How We Approach Cannabis Engineering Design
At Anvil Agrinomics, we pride ourselves on delivering cannabis engineering solutions tailored to the unique needs of the evolving industry. Our approach is designed to ensure efficiency, compliance, and long-term success for our clients. Here’s a look at how we approach cannabis engineering design from the initial consultation to the final project handoff.
Understanding Your Vision and Goals
The first step in our process is to gather all the critical information about your project. We begin by asking:
What is your planned canopy square footage? This defines the scale of your cannabis operation and determines key design parameters, including lighting, HVAC requirements, and room configurations.
Do you have Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)? Existing facilities or multi-facility operators may already have written SOPs, while new ventures might need guidance in developing them.
What is your level of experience, and what are you planning to achieve? Understanding your background helps us align our designs with your operational expectations and helps determine if other outside consultants are needed.
What are your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)? Whether it’s yield per square foot, energy efficiency, compliance, or risk aversion, defining your KPIs is critical to shaping a successful design.
What is Your Basis of Design? As part of the initial discovery period, we developed a “Basis of Design” that is a living document that grows with the project through design. The objective is to have a guideline for which all mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) design decisions are tied back to.
Assessing Lighting and Environmental Needs
Lighting and environmental controls are cornerstones of cannabis cultivation, and they directly impact other aspects of the facility's design. Below are just a few key aspects we keep in mind when designing your cannabis cultivation facility:
Lighting Type: The type and density of lighting is crucial. Whether it’s a preference or a regulated compliance issue, lighting decisions can shape a number of design parameters.
Moisture Removal: We estimate the moisture removal requirements based on the planned canopy square footage and fertigation schedule.
Grow Schedule: The grow schedule often dictates the number of flower rooms and sets the stage for post-harvest operations (e.g., size and number of dry rooms).
HVAC System Options: Based on the number of flower rooms and grow schedules, we evaluate different HVAC systems, weighing the pros and cons of each option. Our goal is to balance efficiency, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. We will offer up a number of options to help our customers choose systems that fit their operational style and budget constraints.
Aligning with Regulatory Requirements
Cannabis engineering design must adhere to state-specific regulations including energy efficiency standards and water usage restrictions. Many states’ regulations require an environmental sustainability plan before licensure, which outlines how you plan to reduce water usage or create an energy-efficient facility. This can all influence your system design and resource allocation. Regardless of the state you are operating in, we ensure your cannabis facility meets or exceeds state requirements.
Evaluating Long-Term Goals
Your long-term business strategy plays a significant role in our cannabis engineering design approach. Are you planning to build and sell the facility, or will you operate it long-term? Do you prioritize energy efficiency goals to reduce operational costs and environmental impact?
Evaluating long-term goals is critical because it shapes how the design will evolve with your business over time. Understanding your long-term goals informs decisions about scalability, adaptability, and infrastructure durability. Incorporating these elements from the start ensures your facility can support future growth and align with both financial and business objectives.
Delivery Method and Collaboration
We offer flexible project delivery methods tailored to your needs:
Traditional Plan and Spec: We provide detailed design documents for contractors to bid on and build.
Design-Build or Design-Assist: In this collaborative approach, we work with construction managers early in the process to evaluate costs and optimize the build-out.
Site Assessments for Existing Buildings Assessing Lighting and Environmental Needs
For projects involving existing facilities, conducting a thorough site assessment is crucial to ensure the property aligns with the intended budget and timeline while avoiding costly retrofits or delays during the build-out phase. Our comprehensive assessment includes:
Electrical Infrastructure: We evaluate the building’s power capacity and how it aligns with the project’s requirements. If we know the canopy square feet, lighting type, and grow schedule, we can easily estimate the electrical needs to determine if the existing infrastructure is adequate or if upgrades will be needed.
Existing Systems: We assess current equipment—such as electrical panels, lighting, water heaters, and HVAC—to determine usability and avoid unnecessary, and oftentimes costly, replacements.
Assembling the Right Team for Your Cannabis Engineering Design
The success of your project relies on hiring the right Architecture & Engineering (A&E) team. We recommend selecting a team based on their qualifications and ability to work seamlessly with your team. While fee structures are important, choosing the cheapest option can lead to costly mistakes down the road. We've seen instances where less qualified architects and engineers made significant errors, such as replacing functional equipment unnecessarily or failing to understand cannabis facilities or meet local codes, resulting in significant delays and added expenses. But, by prioritizing qualifications, experience, and a collaborative working relationship, you set the foundation for a successful and efficient project that meets both your immediate needs and future goals.
Why Partner With Anvil Agrinomics
At Anvil Agrinomics, we specialize in designing mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems for the cannabis industry. Our team of cannabis engineers understands the unique demands of controlled cultivation environments and infused product manufacturing. We’re committed to creating designs that are easy to maintain, aligned with your financial goals, and optimized for the success of your facility.
Cannabis cultivation and manufacturing facilities require substantial financial resources to build and maintain. We understand the cost implications of the design decisions from both capital and operational expenditure. Our job as your trusted consultant is to provide you with information to make business decisions on how you allocate those resources. Our goal is to develop a design strategy to align with our customer’s business and afford them the opportunity for a faster return on investment for their MEP systems.
