Over a decade ago, Mikhail Sagal and Gary Arnold, the cofounders of TSRgrow, teamed up to embark on a journey in LED lighting technology. At the time, it had nothing to do with cannabis. But, by 2016, with indoor cannabis cultivation coming out of the dark ages, they saw the potential to transform an industry plagued by inferior LED technology and lack of solutions. It has proven to be a transformative pivot that has continued to push commercial cannabis' standards of efficiency.
As founder and President, Mikhail Sagal remarked, "When we launched TSRgrow, we decided that we weren't going to just be the same old-school technology. We had to do something that was meaningful for commercial cultivators and the future of commercial cultivation."
The outcome? TSRgrow's groundbreaking TOTALgrow Solution, a system designed not just to evolve horticultural LED lighting but to completely reimagine cultivation spaces.
By the Numbers: The Benefits of TSRgrow
*The following are estimates based on a 20,000 sq. ft cultivation scenario
- Achieves an average reduction in HVAC and lighting installation costs by $300,000
- Realizes annual savings of approximately $850,000 in HVAC and lighting operating and maintenance costs
- Increases annual production by up to $2.096 million, considering a product value of $2,000 per pound
- Reduces HVAC-related operational and capital expenses by 25 percent
- Provides 24/7 remote support and notifications, ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations
- Cuts total operational energy consumption by 20-30 percent, leveraging TSRgrow's strategy for power quality and efficiency assessment
- Offers TOTALzone Control for unparalleled management of each genetic strain
- Maintains comprehensive GMP tracking for individuals, plants, and processes, ensuring historical reporting for operational management and quality compliance
Remote Power and Advanced Climate Control in the Grow Room
"Our advanced LED lighting GROWHub software and remote power servers allow you to really advance your grow to the next level. These three pieces working together truly makes this an advanced solution delivering unparalleled quality and yields at the lowest operating costs with maximum oversight." —Mikhail Sagal
Total Zone Control
TSRgrow's TOTALgrow Solution stands out for its unprecedented control over the cultivation room. With the ability to fine-tune light levels and monitor temperature, CO2, humidity, electrical conductivity (EC), and soil temperature, growers can achieve optimal growth conditions for each plant strain on a zone-by-zone basis - while recording the information and creating a master recipe for repeatable applications.
This level of control is facilitated by the GROWHub software, which integrates various environmental factors in real-time, enabling precise management and consistent yields.
Advanced LED Lighting
TSRgrow advanced LED lighting also significantly reduces grow room energy usage. High efficiency light fixtures feature spectrums that balance the right ratio of red:blue:green:far red - targeting optimal growth at each stage of cannabis cultivation. Centralized power servers also eliminate on fixture drivers, reducing heat in the grow room.
Remote power leads to an approximate 20 percent reduction in grow room energy consumption, enabling operators to reduce operating costs significantly while maximizing yields.
Additionally, TSRgrow's LED lights are equipped with infrared diodes that target the canopy leaves, optimizing the temperature for photosynthesis without the need to heat the entire room.
Remote Power
By centralizing remote power servers outside the grow room, growers can consolidate a network of disparate hardware systems and unify data management, turning raw data into actionable insights. The remote power servers offer a significant operational advantage by eliminating all on fixture drivers inside the grow room. This streamlines maintenance, such as replacing failed drivers, and reduces the resulting disruption and potential contamination to the canopy. Applications record power consumption and provide for detailed alerts and notifications with 24/7 online monitoring of all cultivation systems.
Case Study #1: Mercy Wellness, California
Brandon Levine, CEO of Mercy Wellness, has been a part of Northern California's cannabis scene for over two decades. Despite encountering numerous lofty claims from lighting companies, Levine's experience with TSRgrow stood out.
"We hit some of our highest test results ever using their lights," he acknowledged. After a year of using TSRgrow's lighting in a small-scale setup, Levine was convinced to expand their use to a larger facility.
One of the most notable benefits was the significant reduction in grow room temperatures. "Our solution is, by design, a much, much cooler operation," noted Sagal.
TSRgrow's advanced LED lighting solutions achieved this by relocating the lighting fixture drivers, the key heat-producing element, to a central server room outside of the grow rooms. This easily results in a 20 percent drop in energy within the grow room, allowing cultivators to optimize their HVAC and dehumidification systems on just the photon energy being used to grow the plants.
Case Study #2: Canapa Valley Farms, Maine and Michigan
Cliff Miller, former CEO of Canapa Valley Farms, kept a watchful eye on the evolution of LED grow lights. He wasn't always ready to make the leap from traditional HPS technology to LED. His initial reluctance stemmed from the high investment costs and the perceived lack of robust control systems in existing solutions.
As he explained, "We knew cannabis cultivation was going that way, but it was new, expensive and nobody seemed to have good controls for it." But then he discovered the solutions developed by TSRgrow, and suddenly going all in on LED "just made a lot of sense."
Miller and the team at Canapa Valley Farms have been impressed by the neat and orderly grow room setup facilitated by TSRgrow's server-style arrangement. This configuration enhances the clean grow room aesthetic but also plays a significant role in improving operational efficiencies.
By centralizing the power and control systems, TSRgrow effectively minimized the clutter and hazards often associated with conventional grow room setups, leading to a cleaner, safer, and more manageable environment. According to Miller, "None of the heat or ugliness was in the facility, the bays or the grow room. It was all in the server-style hub, which kept things clean, sharp and allowed the technology to truly work."
Miller has since become one of the top referrers of TSRgrow solutions, continuing to recommend them to "anyone and everyone" getting into cultivation as a key solution to securing profitability.
Case Study #3: Bountiful Farms, Massachusetts
Zachary Taylor, GM of Cultivation at Bountiful Farms in Massachusetts, has been deeply involved in indoor cannabis cultivation for nearly two decades. Since adopting TSRgrow's LED technology in 2021, Bountiful Farms has won two Best Grass in Mass competitions.
Taylor attributes this success to the flexibility and control provided by TSRgrow's advanced LED lighting solutions. "I am able to be at home and look at my interface and see everything, not only from an ampere standpoint and a µmol standpoint, but I can also mimic things from nature, such as sunrise and sunset," he said. He monitors up to 12 strains in each room and ensures each gets the light and adjustments needed for peak production.
Shaping the Future of Cannabis Cultivation
TSRgrow's innovative combination of advanced LED lighting technology, remote power, and master recipe climate control is not just transforming indoor cannabis cultivation but also setting new standards for efficiency and control in the industry. Our approach is a significant leap forward in sustainable, high-yield cultivation practices.
Ready to elevate your operations? Discover how TSRgrow's cutting-edge solutions can revolutionize your facility. Contact our team for more information and start transforming your brand today.
This article is based on content originally published in Marijuana Venture Magazine.