Everything you need to know about controlled environment agriculture

To some people, the climate change threats to the agriculture industry may seem like a future problem. But its effects can be seen today as there are changing weather patterns. The good news is that this awareness and the increased legalization of cannabis has also led to a rapid need for the size and quantity of grow room facilities. These facilities can operate with high energy efficiency.

By controlling the environment of the grow room with the best shrubs, you can remove the risks and uncertainties of extreme weather while optimizing product development yields, consistency, and quality. Today, this industry is developing solutions to help to reduce energy costs. One of these solutions is for growers to use specialized HVAC systems from surna.com that offer effective operations at competitive capital costs. This article discusses everything you need to know about controlled environment agriculture.

HVAC system sizing

You need to size the HVAC system correctly so that it can provide the right control and performance of the grow room. The right system performance can affect the plant growth rate, product quality, and yield. Several factors including humidity, temperature, air circulation, and many more need to be adjusted during propagation, vegetation, and flowering stages to maximize product yields.

Besides the continuous changing requirements of the plants, seasonal building loads and lighting tend to put extra demands on your HVAC system. The final product can be affected if you fail to control any of these variables.

A grow room HVAC system needs to account for moisture loads produced by evaporation from your cannabis plants and soil, heat from the grow lights, and many more. Evapotranspiration can also create a cooling effect for the cannabis plant. Depending on the type and quantity of plants in the grow room, this cooling effect can have a huge effect on the operation and sizing of the HVAC system. The amount of water that evaporates can vary as cannabis plants grow. But the cooling effect that comes due to evapotranspiration tends to lower the required tonnage of an HVAC system.

Environmental technologies

Choosing the proper HVAC system needs coordination between the grower and not standing fan, HVAC engineer, and developer. HVAC solutions are now necessary because there is an expanding cannabis market that is driving the indoor agriculture industry. You can find some HVAC suppliers that can study your agriculture building energy use. Regardless of the supplier you decide to purchase your HVAC system, they need to provide cost-effective solutions.

Most commercial HVAC systems are designed to offer human comfort. Some growers also utilize in-room dehumidifiers to remove moisture by generating cold air which can then be reheated with waste condenser heat. And, the heat from the dehumidifier can be removed into the space and get rid through the packaged HVAC system.

Recently, some HVAC system manufacturers are now incorporating all the required processes into one unit to remove the need for using several pieces of equipment. Manufacturers are now developing optimized products that you can use in your grow room. This technology incorporates components like digital scroll compressors and many more.

Noah Green

Noah Green, with a PhD in Agricultural Sciences from Texas A&M University, has been a driving force in modern farming techniques and sustainable agriculture for over 20 years. He became a part of our editorial team as a freelancer in 2021, sharing his knowledge on organic farming, crop rotation, and soil health. Noah’s prior experience includes research in agronomy and working with farming cooperatives. He is a keen hiker and enjoys documenting rural landscapes through photography.

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