Retrofitting Buildings for Sustainable Cannabis Use
Sustainable Grown Cannabis has always been a top priority at Trulieve, especially as we build and expand into new states. From the retrofitting’s of older buildings purchased, to the construction of new buildings, to reducing or eliminating waste, sustainability plays a significant role in our company’s operations. Our new hybrid location (grow, production, and offices) in Holyoke, Massachusetts, has helped us gain some new perspectives into building with environmental impact in mind that I wanted to share with you.
As you may know, the retrofitting of any older buildings can be a challenge in any industry. Our new Holyoke facility was a former paper mill. Having a hybrid building that produces and processes cannabis in the same location is a new sustainable concept, adopted to reduce environmental impacts and concerns onsite and in the community. Eliminating the transportation just in the cultivating process of the plant will dramatically reduce the overall carbon footprint and local effects on the environment.
Trulieve plans to install LED fixtures where feasible to help reduce heat generation, prolong bulb life (and thereby reduce waste generation) while improving efficiency. We also are:
Actively considering obtaining the ISO 14001 certification for environmental management.
Incorporating the use of reverse osmosis to cut down water consumption and improve the number of natural resources used per unit of the product produced.
Collecting data and establishing a baseline year from which sustainability goals will be established, and projects initiated to meet goals.
Some of the new features we have incorporated in the new grow and processing retro-fit warehouse includes:
The addition of a newly installed Reverse Osmosis system for all our water in cultivation used onsite.
The efficient use of LED lights in every cultivation room and throughout the entire building.
The use of motion sensor lighting in common areas.
The installation and use of low-flow toilets and sinks in the restrooms and break areas.
The use of Rockwool as a new method to help break down any of the green waste on site.
The refurbishment of the Holyoke facility has also brought 250+ jobs into the Holyoke area. In addition, we sourced locally for all the needed materials that also helps reduce our energy/waste costs in the overall refurbishment process.
Being mindful of our waste reduction has always been a core value within our company’s policies. As Trulieve grows, we will keep re-evaluating our waste stream processes and carbon footprint. We will also strive to look for new advances in technologies to adopt into the industry that will also benefit the company as a whole and make it run in the utmost efficient manner.
Utilizing bio-digesters onsite has also helped us recycle and or eliminate organic waste stream materials completely through its rapid composting behavior. The recycling of unwanted materials such as cardboard, plastic, paper, drum, pallet, metal recycling has also been implemented in our facilities to reduce our overall waste impact on the environment. Incorporating the advanced equipment/techniques in the continual reuse of solvents in the purification process is helping also reduce our carbon footprint onsite.
As one of the leading cannabis companies in the county, we plan to continue to lead and help guide the cannabis industry to new and better practices in sustainability as the green wave of legalization moves forward.
