Publication Highlights

"CANNABIS CULTIVATION AND SCIENCE PODCAST"
​KIS Organics, May 2019

Controlled Environment Agriculture is such a technical field that it can be confusing and a bit daunting for growers. We discussed variables relating to plant growth and plant health, as I explained some of the key principles to consider when growing indoors or greenhouse environments.
Check out the podcast here!

"11 WOMEN TO WATCH"
​Marijuana Venture, October 2018

It is an honor to be recognized as one of the "11 Women to Watch" in the latest issue of Marijuana Venture. I share this honor with a great cadre of fremale leaders and visionaries in the industry. The way in the cannabis industry is to be more inclusive and celebratory of female leaders than other industries tradtionally have been. So far, so good! Thank you again, Marijuana Venture, for the support and recognition. 

Read the article at: www.marijuanaventure.com/the-engineer/

EXPERT OPINION: DID YOU KNOW?
Humidity, Pests, and Pathogens
​Cannabis Business Times, July 2017

Controlling humidity is important to ensure good plant health and productivity. Under both too-dry and too-wet conditions, the plant will be stressed, and if prolonged, can result in nutrient deficiencies and greater susceptibility to pests and pathogens. 
Read the full article in CBT's Special Report on Smart Humidity (July 2017)  http://www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com/article/moisture-matters/
"GROWING IN A 'PERFECT' GREENHOUSE CLIMATE"
Urban Ag News, Issue 16, January 2017
No matter what type of facility you are growing plants in, it is important to understand the climate variables that affect crop responses and productivity. Dr. Sabeh discusses the environmental factors greenhouse growers can manage - temperature, humidity, VPD, carbon dioxide, and airflow - and how those factors interact with the plants and each other.  She also presents common methods for controlling those factors in a greenhouse environment, as well as the challenges and potential solutions in non-so-perfect climates. 
Check out ​"The Climate Management Issue."
"KEEPING IT COOL: HVAC DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR GROWING INDOORS"
Upstart University Webinar: October 23, 2016
In this webinar, Dr. Sabeh explains the importance of a well-designed HVAC system for indoor growing, reviews the different HVAC equipment used for greenhouse and warehouse crop production, and outlines the information needed to calculate heating, cooling, and humidity control requirements. The webinar ends with a case study comparing the CapEx and OpEx outcomes of an off-the-shelf system vs. an engineered system. 
Read HVAC Design: The worst mistakes farmers can make

Watch the ​​pre-recorded webinar here.

"CLEAR THE AIR: YOUR OPTIONS FOR GREENHOUSE

​VENTILATION AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT"
​
​Cannabis Business Times

In this article Dr. Sabeh elaborates on the different options for greenhouse ventilation and discusses its importance for your crop. 
Read the ​​full article here.
Reprinted from the January/February 2016 issue of Resource magazine with permission of the publisher the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. 

"THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY NEEDS US"
​
​Resource magazine, January/February 2016 issue

Dr. Sabeh asks the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers to join her in a discussion about the cannabis industry and how they can be involved in the research, development, and education within this fast-growing industry. 

PLANT FACTORY
​
​Plant Factory,UK; Academic Press, 2016 can be purchased at Elsevier:
http://store.elsevier.com/Plant-Factory/isbn-9780128017753/

This book represents the only available resource to take a practical approach to the planning, design, and implementation of plant factory (PF) practices to yield food crops.  The PF systems described are based on a plan production system with artificial lights and include case studies providing lessons learned and best practices from both industrial and crop specific programs.

Below are excerpts from the two chapters contributed by Dr. Sabeh.

Chapter 6: Rooftop Plant Production

1. Introduction
Rooftop plant production (RPP) is the practice of growing plants on top of residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. Plants grown on roofs may be ornamental or edible, require regular pruning and harvesting, or be maintenance free.  Many new buildings are being designed with "green roof" space to capitalize on the many proven and potential benefits (The City of London, 2008), including environmental - stormwater management, heat island reduction, carbon sequestration, and building insulation - and social - community connection, k-12 education, and plant therapy and rehabilitation (Mandel, 2013) .

There are many added benefits for using the roof to grow food crops, including local food production and security, decreased fuel use for transporting food, agricultural jobs training, and improved local economy (Ganguly et al., 2011).  Rooftop agriculture, as a subset of RPP, is gaining popularity within the urbanlandscape as city dwellers gain interest in local and sustainable food production.  This interest is gaining traction as more and more cities lift historical bans on urban agriculture and pass ordinances that allow homeowners, communities, and businesses to grow food in open spaces for more than personal consumption (Englehard, 2010).

The rooftop is an ideal landscape for growing plants in dense cities, as it typically has greater exposure to solar energy than the ground below.  Further, rooftops are often vacant, except for the mechanical equipment use to condition the building.  This combination of factors - sunlight and space - is also why rooftops are good locations for generating on-site solar electricity and solar hot water.  The urban PFAL (Plant Factory with Artificial Light), like any city building, will have underutilized space that can be used to capture solar energy, either for food production or electricity generation. 
Chapter 8: Physical Environmental Factors and Their Properties
1. Introduction
In order to provide the optimum environment for plants to grow in a plant factory with artificial lighting (PFAL), it is essential to understand the nature of each of the environmental factors and how to measure and quantify them.  This chapter describes the physical and chemical properties of the following environmental factors and their measurement: temperature, humidity, CO2 concentration, air current speed, and number of air exchanges per hour.  In addition, the basic concepts of energy balance, radiation, and heat conduction and convection are described in detail.  Furthermore, the concept and use of the psychrometric chart are described to introduce the importance in understanding environmental control of PFALs. 

