In the scorching high desert of Nevada, construction of a unique fully closed greenhouse project is taking place as we speak. In Mustang, just outside Reno, MedMen, a California-based cannabis management and investment firm, is realizing the first of its kind 22,000 square foot greenhouse project. Damian Solomon, Director of Ag Technology and Systems, explains us how he uses his experience from the produce and greenhouse industry to build the world's most efficient marijuana greenhouse.
The first posts for MedMen's closed greenhouse went up this week.
In earlier articles published on HortiDaily, we reflected Solomon's progressive view on the cannabis industry. According to him, the success of the industry relies on implementation of efficient commercial horticulture technology. Just like produce and flower growers, marijuana cultivators will need to become as efficient as possible and create the highest yield and quality at the lowest cost. Year round and in any climate.Understanding commercial horticulture
"The industry has not evolved yet to a point that it is producing as efficiently as possible", said Solomon. "A lot of operators in the marijuana space do not have an understanding of commercial horticulture and you see that a lot of greenhouses are still using basic technology. We want to do this differently by integrating advanced horticultural technology and best practices in all of our facilities."
Solomon analyzed the current production methods in the cannabis industry. He concluded that there was no sophisticated production system available yet. In search of a design that would enable year-round production in any location and climate in the U.S., he came up with the idea of a fully closed greenhouse system.
"During my career working with leading greenhouse produce companies, I became familiar with the advantages of closed and semi-closed greenhouses. I believe the ideology behind this system makes for a perfect fit for marijuana, it is just a matter of tweaking it."
Odor management
Unlike conventional greenhouses, closed systems have no ventilation windows installed. It is a fully closed environment that doesn't make use of outside air to provide natural ventilation, de-humidification or temperature control.
In Holland, energy saving is one of the main drivers for using closed and semi-closed greenhouse systems. An important first reason for MedMen to use a closed greenhouse system was odor management. Solomon explained that it is very important that cannabis greenhouses comply with strict odor management regulations, and with a closed greenhouse, no odor and air can leave the cultivation environment.
"The closed system will furthermore enable us to take full control of the environment inside the greenhouse. Other than semi-closed and the original Dutch closed greenhouse, our design will not exchange or bring in outside air. It will make use of the special JSK units from Dutch greenhouse solutions developer Certhon to control the climate and humidity inside." The JSK systems originate from high tech orchid production, where they are used to control the temperature and humidity.
Solomon added that the closed design also enables them to keep pests and diseases outside, a factor that is very important for their integrated pest management. "The regulations in MMJ are very strict. So instead of being intensive on a spray program, we have opted for a dedicated natural IPM program to have better pest control. That IPM strategy is completely designed around residue-free cultivation by making use of beneficial insects only to grow the highest level of quality."
The Mustang facility is built on a 4 acre property, where MedMen has room for future expansion.
Dutch connection
MedMen works closely with Dutch greenhouse solutions provider Certhon. Aside from their JSK units, Certhon will also deliver the greenhouse structure, in close cooperation with System U.S.A.. Greenhouse construction contractor G&V Greenhouse Solutions was hired to build the entire project.
"We have opted for companies like Certhon and HortiMaX because they are very accommodating when we come up with special requests. It will be the first time that a lot of these technologies will be put to the test, and these companies are willing to customize things and help us find and design the solution for a build like this."
As with any marijuana greenhouse, blackout screen is installed for photo-period control, but MedMen is also one of the first marijuana growers to incorporate both an energy and a shade curtain. The energy screen will retain heat at night to drive down energy costs, and the shade screen will diffuse the light and protect the plants during the day when the light intensity is too high. In addition, diffused glass is placed on top of the greenhouse to soften the light and maximize the penetration of daylight into the crop.
Year round with LEDs
The facility is built with the aim to produce year-round. "Building a national management brand means that we need to create repeatable systems. Therefore all of our crops need to be grown in a consistent platform, with the same system and stand operating procedures, regardless of its location. Supplemental energy-efficient LED lighting from Fluence Bioengineering in the closed greenhouse will enable us to produce 12 months a year, without a change in quality. It is designed to have the same results year-round, whether it is July in Nevada or November in New York, each greenhouse will need to deliver the right, same and consistent product."
Last week Tuesday the first posts went up, and Solomon expects that the facility will be operational by the first of November. "22,000 square feet is quite small in terms of commercial greenhouses, so we expect to have the build up in a short time."
Blueprint
MedMen has other projects throughout the country using the same blueprint. "The blueprint is the same but we make small changes to adapt them appropriately to match the outside climates of course. A greenhouse in New York obviously requires a different heating system than a greenhouse in Nevada."