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Attend to Offer Feedback on Proposed 2022 Energy Code Industrial Process Measures Addressing Controlled Environmental Horticulture On Tuesday, October 27 at 9 am PT, the California Energy Commission will present and discuss proposed changes to the 2022 California Energy Code. The goal of these workshops is to solicit feedback from concerned or affected members of…

RII Partners with LDL, DLC, ASABE & Three Manufacturer Members to Host Liquid-Cooled LED Lighting Workshop Evaluating Emerging Technologies for Efficiency Program Incentives Register now for our upcoming workshop on 10/29 at 1 pm ET on liquid-cooled LED lighting technology to learn how utilities and the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) industry are evolving alongside this…

Commonwealth Operators Have Easier Path Toward Energy Efficiency and Economic Vitality Resource Innovation Institute, in partnership with American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, are nearing completion of a comprehensive project to support Massachusetts cannabis cultivators with peer-reviewed resources to help them address the subjects featured in the first energy regulations placed on the energy-intensive industry.…

On September 29th, RII’s Executive Director Derek Smith led our first Member Meeting, gathering 59 attendees together to check in on 2020 progress, provide a venue for discussion, and offer members a roadmap for 2021. We have been expanding our Technical Advisory Council Working Groups, providing new benchmarking services with PowerScore, and publishing our first…

RII served on a panel of experts on August 6th, 2020 to support the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops & Soils Program and the Center for Sustainable Agriculture for their 2020 Hemp Growing Season Webinar Series for CBD Post-Harvest Handling (Drying focus), to provide information and useful recommendations for energy efficiency when cultivating and…

Throughout 2020, Cannabis Business Times has graciously featured a series of editorials written by RII’s Technical Director Gretchen Schimelpfenig and co-authored by RII members. The editorials repackage and deliver subject matter from RII’s Best Practices Guides to disseminate efficient HVAC and lighting concepts throughout the market and promote project teams using the guides. To date,…

More Work on Waste on Horizon RII was recently asked to participate in the Sustainability & Science/Policy Work Group meeting focused on regulations addressing packing and waste associated with cannabis products in Colorado. Executive Director Derek Smith attended the August 11 meeting and was encouraged by the State of Colorado’s leadership in promoting cannabis sustainability and the…

In August, RII Technical Director Gretchen Schimelpfenig spoke on a panel at the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) webinar Exploring Energy Efficiency in the Cannabis Industry. Gretchen joined experts from energy efficiency program implementers and utilities working in New England, the Midwest, and California including Kyle Booth from Energy Solutions and James Yerke and Taylor…

RII on Panel with Massachusetts, Illinois and California Representatives On August 26th, RII Executive Director Derek Smith spoke on a panel at the DesignLights Consortium’s webinar Incentives vs. Regulations – What Do They Mean for Product Selection?. He joined experts from states with legalized cannabis markets including Massachusetts, Illinois, and California including Thao Chau from…

Highlighting facts and proposing a collaborative path forward California’s cannabis industry has recently been contemplating the Statewide Codes and Standards Enhancement (CASE) Team’s proposed code change proposals to the Energy Code as market actors assess potential impacts on cultivation operations. With a statewide cannabis market in disarray and the industry calling for a significant overhaul…

Executive Director Derek Smith discussed energy standards and Board Member Jen Amann presented about codes On Thursday, July 23, RII Executive Director Derek Smith hosted Energy Standards: The Missing Piece for Scale and Sustainability, a roundtable held twice during the day-long virtual Indoor AgTech Innovation Summit, a unique platform to develop new business and accelerate…

Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission Addresses Definitions, Eligible Equipment, and Exemptions Horticultural Lighting Power Density Calculations Clarified On July 17, 2020, the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission released a list of frequently asked questions with associated answers to clarify the market's understanding of regulations and the ways cultivators can comply with them. The answers to questions #4…