We are back with more expo floor interviews! This week Nadia’s interviews come from the Canadian Greenhouse Conference, where Nadia presented about "Optimizing Airflow & Climate Control” This year’s takeaway guests were: Kevin Meier, Vice President and General Manager of Argus Peggy Paskell, Peg’s Country Blooms and Greenhouse Amos Bassi, Senior Plant Specialist for Philips Horticulture Paul Arena, Greenhouse Climate Consultant for Ludvig Svensson Miguel Ayuso, International Commercial and Operations Agent for MSC Greenhouses Victoria Buma, General Manager, Berry Growers of Ontario Intro Music Credits: Melody – Luke Bergs & Waesto | https://soundcloud.com/bergscloud/ Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ Creative Commons CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

This episode is part of a series of episodes that Dr. Sabeh presents as lessons, or mini lectures. They’ll cover the basics and nuances of HVAC and the importance of environmental controls. This week we are reviewing our hottest topic: VPD. What is it? Why does it matter? How can you use it to help your plants thrive in your indoor growing environment? We wanted to provide more information about a crucial factor in your growing process. Remember to check out our other VPD content, like the app walkthrough, the calculator, and our blogs. Thank you for growing with us!

This episode is part of a series of episodes that Dr. Sabeh presents as lessons, or mini lectures. They’ll cover the basics and nuances of HVAC and the importance of environmental controls. This week as it heats up in our hometown of Sacramento, we are reviewing Dr. Sabeh’s six tips to keeping your greenhouse cool. Listen in to hear the benefits of different shading systems, what factors to look at when deciding how to incorporate cooling in your greenhouse, and more. If you ever have a request for a topic for our lessons, please reach out and let us know, we love hearing from our listeners. As always, thank you for growing with us. This lesson first aired as our 66th episode in April 2023. Revisit more lessons on our website by searching “lessons” on our podcast page.

Wrapping up our series discussing energy in all forms and its impact and function in CEA facilities is Gretchen Schimelpfenig! Gretchen is a Senior Energy Engineer at Energy Resources Integration, LLC (ERI), a clean energy consulting firm developing a sustainable future for our planet through cost-effective energy management. She is responsible for implementing energy efficiency and emerging technology programs and providing direct consulting services. Gretchen has seven years of experience in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) and has worked for 11 years in the energy industry. Gretchen is a registered Professional Civil Engineer in California and Vermont. She obtained her master’s degree in Civil Engineering from Stanford, where she studied sustainable design and construction with an energy emphasis and was a Schneider Fellow at the U.S. Green Building Council. Gretchen resides in Huntington, Vermont, with her partner, their five cats, and many houseplants.

Welcome back to our new series with several interviews discussing energy in all forms and its impact and function in CEA facilities. In this episode Nadia and Jeff Kelley of Kelley Energy Management discuss energy modeling and utility incentives for CEA facilities.. Jeff is a seasoned professional in the utilities industry. With over 40 years of experience of working in the utility sector, Kelley has taken his knowledge and expertise to the cannabis industry – helping maximize utility rebates and incentives for cultivators across the country, capturing over $40M in incentives for customers.  Since 2019, Jeff has been using energy modeling as a technique to leverage custom incentives not available through standard incentive processes.  In addition to maximizing incentives, the energy models provide customers with clear visibility into their planned energy consumption.

Welcome back to our new series with several interviews discussing energy in all forms and its impact and function in CEA facilities. In this third episode Nadia and Dan Dettmers of Madison Air discuss energy efficiency and regulatory guidelines given by local, state, and federal agencies regulating CEA facilities.. Dan Dettmers joined the Controlled Environment Horticulture field in 2018 when he was hired by Quest, a Madison Air company.  He brought over 20 years of expertise in food and pharmaceutical processing, industrial refrigeration, and HVAC infrastructure design to the industry and 15 years in Agribusiness.   In particular, Dan pursued his passion for agriculture by moonlighting as the owner of a hop farm (also cannabacea family), where he and his partners built a vertically integrated business that encompassed every stage of hop production. At Madison Air and its CEH companies (Quest, Ag IQ, Conviron), Dan plays a key role in shaping standards, codes and regulations that enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of indoor grow space conditioning equipment. In addition to guiding industry best practices, he is actively involved in research and development, creating new products, assisting customers with climate control solutions, and providing technical training both within and beyond the company. Stay tuned to continue exploring how energy is defined, its importance in CEA, and energy centered interviews with more industry experts. Thank you for growing with us!

