Commercial Grow Room Design Plans | Cannabis Facility Design
Building a Cannabis Cultivation Facility?
Growing commercial cannabis is no simple task, so it’s very important to understand from the beginning what the major costs and elements are for a successful facility design. Since there is great interest in becoming involved in cannabis cultivation, competition is high, and the quality of the product is therefore critical if you want to be able to easily sell your products. This article is meant to outline the major factors involved with getting off to a good start if you are planning a new cultivation facility.
The Lead Grower
A good lead grower primarily needs expertise in the life cycle and ideal conditions of the cannabis plant, along with experience managing large amounts of plant throughput in a facility. This person must oversee the environmental conditions of the site, which includes monitoring set-points for temperature and humidity, water quantity, air-movement, air quality and cleanliness. Without constant attention to these factors, mold and bug problems are likely to get out of control and damage the crop. A great lead grower will have good people skills, good plant sense and be willing to track every detail about plant treatments, clones, harvests and test results.
How do you find a good lead grower? Several cannabis staffing companies around the country have resumes on hand that can get you started if you don’t have the right person identified. It’s important to be a careful judge of character during the interview process and look for someone who communicates well and is flexible in their methods.
To Lease or Build
Ground-up construction costs more and takes longer to complete than leasing, due mainly to all the permits and approvals to be obtained. The process can take up to three years and could get stalled along the way for a variety of unexpected reasons.
Leasing or purchasing requires a deep pre-evaluation of the building beyond basic square footage requirements. Ceiling height, column locations, and space for equipment can impact your ability to produce as planned. Proper zoning, parking, and shipping and receiving access are also important. Hiring a project development team is the way to avoid unforeseen problems. Experienced industry professionals can develop layouts that will help you run your business smoothly.
Whether you lease or build, neighbors may be concerned that a cannabis business will be in the area. Public hearings will provide the opportunity to allay their concerns and build good relationships with them.
The Project Development Team
It is hard to overemphasize the need for a good project development team. Agencies and contractors need to work together, laws need to be followed, and the owner needs to be available to make decisions when the need arises. A good team will raise questions and concerns, share ideas derived from experience, and guide you through the planning phases of your project, ensuring your success. The ideal team will be collaborative, working with you to make sure you meet goals with the timeline and budgetary limitations.
The team will include the following:
Cannabis Cultivation Consultant
There are many ways to successfully grow commercial cannabis. A cultivation consultant should be able to walk you through the pros and cons of each approach so you can choose the one that’s best for you. The cultivation consultant will teach you about day-to-day workflow and how to set up and maintain conditions for ideal plant health in each stage of growth.
Each cultivation method has a different way of using floor space, so the system design comes before construction, and the rooms need to be built around the “furniture”. A trustworthy cultivation consultant does not sell products or take commissions from equipment companies.
Architect
Once your cultivation consultant has worked out all of the space allocations in the building and created a draft layout, the architect can create AutoCad drawings for the Planning Department to begin construction. The architect must be licensed in your state and should have some experience designing indoor plant cultivation facilities. The architect and cultivation consultant will work together to create a layout that is efficient and code compliant. Aspects to be addressed are building materials, clean-ability, cost, and the speed of delivery and installation.
Mechanical Engineer
The engineer will handle your environmental, electrical, and plumbing requirements, as well as back-up power and HVAC concerns to avoid electrical outages and equipment failures that can destroy a plant crop. The mechanical engineer can be remote or local and should have designed cannabis facility controls before.
General Contractor
You will be able to open your business sooner if you bring in a general contractor early in the project. S/he will need to be licensed in your state and be familiar with its construction codes. Once the Planning Department approves the submitted drawings, the general contractor can start construction. If you wait until all of your documents are complete to hire the general contractor, it will delay your project, so plan ahead to keep the things on schedule.
Other contractors you may need are:
Mechanical Contractor
The mechanical contractor will install your climate control system. He will use the plans drawn up by the engineer, along with the equipment you've chosen, to install the system. This component of the project usually costs between $200k-$2mil depending on project size. The engineer and equipment companies often have suggestions on the best choices of local mechanical contractors. Some of them might be trained and certified by the equipment companies.
Plumbing Contractor
The plumbing contractor will install the irrigation system and any natural gas feeds. This will be a local contractor and the installation will follow the engineering plans. This component of the project will usually cost $25k-200k depending on project size.
Electrical Contractor
The electrical contractor is responsible for following the engineering plans for installing panels and wiring for the whole facility. With most projects using big climate control systems and huge amounts of indoor lighting, this is no small task. The cost of electrical contracting typically costs from $50k-$1mil depending on project size.
