15000 Inc. is Leading the Industry in Cannabis Facility Design
Let’s face it – the State of California is entering a paradigm shift in the way we, as a society, view cannabis. Beginning January 1, 2018 the State of California will begin issuing licenses for dispensaries to begin selling recreational cannabis.
The City of Santa Rosa has become the leading edge of this burgeoning industry as it is actively encouraging cannabis cultivation within the City limits. Since most other Sonoma County communities have passed bylaws prohibiting cultivation, Santa Rosa is becoming the Silicon Valley of the cannabis industry.
At 15000 Inc. cannabis is not a new industry. We have been advising the industry on building systems for over 10 years.
We are one of the very few licensed Consulting Engineering firms in the State of California with specific knowledge and experience in the cannabis industry. Through our years in the industry we have learned the various approaches that growers use to cultivate their plants. We have learned how the design of the HVAC and Plumbing systems can help increase grow room yields while still conserving energy.
15000 Inc. has helped cannabis testing labs develop their building design criteria to address the unique cleanliness and safety challenges. Currently there are no local, State or Federal codes that address cannabis testing labs. This is of great concern as these facilities have very serious health and safety issues as a result of the various extraction methods currently employed. In addition, the control of outside contaminants, insects, mold, humidity, pressure and temperature present challenges found in no other facility.
Edible cannabis product facilities have specific FDA guidelines that must be met in conjunction with the other concerns such as health and safety and odor control. The extraction process requires proper ventilation.
The largest problem facing the cannabis industry in terms of facility development is the complete lack of building code requirements or industry guidelines. At 15000 Inc. we are helping to set those industry standards. We are working with local officials to approve cost effective solutions for the industry.
Recently the engineers at 15000 Inc. were interviewed by the North Bay business Journal. The essence of the article was the concern over the impact of odors adjacent to these types of facilities. Jay and Matt explain how we are eliminating this problem through advanced odor-control techniques. You can read the article here:
If you are looking for engineering services for the cannabis industry, please call Gary, Jay or Matt at 707-577-0363. We’d love to talk to you.