In hot, dry areas of the world, collecting enough rainwater to grow crops can be difficult. Another potential source of water for collection, however, can be dew. Roots Up has designed a greenhouse to collect dew in Gondar, Ethiopia, as part of a scheme to help local farmers with low-tech solutions.

The water collected is, of course, meant for watering the crops contained within the greenhouse. It can, however, be used as drinking water if needed. Like the Warka Water bamboo tower, the Roots Up greenhouse uses basic materials and simple to build.

The greenhouse is set into a pit dug into the ground and is built using locally-sourced bamboo, a polycarbonate sheet, a bioplastic sheet, ropes and a cistern water tank. It can be constructed by unskilled people with just basic tools and takes around five days to complete.

The polycarbonate sheet forms the pyramidal walls of the greenhouse, like a tent, and can be opened at the top. The bioplastic sheet is set up as a funnel in the center of the greenhouse and directs water into a tank. Water from the tank is then used to irrigate the crops.