Structural Engineer
The architect will usually bring in the structural engineer if needed. S/he is needed for all structures built from the ground up and renovations, verifying that the building is designed to support HVAC equipment, lighting, and solar panels.
Environmental Engineer
This person will analyze the building or location prior to leasing or purchasing to determine what needs to be done to counteract the environmental concerns of cannabis cultivation, such as waste water and odors. The costs could be too much for the success of the project.
The Lead Grower
A good lead grower primarily needs expertise in the life cycle and ideal conditions of the cannabis plant, along with experience managing large amounts of plant throughput in a facility. This person must oversee the environmental conditions of the site, which includes monitoring set-points for temperature and humidity, water quantity, air-movement, air quality and cleanliness. Without constant attention to these factors, mold and bug problems are likely to get out of control and damage the crop. A great lead grower will have good people skills, good plant sense and be willing to track every detail about plant treatments, clones, harvests and test results.
How do you find a good lead grower? Several cannabis staffing companies around the country have resumes on hand that can get you started if you don’t have the right person identified. It’s important to be a careful judge of character during the interview process and look for someone who communicates well and is flexible in their methods.
To Lease or Build
Ground-up construction costs more and takes longer to complete than leasing, due mainly to all the permits and approvals to be obtained. The process can take up to three years and could get stalled along the way for a variety of unexpected reasons.
Leasing or purchasing requires a deep pre-evaluation of the building beyond basic square footage requirements. Ceiling height, column locations, and space for equipment can impact your ability to produce as planned. Proper zoning, parking, and shipping and receiving access are also important. Hiring a project development team is the way to avoid unforeseen problems. Experienced industry professionals can develop layouts that will help you run your business smoothly.
Whether you lease or build, neighbors may be concerned that a cannabis business will be in the area. Public hearings will provide the opportunity to allay their concerns and build good relationships with them.
The Project Development Team
It is hard to overemphasize the need for a good project development team. Agencies and contractors need to work together, laws need to be followed, and the owner needs to be available to make decisions when the need arises. A good team will raise questions and concerns, share ideas derived from experience, and guide you through the planning phases of your project, ensuring your success. The ideal team will be collaborative, working with you to make sure you meet goals with the timeline and budgetary limitations.
The team will include the following:
Cannabis Cultivation Consultant
There are many ways to successfully grow commercial cannabis. A cultivation consultant should be able to walk you through the pros and cons of each approach so you can choose the one that’s best for you. The cultivation consultant will teach you about day-to-day workflow and how to set up and maintain conditions for ideal plant health in each stage of growth.
Each cultivation method has a different way of using floor space, so the system design comes before construction, and the rooms need to be built around the “furniture”. A trustworthy cultivation consultant does not sell products or take commissions from equipment companies.
Architect
Once your cultivation consultant has worked out all of the space allocations in the building and created a draft layout, the architect can create AutoCad drawings for the Planning Department to begin construction. The architect must be licensed in your state and should have some experience designing indoor plant cultivation facilities. The architect and cultivation consultant will work together to create a layout that is efficient and code compliant. Aspects to be addressed are building materials, clean-ability, cost, and the speed of delivery and installation.
Mechanical Engineer
The engineer will handle your environmental, electrical, and plumbing requirements, as well as back-up power and HVAC concerns to avoid electrical outages and equipment failures that can destroy a plant crop. The mechanical engineer can be remote or local and should have designed cannabis facility controls before.
General Contractor
You will be able to open your business sooner if you bring in a general contractor early in the project. S/he will need to be licensed in your state and be familiar with its construction codes. Once the Planning Department approves the submitted drawings, the general contractor can start construction. If you wait until all of your documents are complete to hire the general contractor, it will delay your project, so plan ahead to keep the things on schedule.
Other contractors you may need are:
Mechanical Contractor
The mechanical contractor will install your climate control system. He will use the plans drawn up by the engineer, along with the equipment you've chosen, to install the system. This component of the project usually costs between $200k-$2mil depending on project size. The engineer and equipment companies often have suggestions on the best choices of local mechanical contractors. Some of them might be trained and certified by the equipment companies.
Plumbing Contractor
The plumbing contractor will install the irrigation system and any natural gas feeds. This will be a local contractor and the installation will follow the engineering plans. This component of the project will usually cost $25k-200k depending on project size.
Electrical Contractor
The electrical contractor is responsible for following the engineering plans for installing panels and wiring for the whole facility. With most projects using big climate control systems and huge amounts of indoor lighting, this is no small task. The cost of electrical contracting typically costs from $50k-$1mil depending on project size.
Structural Engineer
The architect will usually bring in the structural engineer if needed. S/he is needed for all structures built from the ground up and renovations, verifying that the building is designed to support HVAC equipment, lighting, and solar panels.
