State-of-the-Art Facility Features Perpetual Harvest System to Maximize Yields
WALTHAM, MA – July 12, 2022 – Vantage Builders, Inc., a commercial contractor specializing in pre-construction, construction management and design-build services, has announced that it completed the build-out of a 100,000-square-foot cannabis cultivation, product manufacturing and dispensary facility for GreenCare Collective, located at 12 Latti Farm Road in Millbury, MA. The build represents the largest cannabis project for Vantage Builders and is one of the largest cultivation facilities in Massachusetts.
Vantage Builders completely transformed the building, which formerly housed two manufacturing tenants, into a state-of-the-art grow facility. GreenCare Collective’s new facility features clone, mother, and vegetation rooms; six 9,500-square-foot grow rooms; cultivation process rooms for drying, trimming, curing and packaging; secure vault storage; and a commercial kitchen for the creation of cannabis edibles. The second floor has corporate office space for GCC staff. A 2,000-square-foot dispensary is located in the front of the building and is scheduled to open this summer.
The highlight of the facility is the perpetual harvest system, which enables GCC to have plants continuously in both the flowering and vegetation stages. The perpetual harvest features GCC’s custom rolling tray system, from EnviroTech Cultivation Solutions. Plants are seated in large, 15.5’ long by 4’ wide trays and are efficiently moved by GCC growers along wheeled conveyor racks through each stage in growth, from mother to vegetation and growth, right to processing. The process allows growers to carefully tailor the light and fertigation that plants receive at each stage, which greatly increases crop yield, product quality and the efficiency of the cultivation process.
The six massive grow rooms have walls and ceilings consisting of Norbec insulated metal panels and epoxy flooring, which help maintain the clean environment. Each grow room has twenty-four separate fertigation zones and four different lighting zones to maximize growth and healthy plants. Vantage Builders installed 2,200 LED lights from Revolution Microelectronics to create the proper grow conditions.
“Our complete focus is on the cannabis plant, and that means having a world-class facility, where we could combine commercial agricultural techniques with the best practices of cannabis cultivation,” said Charles Smith, General Counsel, GreenCare Collective. “We are proud of the facility we have built. The facility is the culmination of a tremendous amount of experience, planning and execution. Vantage Builders was involved at the early stages of the project and their team’s experience was critical to delivering this state-of-the-art facility.”
The project included the installation of all new MEP/FP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection) and HVAC infrastructure to meet the heavy systems demands of the cultivation facility. The building required a new electrical service power upgrade, including new outdoor switchgear with a CAT diesel backup generator. The main chiller plant features three Tecogen chillers, boilers and two large cooling towers that supply hot and cold-water loops for the building’s HVAC needs. The chiller plant consists of four modular sections that were assembled in Arizona, shipped to Millbury and very carefully installed on a new, custom-built structural equipment pad.
All aspects of the grow process – fertigation, lighting, temperature, and CO2 levels – are controlled by an intelligent Priva building management system (BMS), while a second BMS provides control for the office and dispensary areas. Any odors created during the cannabis processing are eliminated by a Benzaco Scientific odor neutralization system.
GCC’s high-end dispensary features distinct branding, including an eye-catching honeycomb design element. The space is well-lit and inviting, with a layout that helps customers find the products they need and get the help they want, without feeling hurried. The dispensary will offer flower, edibles, concentrates, tinctures, topicals and more.
“Vantage Builders has been part of the cannabis industry since it first started in Massachusetts,” said John Connor, Principal, Vantage Builders. “GreenCare Collective’s cultivation facility is definitely one of the most complex projects we’ve worked on in the cannabis market. Our team’s years of experience in cannabis construction was critical to the success of the build.”
The project team included BKA Architects, BLW Engineers (MEP engineering), McClure Engineering (civil engineering) and Trinity Engineering (structural engineering).
About Greencare Collective
Greencare Collective cultivates and manufactures high-quality cannabis for the Massachusetts retail and wholesale markets. GreenCare Collective is comprised of an extensive team of seasoned operators with decades of experience in cannabis cultivation as well as commercial distribution in nationally regulated markets. The cannabis we grow comes from great genetics, refined, and carefully selected, and nurtured by our expert growers, who are equal parts scientists and artists. We’ve learned that the only way to produce consistent, quality cannabis is to create the perfect environment for cannabis to grow — and replicate it at scale — to make the best possible product every time. Our investment in our facility, including our lighting solution, fertigation management, sensors and controls, and perpetual harvest manufacturing, means we can keep our promises and grow with our customers. For more information, please visit https://gcc-brands.com. Follow us on social media:
Instagram: @gcc_brands
Facebook: @GreenCareCollective
About Vantage Builders, Inc.
Founded in 2000, Vantage Builders is a full-service commercial contractor specializing in pre-construction, construction management and design-build services. The firm serves corporations, small businesses, building owners, developers, property managers, entrepreneurs and institutions. Our team of professionals is dedicated to successfully completing projects – from ground-up construction to tenant improvements and renovations – that create the environments in which our clients’ employees thrive and their businesses succeed. We have extensive experience serving the corporate, retail, industrial, cannabis, healthcare and education markets. For more information, please visit www.vb-inc.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram (@vantagebuilders), Facebook and Twitter (@VantageBldrs).
# # #