed first. See the full Saturn Bioponics platform for how it all works together.
One Principle, Two Outcomes
This page is built for anyone with a physical facility standing right now who needs it to perform.
Predictable Operations, Protected Margins
- Manual vent and blind operation replaced by automated climate response
- Irrigation timed to actual conditions, not a fixed clock
- Coordinated Energy Optimisation: independent legacy systems forced to talk to each other, visibly driving down utility and fuel overheads
- Remote alerts catch problems before they become crop loss
- Existing motors, cabling and switchboards integrated, not ripped out
Reliable Data, Stronger Funding Bids
- Identical sensor and control coverage across every compartment
- Unified Data Integrity: fragmented manual logs eradicated in favour of a single, continuous, audit-ready data record across every zone
- Genuine variable isolation for comparative trials
- Legacy relay panels and modern controllers under one framework
- A facility grant funders and industry partners recognise as properly instrumented
Not Sure Where to Start?
Use the Pathfinder to build your project brief. It takes two minutes to outline your commercial or scientific objectives, so our team can skip the generic pitch and arrive at your consultation with a tailored integration strategy.
Common Questions
How do I retrofit automation into an existing glasshouse?
We assess existing power, controllers and cabling first, then integrate rather than replace wherever possible — climate response, then irrigation scheduling, then unified monitoring.
Is it cheaper to retrofit a greenhouse or build a new one?
Retrofitting a viable existing structure typically costs a fraction of new construction, while returning considerably more from the investment.
Can you integrate a control system with equipment we already have?
Yes. CultivaTECH is designed to unify motors, cabling and third-party control systems from multiple suppliers and generations under one framework.
How do researchers manage data across multiple compartments?
By unifying every compartment under one control and monitoring framework, giving consistent sensor coverage and a single data record across the facility.
What causes inconsistent results in a research facility?
Usually fragmentation, not the building — different control systems side by side, manual processes, and no unified data record across compartments.
Do you replace all our existing equipment?
No. Cabling, motors and control systems are assessed for integration first. Equipment is only replaced where it genuinely outperforms integration.
Does retrofitting a greenhouse reduce labour costs?
Yes — automating manual tasks removes the labour those tasks required, and Saturn's Lean Six Sigma process consultancy applies the same discipline shown by UK industry programmes (AHDB SmartHort) to deliver 25 to 40% labour and productivity gains.
What does a growing systems integrator do on an existing facility?
Assesses the biology, the infrastructure and your objectives together, then designs a scope that closes the gap — automation, integration, irrigation, process and data, sized to what your facility needs.
Tell Us About Your Existing Facility
Every conversation starts with understanding the infrastructure, the objectives, and the gap between the two. No obligation, no standard pitch — a focused conversation with the team.