Environmental Engineer
This person will analyze the building or location prior to leasing or purchasing to determine what needs to be done to counteract the environmental concerns of cannabis cultivation, such as waste water and odors. The costs could be too much for the success of the project.
Some equipment suppliers you may need to contact soon are:
A Lighting Company Your cultivation consultant will help you understand what the various lighting companies offer and how each will work with your project. The lighting company will create a layout that will be used by the architect to prepare for construction. The costs for lighting will run around $80 per square foot of plant canopy, which includes LED lights and installation.
A Racking/Benching Company Your plants will sit on racks or benches and be chosen based on your ceiling height and budget. Dimensions vary from one company to another, so this choice must be made before plant rooms are designed or built. Expect costs to run between $25 and $50 per square foot of plant canopy for racks or benches.
An Irrigation/Fertigation Company An irrigation system will be needed to serve water to the plants and inject nutrients according to your desired settings. Some irrigation companies design systems that include wastewater management and some leave that task to a plumber you’ll need to hire. Environmental regulations apply to the handling of wastewater and can be strict in some jurisdictions. For facilities 10,000 sq.ft. or bigger, expect to spend between $100,000-$200,000 on a complete irrigation and wastewater management system.
A System Controls/Systems Integration Company In facilities larger than 5,000 square feet, systems integration becomes important. This company provides a centralized computer system where all of the environmental settings (temperature, Co2, humidity, lighting, irrigation and nutrient formulas) can be easily controlled and balanced from one place. Systems integration usually costs between $100-$150,000.
A Security Company You will need cameras, doors and locks, safes, alarms, lights, vaults, recording systems and alarms. Costs run $2 to $5 per square foot. Your architect can recommend various companies or even manage the security for you, or you can hire a local company. Look for one that has cannabis facility experience.
If your facilities are vertically integrated, you may also want to vet companies that provide extraction, infusion, packaging, and kitchen equipment and services. Working with consultants instead of manufacturers, as mentioned above, ensures that your specific needs are met. But do beware of inexperienced people claiming to know what they are doing. Most cannabis consultants fail to deliver on expectations. Being a good judge of character is critical to hiring the right people.
First Steps
The first engineering factor that must be addressed is your electrical service to the building. You will probably need to upgrade the current system, which can cost from $10,000 all the way to $1,000,000 and can take weeks or months to complete. Call your electric company right away to find out the estimated cost and timeline to get the sufficient amount of power. If you don’t know how much amperage you need, your cultivation consultant and engineer can determine the usage based on your lighting and HVAC choices.
Be ready for the costs. Construction and labor materials are a major expense. Construction costs (labor and materials) vary from state to state, so if you are leasing, and the building is in good condition, your costs will range from $175 - $225 per square foot for build-out, not including non-structural equipment.
Note: Avoid making your equipment choices based on sales pitches. They all sound good, but do not mention problems you will find with the products. One of the main reasons for using consultants is to help you avoid making bad equipment choices. Experienced cultivators have already used most of the equipment and methods on the market today and can point out the pros and cons of each.
Business Planning and Compliance. These are equally critical areas to work on while all of the above is on track.
License acquisition and compliance
Your planning process will need to include working with the local, state, and (outside the US) federal regulators that have any control over your business. There will be rules and codes of construction to be followed, as well as those of your applicable cannabis regulatory agency. This agency will be inspecting your facility during the build-out and implementations phases, checking on the methods you use to track your plants and products, monitoring lab testing, screening your employees, collecting taxes, and overseeing various other processes. Additional regulatory agencies, such as the Water Board, Environmental Agency and OSHA will likely be involved, ensuring safe conditions for the environment and workers. An attorney who knows the regulations of your region will be a tremendous help in complying with this complex burden of compliance as you proceed.
Configuration of your administrative systems and business entity
You will need to establish a formal business entity and register with the tax collection agency. A business attorney can advise you on this, as well as on how you will create and complete contracts with investors, partners, employees and subcontractors.
Creation of a marketing plan, a product line and brand
What products will you offer? Why? What will their value be in your area based on competition and trends? Your consultant would be of great help in answering these questions.
All in all, your project will probably cost $400 - $500 per square foot once it’s ready for plants. Yes, it’s VERY expensive, but when corners are cut, the problems that occur will cost much more in the long run and possibly cause a catastrophic crop and business failure. If funding is a problem, it’s better to start with a smaller facility done properly than to go big and risk failure. You can always scale up once you have mastered your first phase of operations.
I know this is a long article, but hopefully you got through it and have some new ideas on how to proceed. Nothing is worse than wasting money due to incomplete information in the early stages of a new business endeavor. I wish you the greatest success in your new cannabis cultivation business!
