Sacramento, California
Vertical Grow Racks for Optimized Yield
GROW Mobile Systems help a cannabis grow triple its canopy.
Designing a new cannabis cultivation facility requires foresight, research, and attention to detail.
Ari Castro, a former Amazon operations manager, and Joshua King, an artist and technician, took a data-driven approach when they converted a Sacramento warehouse into a modern cannabis grow. The nearby Spacesaver consultant teamed up with them, Spacesaver’s engineering team, and Hawthorne Gardening Company to design a complete GROW Mobile System that tripled the canopy area and conserved resources.
Like many retrofits, the warehouse posed unique architectural constraints. The planning team had to work around them while trying to optimize the canopy area. They also wanted to limit resource use, not only by drawing less power, but also by choosing products that would have a long lifecycle. Last but not least, they wanted to create a safe working environment in the seismically active area.
The GROW Mobile System provided nearly 3X the grow area compared to static tables.
Download the brochure to see how it works.
The GROW Mobile System provided nearly 3X the grow area compared to static tables.
Download the brochure to see how it works.
Converting a Warehouse to a State-of-the-Art Cannabis Grow
Optimizing Canopy
“Like most growers, our goal was to maximize every cubic inch,” Joshua said. They knew they wanted to explore options for growing more plants in the space.
Creating a Safe Workplace
Creating a safe and comfortable work environment was another top priority. Given that California is a seismically active area, the planning team wanted to build out the facility in a way that ensured employees would be safe in case of an earthquake.
Conserving Resources
Cannabis grows are notorious for drawing lots of energy, and the planning team decided to go with LED lights to improve efficiency. That opened up the possibility of using mobile vertical racking, because LED lights take up less space. The racking, in turn, would allow them to design rooms that would grow more plants in the climate-controlled spaces, which would result in even more energy efficiency.
They also took product life-cycle into account when evaluating vertical racking and other products. That’s because they knew it made more sense from a resource standpoint to choose products that would last for decades instead of needing to be replaced after a few years.
Architectural Constraints
The design team needed to work around existing architectural constraints and code requirements.
The Cannabis Grow Design Process
Choosing, Planning & Installing Cultivation Systems
The planning team wanted to create the most efficient system possible, given the constraints posed by the warehouse. “Everything had to be designed with an eye toward ease of use, accessibility, optimization, and efficiency, as well as aesthetics,” Joshua said. Because the choice of racking would have a cascading effect on other decisions, they researched the racking first.
Choosing a Vertical Grow Rack System
Cannabis racking was a big investment, so the planning team thoroughly investigated their options. “We put a lot of time and effort into researching the data behind these products,” Joshua said. “We wanted to be sure we were making the right decision.”
"Spacesaver was a little more expensive but provided a lot more support."
- Joshua King
They narrowed down their options to Spacesaver and two other manufacturers. The Bay-area Spacesaver consultant took them to visit grows fitted with Spacesaver GROW Mobile Systems, and they toured facilities to see and use the other two manufacturers’ racking as well.
After comparing the top three manufacturers, the choice was clear: they decided to go with Spacesaver. “We saw Spacesaver had a lower profile, everything was powder-coated inside and out, and the crank set, the axle, everything was enclosed,” Joshua said. “It was a no-brainer.”
Racking Design & Installation
The Spacesaver consultant designed a GROW Mobile System that fit perfectly into the room and accommodated code requirements. Anti-tip rails and locking handles would help ensure employee safety. After the system was designed and manufactured, the local, factory-certified crew worked efficiently to install the system and train staff on its operation.
278% More Grow Area
A Complete Solution
After the vertical grow rack system was in place, the rest of the components for the growing system started coming together. Due to the integration of Spacesaver’s racking with products from Hawthorne Gardening Company, the planning team decided on Gavita lighting, Hawthorne trays and irrigation, and mobile-compatible ventilation systems. Spacesaver and Hawthorne collaborate on product design to create easy-to-use integrations for lighting, trays, and other components.
A Safe, Sustainable, and Efficient Grow
All the research and planning has paid off. Not only is the Presidential Garden Group team growing 278% more canopy than they would have with single tables; they also have the satisfaction of knowing they’re using less energy and have purchased a safe, sturdy, and reliable system that will last for years.
In addition to cultivating, processing, and curing flower, Presidential Garden Group also serves as a resource for other growers in the area: the team gives tours to growers who are planning their own facilities. “Growing cannabis is a young science, and we all have a lot to learn,” Ari said. “We’re proud to be doing this in a responsible, sustainable way.”
