{"id":6242,"date":"2020-11-09T22:14:44","date_gmt":"2020-11-09T22:14:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/?p=6242"},"modified":"2024-04-18T15:05:24","modified_gmt":"2024-04-18T20:05:24","slug":"plant-based-design-is-key-to-successful-cannabis-growing-facilities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/insights\/blog\/plant-based-design-is-key-to-successful-cannabis-growing-facilities\/","title":{"rendered":"As cannabis legalization expands, plant-based design will be key for new grow facilities"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Luke Streit<\/span><\/p>\n

Forty states and the District of Columbia now have legalized recreational or medicinal use of marijuana, or both, leading to the growth over the past several years of new indoor cannabis cultivation facilities <\/span><\/p>\n

Producing a quality product\u00a0<\/span>for<\/span>\u00a0medical marijuana users a<\/span>s well as<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>for\u00a0<\/span>recreational users is the foundation of any cannabis grow\/processing facility.\u00a0<\/span>Therefore,\u00a0<\/span>the infrastructure\u00a0<\/span>design of these facilities must focus on the\u00a0<\/span>needs of the plants that grow\u00a0<\/span>with<\/span>in them.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>By extension, the design engineers s<\/span>hould h<\/span>ave<\/span>\u00a0agricultural<\/span>\u00a0backgrounds<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0truly understand the<\/span>se<\/span>\u00a0needs<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

From IMEG’s<\/span> experience designing several marijuana growing facilities in various states, we know that the needs of the plants impact many of the engineering systems serving these buildings, including:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Electrical power.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0Most existing buildings do not have the robust electrical infrastructure required to support indoor grow facilities, so c<\/span>onversations need to be held with the local electric utility to understand system infrastructure capacity and resiliency.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

HVAC systems.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>The specific temperatures and humidity required in grow rooms typically can\u2019t be provided by conventional commercial equipment, so systems and equipment need to be tailored to specific requirements.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Plumbing systems.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Facilities need to include reverse osmosis systems for irrigation and fertigation needs, nutrient injection equipment to deliver specific recipes to each grow room, sediment traps and grease interceptors, carbon dioxide enrichment systems, and emergency shower and eyewash stations.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Security.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Each state has security and access control requirements for grow facilities that must be addressed in the design.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition<\/span>\u00a0to the above commonalities<\/span>, each\u00a0<\/span>design<\/span>\u00a0must<\/span>\u00a0meet the<\/span>\u00a0specific<\/span>\u00a0need<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0of grower<\/span>s<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>each of\u00a0<\/span>who<\/span>m<\/span>\u00a0has their own\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>secret sauce<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0\u2013 e.g., plant genetics, processes, etc. \u2013\u00a0<\/span>that makes their product special<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Ensuring each facility\u2019s unique design\u00a0<\/span>begins with a conversation between engineer and owner\u00a0<\/span>about the grow process to better understand desired watering levels,\u00a0<\/span>light intensity levels, environmental conditions,\u00a0<\/span>fertigation needs,\u00a0<\/span>grow cycle<\/span>s<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>grow room configuration<\/span>s<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>and more<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Design\u00a0<\/span>documentation\u00a0<\/span>can then be developed to<\/span>\u00a0gain consensus on what is required\u00a0<\/span>for a successful<\/span>\u00a0outcome.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>This documentation of requirements<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>can include<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>r<\/span>apid\u00a0<\/span>p<\/span>erformance\u00a0<\/span>m<\/span>odeling<\/span><\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span>analyze system options<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and choose\u00a0<\/span>the best long-term<\/span>, in-budget<\/span>\u00a0solution<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0from\u00a0<\/span>among\u00a0<\/span>the various vendors and technologies available<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0This\u00a0<\/span>early\u00a0<\/span>focus on operating efficiency can save\u00a0<\/span>on\u00a0<\/span>operation costs and\u00a0<\/span>ultimately increase<\/span>\u00a0profitability.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Owners who will be planning construction of new cannabis grow facilities should\u00a0<\/span>be sure their designer works with them\u00a0<\/span>on all the above<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>considerations.\u00a0<\/span>Such plant- and client-focused system design is the only way to\u00a0<\/span>get the best crop possible within<\/span>\u00a0any<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>client\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>budget.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Related reading: Teamwork and expertise brought Iowa’s first medical marijuana facility<\/a> to completion in one year.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Basing engineering design on the needs of the plants that grow in cannabis manufacturing facilities can save operations costs and increase profitability for owners.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":6243,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[3,155],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nAs cannabis legalization expands, plant-based design will be key for new grow facilities - IMEG<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Basing engineering design on the needs of the plants that grow in cannabis manufacturing facilities can save operations costs and increase profitability for owners.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/insights\/blog\/plant-based-design-is-key-to-successful-cannabis-growing-facilities\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"As cannabis legalization expands, plant-based design will be key for new grow facilities - 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