๐In this episode of Under the Microscope with Jenny, host Jenny Germano sits down with Evan Bliss, Owner and Design Director of Studio Bliss, to discuss what it really takes to design cannabis facilities in emerging markets. Evan shares his journey from traditional architecture into cannabis starting with extraction labs in California and expanding into cultivation and dispensary projects across the country. Together, they break down common misconceptions operators face, including underestimating total building size be...
๐In this episode of Under the Microscope with Jenny, host Jenny Germano sits down with Evan Bliss, Owner and Design Director of Studio Bliss, to discuss what it really takes to design cannabis facilities in emerging markets. Evan shares his journey from traditional architecture into cannabis starting with extraction labs in California and expanding into cultivation and dispensary projects across the country. Together, they break down common misconceptions operators face, including underestimating total building size beyond licensed canopy and misallocating budget dollars. They emphasize the importance of engaging experienced design, engineering, and construction teams early to prevent workflow inefficiencies, storage and vault constraints, biosecurity gaps, and costly code-compliance issues. Key topics include phasing facilities for scalable growth, understanding the budget impact of HVAC and utility infrastructure, avoiding redesigns caused by fire egress and permitting missteps, navigating multi-agency approvals, managing equipment lead times, and preventing expensive power upgrade surprises through early load calculations.
This episode delivers practical, real-world guidance for operators planning new builds or expansions in emerging cannabis markets.
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๐ฟ๐ข๐๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐๐: Jenny Germano, Founder of ICS Consulting
๐ ๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐๐น๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด: https://www.icsconsultingservice.com
๐ฟ๐ข๐๐ฟ ๐๐๐ฒ๐๐: Evan Bliss, Owner and Design Director of Studio Bliss
๐ ๐ช๐ฒ๐ฏ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ: https://studioblissla.com
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โฐ๐ง๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ๐โฐ
01:24 Evanโs Origin Story
04:24 Emerging Market Reality Check
05:05 Canopy vs Facility Size
06:19 Phased Build Strategy
07:46 Engage Design Team Early
11:19 Budgeting and Delivery Model
14:53 Profit Drivers HVAC First
16:01 Designing for Licensing Success
17:44 Avoid Redesign and Code Traps
20:31 Permitting Delays and Cities
24:44 Upfront Steps and Equipment Lead Times
27:10 Operational Flow and GMP Thinking
29:24 Dispensary Layout Pitfalls
34:02 Vault Design Essentials
35:20 Space Constraints in Dense Cities
37:48 Inspections and Regulator Variability
43:13 Scaling Manufacturing Infrastructure
46:41 Phased Grows and Flexible Buildouts
48:14 Costly Pitfalls Utilities and Power
59:38 Plan Ahead and Final Takeaways
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๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐น๐ฎ๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ: The content shared on this channel - including all videos, podcasts, interviews, and discussions is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, compliance, or business consulting advice, and should not be relied upon as such. Laws and regulations surrounding cannabis and related industries vary by jurisdiction and are subject to change. Always consult with a qualified attorney or licensed professional before making decisions that could have legal or regulatory consequences for your business. Listening to or viewing this content does not create a client relationship between you and ICS Consulting, Under the Microscope with Jenny, Jenny Germano, or any of the podcastโs guests. Any opinions expressed are those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of ICS Consulting or its affiliates.
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