Brian Clark, Senior Project Manager at RTM Engineering Consultants, answers the questions: What do you predict for the future of the marijuana industry? How does RTM’s expertise set it apart from competitors?
The marijuana market is growing within the United States. Recreational marijuana is now legal in eleven states and Washington, D.C., and medical marijuana is legal in 33 states. As more states move toward legalization, the number of facilities for growth and cultivation, extraction, and dispensation is increasing rapidly.
RTM Engineering Consultants is establishing itself as a leading firm in this emerging market. Our team has experience working on multiple projects within the industry. We are familiar with the unique challenges and opportunities for each type of facility, and we are looking toward the future.
Expertise in a New Industry
Designing facilities in the marijuana industry is a relatively new area of expertise, but our team has completed a wide range of projects in other verticals that have similar requirements. For example, extraction facilities need to have cleanroom environments for filling products, and many of the design criteria are comparable to those of pharmacies. RTM has designed many pharmacy projects, and we can draw on that knowledge.
Adapting to Changing Regulations
RTM has offices across the country, including Colorado, California, and Washington, states that legalized recreational or medical marijuana years ago. When we start a project, we are able to lean on team members in these regional offices for their expertise in code requirements, local and state regulations, and other guidelines. Because the laws and codes are changing constantly, we have to read the latest codes, stay updated on new research, and get information from code reviewers during the design process.
On the Horizon for the Industry
The marijuana market has enormous growth potential. Just by looking back on the last decade, we can predict that the marketplace will continue to expand in the next decade. We’re also aware that cultural views of marijuana are still evolving and may differ depending on factors such as location and demographic.
Learn more about RTM’s mechanical engineering expertise.