At Cloud Cover Cannabis, a cannabis producer in Portland, rooftop HVAC units with hot gas reheat offer independent control of temperature and humidity and estimated savings of 37 percent.

When selecting the heating, ventilating and air conditioning system for its new indoor cultivation facility, Cloud Cover Cannabis chose rooftop units with hot gas reheat, allowing independent control over temperature and humidity using a single integrated system.

“Cannabis production facilities typically require significant cooling and have high dehumidification needs,” said Ankur Rungta, co-founder. “Energy is a big factor in our operating cost equation, and standard systems set up a cycle where dehumidification units create heat while HVAC units are fighting it. We weren’t interested in systems that inefficiently worked against one another.”

With hot gas reheat technology, the rooftop units cool incoming air to drop excessive moisture, then use the bi-product heat to reheat the air to the desired set-point. Variable frequency drive fans further reduce energy by synchronizing fan speed to produce the exact air flow needed. Direct digital controls precisely control temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide and other variables.

Quality Product Solutions received a $124,100 cash incentive from Energy Trust to help defray the extra cost of the high-efficiency units, which will cut annual energy costs by an estimated $52,000.