\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWith each session, I realized how important it is to be involved in these discussions about the opportunities, research, and ideas surrounding energy efficiency in\u00a0<\/span>medical\u00a0<\/span>marijuana manufacturing facilities \u2013 hefty energy consumers due to the lighting,\u00a0<\/span>cooling<\/span>, and de-humidification needed for indoor growth. E<\/span>ven before the legalization wave of such facilities started in earnest, the EUCI s<\/span>tates<\/span>\u00a0that<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>by 2012\u00a0<\/span>legal indoor marijuana growing facilities\u00a0<\/span>were\u00a0<\/span>already\u00a0<\/span>accounting f<\/span>or 1% of national electricity use<\/span>. This amounted to\u00a0<\/span>a cost of roughly $6 billion per year, rivaling energy consumption of data centers<\/span>\u00a0at the time<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nAs the cannabis industry continues to expand across the country,\u00a0<\/span>these facilities\u2019 energy efficiency will become more of a focus by both utility companies and regulatory agencies.\u00a0<\/span>This in turn will make the facilities\u00a0<\/span>prime candidates for energy efficiency programs and\u00a0<\/span>more stringent\u00a0<\/span>regulations<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nIt\u2019s important for engineering consultants to understand, navigate, and meet the c<\/span>odes and standards<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>that\u00a0<\/span>are<\/span>\u00a0continu<\/span>ally<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>being\u00a0<\/span>developed\u00a0<\/span>for\u00a0<\/span>this industry<\/span>\u00a0\u2013 especially those related to energy efficiency<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Meeting th<\/span>e<\/span>se requirements\u00a0<\/span>through<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>energy-efficient\u00a0<\/span>d<\/span>esign that\u00a0<\/span>supports the<\/span>\u00a0operational\u00a0<\/span>needs<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>of<\/span>\u00a0these unique facilities<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>not only achieves compliance but also\u00a0<\/span>helps\u00a0<\/span>owners\u00a0<\/span>m<\/span>inimize capital and operational costs<\/span>\u00a0in the long run.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Medical marijuana grow facilities are high on energy consumption, making them prime candidates for energy efficiency programs and more stringent regulations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":7300,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[3,165,155],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7299","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blogs","category-building-performance","category-industrial"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Energy efficiency is crucial to the expanding cannabis industry - IMEG<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n