Aldevra | Hood, Exhaust & Environmental Control Planning Tool
Cannabis production facilities combine foodservice heating equipment, sensitive confectionary work, and cannabis-active processing.
This tool helps operators determine:
- Whether they need Type I or Type II hoods
- When a hood is not required
- Required CFM (airspeed) estimates
- Makeup air considerations
- Smell mitigation needs
- Humidity & temperature control by product type
- Code references (NFPA, IBC, IMC)
1. EQUIPMENT INVENTORY — DO YOU NEED A HOOD?
Operators list their equipment to determine hood requirements.
2. HOOD TYPE DETERMINATION GUIDE
Simplify the rules for operators (great SEO value).
Type I Hood — Required When:
- Used for grease-producing equipment.
Applies to:
- Ranges
- Fryers (rare in cannabis kitchens, but occasional)
- Griddles
- Some cooktops
Regulatory references:
- NFPA 96 (standard for ventilation control & fire protection)
- IMC 507.2
Type II Hood — Required When:
- Used for heat, moisture, vapor, and odor but no grease.
Applies to:
- Convection ovens
- Combi ovens
- Steamers
- Dishwashers (high-temp)
- Decarboxylation ovens
- Infusion kettles
No Hood Required When:
- Equipment produces no grease and minimal heat
- Low electrical wattage
- Located in non-production areas
- Local code allows exemptions
Common “no hood” cannabis equipment:
- Chocolate melters
- Tempering machines
- Small mixers
- Packaging equipment
- Cold production (gummies mixed post-heat)
3. ESTIMATED AIRFLOW (CFM) BY EQUIPMENT TYPE
This helps operators budget HVAC loads.
4. MAKEUP AIR (MAU) REQUIREMENTS
Aldevra makes this super simple.
MAU Required When:
- Any Type I hood is installed
- A large Type II hood is installed
- Hood airflow exceeds 10% of building air volume
- Negative pressure would impact chocolate or gummy production
MAU Must Provide:
- 80–90% of hood exhaust air replaced with conditioned air
- Air introduced outside cooking zone
- Comfortable environment for staff (~68–75°F)
- Avoid blowing across chocolate or gummies (affects set consistency)
5. TEMPERATURE & HUMIDITY CONTROL BY PRODUCT TYPE
This is a major pain point for operators—great Aldevra value add.
Gummies & Sugar Confections
- Temp: 68–72°F
- RH: 35–45%
- High humidity causes stickiness, slow set, and microbial risk.
Chocolate Rooms
- Temp: 65–70°F
- RH: 40–50%
- Critical for tempering stability.
Baked Edibles
- Temp: 70–75°F
- RH: 30–40%
- Dry storage humidity must be controlled to prevent sugar bloom.
Packaging Area
- Temp: 68–73°F
- RH: 40–55%
- High humidity affects sealing.
6. ODOR CONTROL REQUIREMENTS
Cannabis kitchens face extra scrutiny for odor mitigation.
Recommended for Cannabis Facilities:
- Carbon filtration on exhaust
- Optional “scrubber” system
- Negative pressure zones for decarb room
- HEPA filtration in production areas
- Sealed ducts
- Odor control SOPs (included in Tool 6)
Not Recommended:
- Exhausting near public walkways
- Sharing exhaust ducts with non-cannabis areas
- Running decarb oven without odor filtration
7. LOCAL CODE CHECKLIST
Operators must confirm:
- Local fire department requirements reviewed
- Mechanical engineer consulted
- Health department plan review submitted
- Cannabis regulatory authority reviewed HVAC plan
- Hood UL 710 compliance verified
- Fire suppression plan (UL 300) approved
- Exhaust termination point meets clearance distances
- Make-up air unit sized properly
- Ductwork type & gauge meets NFPA 96
8. VENTILATION LAYOUT TEMPLATE (FILLABLE)
9. PRE-CONSTRUCTION VERIFICATION
Before submitting plans for approval:
- Hood types correctly assigned
- CFM calculations reviewed
- Fire suppression integrated
- Exhaust termination locations approved
- Makeup air sized and balanced
- Odor mitigation included
- Room-specific climate control designed
- Engineer and GC both signed off
Ventilation is one of the biggest cost drivers—and inspection failures—in cannabis production facilities.
Aldevra provides compliant, engineered kitchen solutions that prevent costly change orders and failed inspections.
