Canna Culture, San Jose, CA

Category: Agriculture

Square Footage: 4,000 sq ft

Services Provided: HVAC, Plumbing, Process Piping

Completion Date: 2020

Owner: Canna Culture

Architect: RCUSA Corporation

Mechanical Contractor: Metro Mechanical

Canna Culture decided to make sustainability a major priority at the beginning of the design process by using natural gas-fired, microturbines for electrical power with waste heat used to offset the process and comfort heating requirements. Pragmatic PE analyzed the microturbine plant and the alternative of conventional systems to help the owner understand that micro-turbines were not a good fit for the budget or layout of the facility in spite of the fact that the utility company was offering incentives for micro-turbine plants. Pragmatic PE engineered a conventional system that provided superior environmental control within the Grow and Flower Rooms without taking up any space within the rooms. This maximized production capability which was a priority since the building’s proximity to a public school disqualified a large portion of floor area from being used as a cannabis facility. As with all grow facilities engineered by Pragmatic PE, the mechanical systems recover environmental control quickly under sudden changes in lighting (day to night).