Marijuana Business Magazine July 2019

Marijuana Business Magazine | July 2019 142 By Omar Sacirbey In Phase One of our Illinois facility, we used box units from Carrier that we modified, combined with an Automated Logic controller. In Phase Two, we’ll use Stulz box units with Automated Logic. I’m not partial to any brand (of box unit). The tricky part in Illinois isn’t keeping them running in July—July is easy. The tricky part is keeping box units running at -10 or -20 degrees. They’re only meant to cool when they need to cool outside. Most units haven’t been designed for places that are generating immense heat inside. Then you have cold and wind bombarding your box units outside; they’re exposed to more wear and tear. The Stulz units are about twice as expensive as our other units. It’s expensive to get it right. There’s a huge difference in price for precision. The Automated Logic controllers help us keep a very precise environment with humidity and temperature right where they need to be for the most part. Automated Logic also gives us a full rendering of our entire facility, and we can see every environmental zone in every single room. If a couple of fans go out, we’ll know exactly what went wrong and where. It’s programmable down to the minute, so we can control different parameters of the grow for different amounts of time. DUSTIN SHROYER Chief Operating Officer, Revolution Cannabis Company–Chicago Each month we survey a group of marijuana industry executives and ask them to share a favorite item— such as a strain, top-selling product or edibles ingredient. Since we’re in the hottest season of the year, this month we asked executives which HVAC systems they prefer to use in their cultivation facilities. We welcome your suggestions for future topics. Email us at magazine@mjbizdaily.com . We use an air-chilled system by AAON that is automated by Automated Grow Solutions. We’re in an environment where the temperature can average 115-118 degrees during the summer. Some people prefer water-chilled, which can be somewhat more efficient. They’re just not capable of giving you the proper cooling effect on your compressors in a desert environment. AAON has a reheat function that uses spent energy from the heated coil to provide heat to the room, and that helps keep the humidity down. Air-chilled is the way to go in the desert. Automated Grow Solutions has been in the cannabis space as long as anyone. What we’re asking our A/C system to do is very different than what people in any other industry have asked an A/C system to do. Having a competent controls company in place is the most important thing we can do to hit the optimal atmosphere in our rooms. Air-chiller units by AAON combined with automation system by Automated Grow Solutions JASON PASKO COO, High Life Farms— Desert Hot Springs, California My Favorite Things | HVAC Systems PICK A modified box unit combined with automation system from Automated Logic PICK