The truth is, there is a strong business case to be made for cultivating in controlled environments. And in the near future, as renewable energy options increase and climate change continues to impact weather patterns, there will be a strong sustainability case to be made as well.
Every day, the cannabis industry changes as innovators introduce amazing new ideas and products. We see this first hand both at our own company and through our customers that work every day to bring quality products to the market. These innovations take dedication which is why we are especially excited about one of our own innovators today.
Last November, the City of Denver released new regulations concerning odor control for cannabis cultivation facilities. Previously, Denver’s Department of Environmental Health (DEH) only mandated odor control plans for facilities that received a certain number of complaints but that is no longer the case. Both existing facilities, as well as new ones, will require an odor control plan going forward or risk financial penalties for non-compliance.
Once the decision has been made to start a cultivation center, the next big question is: What growing method will be used – outdoor, greenhouse or indoor? Each of these methods has upsides and downsides, that need to be fully understood before making a decision.
One piece of feedback we receive often has to do with the size of the Surna Reflector. At 33×32” inches, the Surna Reflector is larger than most reflectors on the market, but for good reason.
We would love to see a future in which cannabis can be grown outdoors; however, this is not always feasible given the current regulatory structure, nor will it ever be 100% possible. While many will claim that food production is done outdoors, and thus commercial cannabis production should be done in the same way, there are a few factors that make cannabis production different than food production.
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Odor control is a serious problem for many commercial cultivation centers. While it may seem like a small issue, failing to control the odor around your grow could have a large impact. There are several reasons why odor control should be addressed rather than ignored:
Lighting is a huge part of commercial cannabis cultivation. Some estimates assign up to 33% of all energy used in an indoor grow to lighting. Additionally, the number of lights you plan to use will determine the size of your grow (commercial grows are often referred to by the number of lights they include, rather than by square footage).
When designing a commercial cannabis cultivation facility, many people think in terms of square footage in order to determine how many plants they are able to grow. But, if your rooms are tall enough, why limit yourself to one level? Instead of thinking in terms of square feet, it is time to start thinking in terms of cubic feet.