The Western Journal 2016 - (Page 22) Medical Marijuana Cultivation The Mechanical Needs An example of a medical marijuana cultivation facility. By James Careless W hen it comes to understanding the mechanical requirements of a medical marijuana growing facility, the word to focus on is "medical." "Whether the plants are grown in soil in a greenhouse or under lights in an indoor hydroponic facility, the production of medical marijuana is more akin to a pharmaceutical factory than a farm," said Eric Paul, CEO and Pharmacist at CannTrust; a federally-licensed medical marijuana producer in Vaughan, Ontario. For mechanical contractors, this means that a medical marijuana growing facility (the term "grow-op" has negative connotations) "has considerably more cooling and heating requirements than your average office building," said Garth Johnstone. He is President and CEO of Archie Johnstone Heating & Plumbing, a Nanaimo, B.C. contractor that has built such facilities for licensed clients. Hence, 22 when it comes to building such a facility, contractors need to know its specific requirements, and bid for it accordingly. Understanding the Facility As befits a pharmaceutical-grade grower/manufacturer, a Canadianlicensed medical marijuana operation has to be a secure, environmentally controlled facility from start to finish. Although each facility is different - some are purpose-built buildings/greenhouses while others are in renovated spaces; some use soil to grow plants while other use water (hydroponics) - the basic production process is the same. It starts with the "mother room," home to the master marijuana plants that make up the company's various product strains. The differences in the strains reflect their different medical and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) psychoactive qualities, and thus various uses. For instance, growers produce a strain of marijuana that has very little THC but is high in cannabidiol (CBD), which has anti-inflammatory properties. Clippings are taken from the each of the mother plants, to grow the facility's actual crops. These clippings are put into trays in the "clone room" - because the plants being grown are clones of their mother plants - and allowed to develop roots in its high humidity environment. This can take 7 to 14 days. Once the clippings have grown roots, they are then transferred to "flower rooms" where the plants are grown to maturity using nutrient-enriched water (delivered by irrigation systems) and light sources. "It usually takes three months for the plants to reach maturity," said Terry Roycroft, Founder and President of Vancouver's Medicinal Cannabis Resource Centre Inc. (Known as MCRCI, this is a private organization that guides patients in the safe, legal use of medical marijuana.) "This is why growers typically have a series of flower rooms, allowing them to stagger production on a monthly basis." When the marijuana plants are ready, they are taken to the trimming room for Mechanical Contractors Associations of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan & Manitoba 2016 Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Western Journal 2016 Messages: MCA Canada Messages: British Columbia Messages: Alberta Messages: Saskatchewan Messages: Manitoba Updates: British Columbia Updates: Alberta Updates: Saskatchewan Updates: Manitoba Good Governance Creates Lasting Value Medical Marijuana Cultivation: The Mechanical Needs YYC: Growing to Meet Anticipated Demand New Product Showcase Suppliers Guide Index to Advertisers The Western Journal 2016 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/MABA/MABA0018 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/MABA/MABA0017 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/MABA/MABA0016 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/MABA/MABA0015 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/MABA/MABA0014 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/MABA/MABA0013 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/MABA0012 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/MABA0011 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/MABA0010 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/MABA0009 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/MABA0008 http://www.nxtbookMEDIA.com
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