Welcome back to our new series with several interviews discussing energy in all forms and its impact and function in CEA facilities. In this third episode Nadia and Sam Milton of the Climate Resources Group discuss energy efficiency and what drives the incentives given by local, state, and federal agencies regulating CEA facilities.. Sam Milton is the Principal of Climate Resources Group (CRG), a company that helps businesses pursue cost-effective initiatives to reduce resource waste and maximize profits. Through CRG’s grower advisory service, Enlighten Your Grow, his team has collected over $5 million in incentives from energy utilities nationwide for his customers. Sam lives in Maine and is active in cannabis and energy policy and regulatory development across the U.S. Stay tuned to continue exploring how energy is defined, its importance in CEA, and energy centered interviews with more industry experts. Thank you for growing with us!

Welcome back to our new series with several interviews discussing energy in all forms and its impact and function in CEA facilities. In this second episode Nadia and Rob Eddy of the Research Innovation Institute discuss energy saving best practices and tell stories about their greenhouse experiences. Stay tuned to continue exploring how energy is defined, its importance in CEA, and energy centered interviews with more industry experts. Thank you for growing with us!

Welcome back to the lecture hall with Dr. Nadia Sabeh! This week we are beginning our new series with several interviews discussing energy in all forms and its impact and function in CEA facilities. In this first episode Nadia reviews how energy is defined, its importance in CEA, and some terms to understand as we dive in with some experts. Thank you for growing with us!

Enjoy a host interview with Tad Hussey from KIS Organics living soils and the host of the Cannabis Cultivation and Science podcast guest hosting for this episode! This is an opportunity to learn about Nadia's background as an agricultural and HVAC engineer and how we got to 101 episodes of education and industry insider information. Thank you for growing with us.

It’s an honor to present you with a series of interviews from our time at Indoor Ag Con last week for our 100th episode! Hearing from attendees is a great insight into the content, the expo floor energy, and what’s possibly to come in the future of the conference, as well as the indoor agriculture industry as a whole. This year’s guests were: Brian Sullivan, President of Indoor Ag Con Kelley Nicholson, Automation Expert for MicrogGow and Autogrow Jim Rearden, President of Biotherm Michelle Keller, Head Grower at Living Greens Carly Becker, Program Coordinator at Ohio Controlled Environment Agriculture Center (OHCEAC) Glenn Behrman, Founder of CEA Advisors and Growtainers Henry Gordon Smith, Founder of Agritecture Austin Smith, Account Manager at Grodan Dr. Allison Justice, Founder of the Cannabis Research Center and Coalition Grant Peagler, Business Developer at Siemens Dr. Neil Mattson, Professor at Cornelll University and GLASE. The discussions cover topics such as automation, energy efficiency, crop steering, and the future of controlled environment agriculture. This milestone episode offers a comprehensive overview of current trends and innovations shaping the indoor farming industry. Thank you so much for spending 100 episodes growing with us.

As we approach our 100th episode, we are taking a look back at moments that highlight one of Nadia’s special talents: asking great questions. It’s a strength that has helped her solve many a problem for our clients, and get some great insights from our guests. What are they going to be talking about? Well, that’s a great question. Today’s featured guests were: Melanie Yelton of Grow Big ConsultingBruce Bugbee, Director of the Crop Physiology Laboratory at Utah State UniversityChristine de Jesus Director of Cultivation and GM at GalenasNick Denney Senior Director of cultivation at Holistic IndustriesGary Stutte President and CEO of SyNRGECraig Burg President of Desert AireJim Rearden and Thad Humphrey, CEO and Principal Engineer from Biotherm SolutionsBrian Anderson, Partner at Anderson Porter Design You can find all of these guests’ full interviews in our podcast archive wherever you listen to the doctor is in. Stay tuned for our next episode which will be our hundredth! We’ll be celebrating at indoor ag con and hope to see you there. Find our table to record a segment with us and give us your conference takeaways on Wednesday March 12th. Thank you for growing with us.

In this episode Dr. Sabeh talks air purifiers, your different purifying and filter options in your facility, the benefits of each, and whether you really need air purifiers at all. If you have questions or topics that you’d like Dr. Nadia to cover, contact us at AskNadia@doctorgreenhouse.com

In this episode Dr. Nadia discusses data, its use and function in CEA facilities, and how its collection can benefit your crops. If you have questions or topics that you’d like Dr. Nadia to cover, contact us at AskNadia@doctorgreenhouse.com Dr. Nadia Sabeh delves into the pivotal role of data in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) and its impact on crop performance. She outlines three primary applications of data within CEA facilities: 1. Monitoring Data 2. Collecting Data 3. Analyzing Data Throughout the episode, Dr. Sabeh underscores that the integration of data into daily operations is fundamental to the success of CEA facilities. By leveraging data for monitoring, collection, and analysis, growers can create a more controlled and responsive growing environment, leading to improved crop outcomes and resource efficiency.

