Impact Engineering (aka Grow2Guys), a division of urban-gro, Inc, has provided full-service mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineering services for commercial owners since 1982.

The firm’s portfolio includes more than 300 cannabis-related projects, including new construction and renovations to indoor cultivation facilities and greenhouses. With the rapid advancement of technology in a strict regulatory environment, we have learned valuable lessons about cannabis cultivation.

MEP engineering and design considerations for cultivation facilities

As part of the design process, urban-gro must first understand the required design standards that must be met. For European markets, cultivation facilities must be Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certified. Specifically, our scoping process for cultivation facilities focuses on the area of the cultivation room and total square footage. Once completed, we then look at the total canopy area and number of plants in the room. It is essential to understand the watering rate per plant to estimate the transpiration load which informs the design of the environmental control system. Whether your cultivation facilities uses emitters, hand watering, ebb and flow, or hydroponics, the watering approach is crucial to calculating waste – not just through evapotranspiration, but also evaporation in soil and within beds.

What are the keys to success? Over the next several weeks, we will cover critical aspects of the successful design and operation of high-performance, efficient cultivation facilities, including the following topics:

1. The design team understanding of the plant

2. Environmental controls which support your production goals

3. Approach design not focused on systems, but on the building

In the meantime, if you have questions about your cultivation facility and how you can ensure proper mechanical design, please contact us at marketing@urban-gro.com