What to Consider When Planning for Under-Canopy Lighting

Under canopy lighting is a great option for indoor growers who want to level up their operation. Installing LEDs underneath your plants provides light to the lower levels of the canopy, an area that doesn’t get a lot of exposure with traditional overhead lighting. This method can lead to increased yields and stronger, healthier, plants.

However, there are a few things to consider if you’re planning to install under canopy lighting. Here are some points that growers should keep in mind: 

Effect on HVAC loads

With under canopy lighting, you’re introducing a new heat source into an area of your grow room that was previously unaccounted for. This additional source of heat will impact your cooling needs, and, will likely lead to an increased HVAC load to maintain the right temperature. Plus, since you’ll be adding heat to a new area of the room, you may need to reimagine your airflow and fan placement to keep the temperature even.

Increased electrical requirement of the facility

Adding more lights will increase the amount of electricity you use. Although LEDs are pretty efficient, they still consume energy, and installing them will raise your electricity usage and energy bill—in addition to the increased HVAC load that the extra heat will cause.

Contactor panels

With more lights and more electrical components, you may need to install additional contactor panels. Keep in mind all the extra equipment that comes with under canopy lighting, and evaluate if your current panels can handle the increased load.

Control integration

Adding under canopy lighting to your operation introduces a new element that you’ll need to control in concordance with all the other systems at work—including HVAC, humidity, irrigation, and airflow. You’ll want to consider how your under canopy lights integrate with the rest of your operation’s systems.

Interested in under canopy lights? TC Control Group can provide a complete solution that includes lights, HVAC, electrical, controls, and more. Call our experts at (508) 832-5900 or email us at solutions@tccontrols.com to answer your questions and get started on your solution.