Environmental Control
Environmental control systems for cultivation facilities come in all shapes and sizes— from standalone irrigation and HVAC system controls, all the way to fully automated Building Management Systems (BMS) that handle all irrigation and environmental controls and facilitate monitoring from a smartphone or tablet. We’ll help you navigate the ever-growing options on the market so you get a system that meets all your operational needs, without overwhelming your garden staff with tools and data that they’ll never use.
Indoor
- For a warehouse cultivation facility, environmental control consists of three elements: lighting, CO2 and HVAC (vented heating, cooling and dehumidification). This is why many indoor growers opt for a decoupled system, where HVAC is controlled by a centralized programmable thermostat, while lighting and CO2 are controlled and monitored separately.
- For those who require a higher level of control and like to see all of their data on one screen, a more sophisticated BMS like those designed by Argus or GrowLink may better fit the bill. A robust BMS also has the capability to operate and monitor your irrigation system, further providing you with an additional level of control and visibility.
Greenhouse
- Greenhouses require a higher level of environmental control, and with all the equipment and systems working at once to achieve target setpoints, it is almost impossible to maintain consistent conditions without a fully integrated system—you want your exhaust fans to talk to your heaters, CO2 generation equipment, padwall, etc. You may also have an odor-mitigation system that needs to operate while you’re exhausting the facility. You’ll also need your supplemental lights and blackout curtains communicating to ensure you’re getting the most out of the sun and not blinding neighbors or aircraft. For all these reasons and more, we always recommend a multifunctional BMS for commercial greenhouse facilities. And why not tie your fertigation into the system while you’re at it?