Cannabis operators urged to plan for the next wave of HVAC codes

DRM CEO Nic Bucholz says cannabis cultivators making major facility investments in 2026 need to design for coming changes in energy, HVAC, dehumidification and safety codes, not just today’s rules. California, Massachusetts and new model codes all point to tighter requirements that could affect cost, permitting and expansion plans.

Why it matters: - Cannabis facilities are long-lived assets, and HVAC, dehumidification and electrical decisions made now can lock operators into designs that may not fit future code cycles. - A mismatch between current equipment and upcoming requirements can trigger redesigns, added electrical load, higher operating costs and delays that hurt production. - The issue extends beyond new builds. Existing facilities can also face compliance changes when they replace HVAC or dehumidification systems or alter lighting.

What happened: - DRM CEO Nic Bucholz said cannabis operators planning major facility investments in 2026 should ask whether a facility will still make sense under the next generation of codes. - DRM outlined how California, Massachusetts and the International Code Council are each driving changes that could affect cannabis cultivation facilities. - DRM also urged operators to review HVAC strategy, electrical capacity, equipment selection, fire and life safety, permitting cycles and expansion flexibility before spending money.

The details: - California’s 2025 Energy Code took effect Jan. 1, 2026, and includes CEH requirements for dehumidification equipment, horticultural lighting, electrical power distribution and other systems. - Those requirements apply not only to new cultivation facilities but also to newly installed HVAC or dehumidification systems in existing indoor-growing facilities. - Certain horticultural lighting alterations can also trigger compliance requirements. - California’s 2025 Intervening Code Adoption Cycle will produce supplements to the state’s 2025 Building Standards Code that become effective July 1, 2027. - California is also developing its next major Energy Code for adoption as part of the 2028 standards and implementation in 2029. - For large indoor cultivation facilities, one proposal under discussion focuses on the relationship between HVAC and dehumidification. - The proposal would require sizing, equipment qualification, heat recovery and rejection, controls and performance verification for covered high-intensity CEH spaces. - Design calculations would need to account for sensible and latent loads across early-, mid- and late-stage grow conditions, including lights-on and lights-off operation. - Covered systems would need to coordinate temperature and humidity controls instead of operating as unrelated systems. - Supplemental dehumidification would still be allowed, but commercial units used in covered CEH applications would face qualification and testing requirements. - Massachusetts enacted legislation in 2026 requiring the Cannabis Control Commission to review cannabis regulations on workplace safety, including air quality and first-responder access, by July 1, 2027. - Massachusetts already requires cultivation facilities to address energy efficiency and environmental considerations, with HVAC and dehumidification recognized as major energy drivers. - The International Code Council is developing the 2027 generation of model codes, which many states and jurisdictions use as a base for their own standards. - California agencies are preparing to review the 2027 editions of model building, existing building, fire and other codes, along with updated mechanical, plumbing and electrical codes, for incorporation into the 2028 Building Standards Code. - DRM said operators should verify which code edition applies based on jurisdiction, permit timing and construction schedule.

Between the lines: - California is acting as a preview of where cannabis cultivation standards may be headed nationally, especially on integrated HVAC and humidity control. - The regulatory trend is shifting away from treating dehumidification as a standalone fix and toward designing the full cultivation environment as one interconnected system. - Bucholz said the financial risk is highest when operators buy equipment before engineering is complete or assume current minimum code compliance is enough for a long-term facility. - DRM cited a project in which a previous oversized mechanical design created more than $1 million in unnecessary expenses. - The broader message is that code compliance alone is not the same as building a scalable facility.

What's next: - Operators can expect more code updates to emerge through California’s 2027 and 2028 adoption cycles and through the ICC model code process. - Massachusetts’ 2027 review could also lead to new workplace safety or air-quality requirements for cannabis facilities. - DRM expects operators to keep reevaluating facility design as future code requirements become clearer. - Bucholz said the best time to address major equipment, canopy expansion, room renovations or new facility design is before money is spent.

The bottom line: - Cannabis operators that plan HVAC, dehumidification, electrical and expansion decisions around future codes as well as current rules are less likely to face expensive redesigns later.