Comparative Case Studies: Design of Cannabis Extraction Spaces

SPEAKER:

Melinda Amador, P. Eng., M.A.Sc
CodeNext Inc.

Melinda Amador, P. Eng., M.A.Sc, (CodeNext Inc.) has over 12 years of experience in the practice of fire protection and life safety consulting, specializing in industrial applications and the evaluation of hazardous materials. Melinda completed her masters at the University of Waterloo in mechanical engineering, focusing on risk analysis. Melinda is a Past President of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers, Southern Ontario Chapter, and was also a member of the National Fire Code of Canada, Hazardous Materials and Activities Task Group on Classification of Dangerous Goods.

Melinda has had the opportunity to engage with facility owners, local building and fire department officials, as well as policy task groups to develop an appreciation for the challenges faced in cannabis extraction facility design projects. Melinda is a Project Engineer at CodeNext Inc., a startup with a vision to bring our talent and a new way of thinking to the building and fire code industry.

Melinda previously presented on this topic at the 2019 Canadian Fire Safety Association, Annual Education Forum.

SYNOPSIS:

With developing legalization of consumer cannabis products manufactured using hazardous solvent extraction technology, there is a need for designers, Authorities Having Jurisdiction, and owners to understand design restrictions and options available under the Ontario Fire Code (OFC). While the OFC is not the only governing regulation for cannabis extraction processes, it is one element that, if not considered in the early stages of the facility design, can slowdown or halt permit and licence approvals for a project.

As an appetite for exploring cannabis extraction production grows in industry, it’s important to consider how the scale of production, process flow, equipment, extraction solvent, and existing or new building infrastructure will be regulated under the OFC. This presentation outlines design pathways in the OFC that address hazardous extraction activities, depending on the types of solvents present and the scale of processing proposed.

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