What should I ask about a hydroponic farm’s lighting and climate controls?

Ask for a list of the lights, fans, heaters, coolers and dehumidifiers, with install dates and the zones they serve. Find out which items are near the end of their useful life, and what a replacement program would look like. Ask whether the lights have been dimmed, repaired or swapped over time and whether output has been measured.

Ask how the climate is controlled. Is there a central controller, and who holds the passwords and logs? Can the seller show how temperature, humidity and light have been recorded across a crop? Ask what the alarm system does when a limit is passed, and who answers it. Test it if you can.

Energy matters. Ask to see the utility bills and how they follow the seasons, and what has been done to reduce use. Ask your accountant how rising energy costs would affect the plan. Ask about the hottest and coldest days of recent years and what happened to the crop. Have an electrician or controls technician check the wiring, panels and capacity, since changes to the system may need more power than the site has. Ask what the seller would upgrade first and why, and whether any lights are tied to a particular crop schedule.

Key takeaways

• Get a dated list of every light and climate unit by zone.
• Ask who controls the system and who answers its alarms.
• Review utility bills across the seasons.