Jennifer Martin, Owner, MarijuanaPropagation.com and CannabisCultivationConsulting.com 510-418-0454 HST
A Lighting Company Your cultivation consultant will help you understand what the various lighting companies offer and how each will work with your project. The lighting company will create a layout that will be used by the architect to prepare for construction. The costs for lighting will run around $80 per square foot of plant canopy, which includes LED lights and installation.
A Racking/Benching Company Your plants will sit on racks or benches and be chosen based on your ceiling height and budget. Dimensions vary from one company to another, so this choice must be made before plant rooms are designed or built. Expect costs to run between $25 and $50 per square foot of plant canopy for racks or benches.
An Irrigation/Fertigation Company An irrigation system will be needed to serve water to the plants and inject nutrients according to your desired settings. Some irrigation companies design systems that include wastewater management and some leave that task to a plumber you’ll need to hire. Environmental regulations apply to the handling of wastewater and can be strict in some jurisdictions. For facilities 10,000 sq.ft. or bigger, expect to spend between $100,000-$200,000 on a complete irrigation and wastewater management system.
A System Controls/Systems Integration Company In facilities larger than 5,000 square feet, systems integration becomes important. This company provides a centralized computer system where all of the environmental settings (temperature, Co2, humidity, lighting, irrigation and nutrient formulas) can be easily controlled and balanced from one place. Systems integration usually costs between $100-$150,000.
A Security Company You will need cameras, doors and locks, safes, alarms, lights, vaults, recording systems and alarms. Costs run $2 to $5 per square foot. Your architect can recommend various companies or even manage the security for you, or you can hire a local company. Look for one that has cannabis facility experience.
If your facilities are vertically integrated, you may also want to vet companies that provide extraction, infusion, packaging, and kitchen equipment and services. Working with consultants instead of manufacturers, as mentioned above, ensures that your specific needs are met. But do beware of inexperienced people claiming to know what they are doing. Most cannabis consultants fail to deliver on expectations. Being a good judge of character is critical to hiring the right people.
First Steps
The first engineering factor that must be addressed is your electrical service to the building. You will probably need to upgrade the current system, which can cost from $10,000 all the way to $1,000,000 and can take weeks or months to complete. Call your electric company right away to find out the estimated cost and timeline to get the sufficient amount of power. If you don’t know how much amperage you need, your cultivation consultant and engineer can determine the usage based on your lighting and HVAC choices.
Be ready for the costs. Construction and labor materials are a major expense. Construction costs (labor and materials) vary from state to state, so if you are leasing, and the building is in good condition, your costs will range from $175 - $225 per square foot for build-out, not including non-structural equipment.
Note: Avoid making your equipment choices based on sales pitches. They all sound good, but do not mention problems you will find with the products. One of the main reasons for using consultants is to help you avoid making bad equipment choices. Experienced cultivators have already used most of the equipment and methods on the market today and can point out the pros and cons of each.
Business Planning and Compliance. These are equally critical areas to work on while all of the above is on track.
License acquisition and compliance
Your planning process will need to include working with the local, state, and (outside the US) federal regulators that have any control over your business. There will be rules and codes of construction to be followed, as well as those of your applicable cannabis regulatory agency. This agency will be inspecting your facility during the build-out and implementations phases, checking on the methods you use to track your plants and products, monitoring lab testing, screening your employees, collecting taxes, and overseeing various other processes. Additional regulatory agencies, such as the Water Board, Environmental Agency and OSHA will likely be involved, ensuring safe conditions for the environment and workers. An attorney who knows the regulations of your region will be a tremendous help in complying with this complex burden of compliance as you proceed.
Configuration of your administrative systems and business entity
You will need to establish a formal business entity and register with the tax collection agency. A business attorney can advise you on this, as well as on how you will create and complete contracts with investors, partners, employees and subcontractors.
Creation of a marketing plan, a product line and brand
What products will you offer? Why? What will their value be in your area based on competition and trends? Your consultant would be of great help in answering these questions.
All in all, your project will probably cost $400 - $500 per square foot once it’s ready for plants. Yes, it’s VERY expensive, but when corners are cut, the problems that occur will cost much more in the long run and possibly cause a catastrophic crop and business failure. If funding is a problem, it’s better to start with a smaller facility done properly than to go big and risk failure. You can always scale up once you have mastered your first phase of operations.
I know this is a long article, but hopefully you got through it and have some new ideas on how to proceed. Nothing is worse than wasting money due to incomplete information in the early stages of a new business endeavor. I wish you the greatest success in your new cannabis cultivation business!
Jennifer Martin, Owner, MarijuanaPropagation.com and CannabisCultivationConsulting.com 510-418-0454 HST