This episode is part of a series of episodes that Dr. Sabeh presents as lessons, or mini lectures. They’ll cover the basics and nuances of HVAC and the importance of environmental controls in CEA. This week Dr. Sabeh reviews her predictions for coming trends in 2025 in the controlled environment agriculture industry. Thank you for growing with us! Dr. Nadia Sabeh forecasts significant developments in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) for 2025. She anticipates increased investments in greenhouses and existing facilities, with a strong emphasis on electrification. Advancements in environmental controls and data utilization will drive more efficient and sustainable cultivation practices. The industry is expected to focus on optimizing resource use, improving crop quality, and increasing yield. These trends reflect a broader commitment to innovation and sustainability, positioning CEA for continued growth and resilience in the face of evolving agricultural and environmental challenges.

This episode is part of our “What Plants Crave” series, where Dr. Sabeh speaks with growers, researchers, engineers, and manufacturers who work in controlled environment agriculture, to get their insights about the direction of the industry, and of course, what exactly it is that plants crave. This week’s episode features Moein Moosavi-Nezhad. Moein is a Ph.D. student in the Horticultural Sciences department at NC State University, working in the Controlled-Environment Agriculture Lab under Ricardo Hernandez. He started working in CEA in 2016 at the University of Tehran focusing on plant-light interactions in grafted vegetables and finished his master’s in 2019. After graduating, he continued research on light-plant interactions in CEA and joined the Strawberry PIP-CAP SCRI in August 2022. Moein Moosavi-Nezhad, a Ph.D. student at NC State University, explores how light and temperature influence strawberry propagation. He discusses strategies for optimizing environmental conditions to improve plant growth and productivity. By adjusting these factors, growers can steer plant development to achieve desired outcomes, such as stronger root systems or earlier fruiting. Moosavi emphasizes the importance of controlled environments in fine-tuning these variables for maximum efficiency. His research highlights how precision agriculture can enhance crop performance, offering valuable insights for both commercial growers and researchers aiming to improve strawberry cultivation in controlled settings.

In this episode Dr. Nadia discusses mushrooms, growing them in controlled environments, and five of the challenges growers face in controlled environment mushroom growing.. If you have questions or topics that you’d like Dr. Nadia to cover, contact us at AskNadia@doctorgreenhouse.com Dr. Nadia Sabeh discusses key obstacles in mushroom cultivation: 1. Environmental Control 2. Contamination 3. Substrate Preparation 4. Pest Management 5. Market Demand Addressing these challenges involves careful planning, monitoring, and adaptation to ensure successful mushroom cultivation.

In this podcast Dr. Nadia discusses odor, what cannabis odors consist of, and what goes into controlling cannabis odors. If you have questions or topics that you’d like us to cover, contact us at AskNadia@doctorgreenhouse.com Dr. Nadia Sabeh discusses the composition of cannabis odors and strategies for their control. She explains that cannabis emits volatile organic compounds (VOCs) responsible for its distinct smell. Effective odor management involves understanding these compounds and implementing appropriate control measures. Dr. Sabeh emphasizes the importance of designing HVAC systems that can mitigate odor emissions, ensuring compliance with regulations and maintaining good community relations.

This episode is part of a series of episodes that Dr. Sabeh presents as lessons, or mini lectures. They’ll cover the basics and nuances of HVAC and the importance of environmental controls. This week Dr. Sabeh reviews 10 Reasons HVAC is Hard for Indoor Plant Environments. Thank you for growing with us! Dr. Nadia Sabeh revisits the complexities of HVAC systems in indoor plant environments, highlighting ten key challenges: 1. Load Variability 2. System Sizing 3. Air Distribution 4. Humidity Control 5. Energy Efficiency 6. Integration with Lighting 7. System Maintenance 8. Cost Management 9. Environmental Impact 10. Regulatory Compliance Addressing these challenges is crucial for successful indoor cultivation.

This episode is part of a series of episodes that Dr. Sabeh presents as lessons, or mini lectures. They’ll cover the basics and nuances of HVAC and the importance of environmental controls, starting with the origins of HVAC and why it matters. Thank you for growing with us! Dr. Nadia Sabeh emphasizes the critical role of HVAC systems in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). She discusses how precise control of temperature, humidity, and airflow directly impacts plant health, growth rates, and crop yields. Proper HVAC design and management are essential for creating optimal growing conditions, preventing disease, and ensuring energy efficiency. Dr. Sabeh also highlights the importance of integrating HVAC systems with other environmental controls to maintain consistency and reliability in CEA operations. By prioritizing HVAC considerations, growers can enhance productivity and sustainability in their cultivation practices.