TOMATO GREENHOUSE ROADMAP 

​Copyright (c) HortAmericas, 2014

Published October 1, 2014, the Tomato Greenhouse Roadmap was written by Dr. Nadia Sabeh and developed in partnership with HortAmericas, LLC.  The roadmap is designed as a guide for new greenhouse growers, farmers, and investors interested in entering the world of controlled environment agriculture and greenhouse tomato production.  The Roadmap presents specific industry terminology, production concepts, and cultivation options that must be understood in order to make important investment decisions. Topics include an overview of greenhouse planning, design, and operation, as well as crop management. The information presented is based on the most current research and accepted design and operational strategies.  The Roadmap is not a "production" guide.  It does include key worksheets and resources that will assist in organizing and planning a professional hydroponic greenhouse.

Purchase the Tomato Greenhouse Roadmap from Amazon.com here.
Or purchase a hardcopy version from Urban Ag Products here.

All Publications

Books
Kozai, T., Niu, Genhua, Takagaki, M., “Plant Factory,” 2016, Elsevier. Contributing Author: Chapter 6. Rooftop Plant Production Systems in Urban Areas and Chapter 8. Physical Environmental Factors and Their Properties.
Sabeh, NC. “Tomato Greenhouse Roadmap,” 2014, HortAmericas.
ASHRAE. “ASHRAE GreenGuide: Design, Construction, and Operation of Sustainable Buidings,” 4th Ed., 2013, Contributing Author.
 
Referred Journal Articles
Sabeh, N.C., G. Giacomelli, C. Kubota. 2011. “Water use in a greenhouse in a semi-arid climate,” Trans. ASABE. 54(3)
Sabeh, N.C., E.F. Wheeler, P.H. Heinemann, D.M. Beyer. 2006. “Environmental conditions with small-scale Agaricus bisporus mushroom production rooms,” App Eng Ag. 22(6):907-917.
Nam, S.W., G.A. Giacomelli, K.S. Kim, N.C. Sabeh. 2005. “Analysis of temperature gradients in greenhouse equipped with fan and pad system by CFD method.” J.BioEnv Cntrl.14(2):76-82.
Sabeh, N.C., E.F. Wheeler, P.H. Heinemann, D.M. Beyer, 2005, “Environmental control strategies in Agaricus bisporus production rooms and their effects on mushroom quality,” Mushroom News, 53(1): 6-12.
Ho, M.A., L.M. Squire, N.C. Sabeh, D.K. Giles, J.S. VanderGheynst, 2005, “Design and evaluation of a grapevine pruner for biofungicide application, Bioresource Technology, 96(2005): 963-968.
Akau, H.L., K.M. Miller, N.C. Sabeh, R.G. Allen, D.E. Block, J.S.VanderGheynst, 2004, “Production of Botrytis cinerea for potential introduction into a vineyard, Bioresource Technology, 92(2004): 41-48.
Wheeler, E.F., J.L. Zajaczkowski, N.C. Sabeh, 2003, “Field evaluation of tunnel and conventional ventilation in broiler housing, J. of Applied Engr. in Agric, 19(3): 367-377.
Sabeh, N.C., J.S. VanderGheynst, 2001, “Estimating gas transfer rates in bag cultivation of Letinula edodes,” Mushroom News. 49(7): 14-22.

Refereed Conference Proceedings
Sabeh, N.C., G.A. Giacomelli, C. Kubota. 2006. “Water use for pad and fan evaporative cooling of a greenhouse in semi-arid climate.” Acta Hort. 719: 409-416.
Sase, S., M. Ishii, H. Moriyama, C. Kubota, K. Kurata, M. Hayashi, N.C. Sabeh, P. Romero, G.A. Giacomelli. 2006. “Effect of natural ventilation rate on relative humidity and water use for fog cooling in a semiarid greenhouse.” Acta Hort. 719: 385-392.
M. Ishii, S. Sase, H. Moriyama, C. Kubota, K. Kurata, M. Hayashi, A. Ikeguchi, N.C. Sabeh, P. Romero, G.A. Giacomelli. 2006. “The Effect of Evaporative Fog Cooling in a Naturally Ventilated Greenhouse on Air and Leaf Temperature, Relative Humidity and Water Use in a Semiarid Climate.” Acta Hort. 719: 491-498.

Non-Refereed Conference Proceedings
Sabeh, N.C., G. Giacomelli, C. Kubota. 2007. “Water use by greenhouse evaporative cooling system systems in a semi-arid climate.” ASABE Paper No. 07-4013. ASABE Annual Meeting. Minneapolis, MN.
Sabeh, N.C., A. Ikeguchi, S. Sase, L. Okushima, M. Ishii. 2006. “Effects of Buoyancy and Wind Direction on Airflow and Temperature Distribution in a Naturally Ventilated, Single-Span Greenhouse using a Wind Tunnel.” ASAE Paper No. 06-4127. Annual Meeting. Portland, OR.
Ikeguchi, A., S. Sase, M. Ishii, K. Kurata, C. Kubota, S. Yokoi, N. Sabeh, G. Giacomelli. 2005. Efficient greenhouse cooling in semiarid climate (II): Natural ventilation measurement with gas tracer method in a single-span double-polyethylene greenhouse. International Conference on Research Highlights and Vanguard Technology on Environmental Engineering in Agricultural Systems. Kanazawa, Japan.

Magazine Articles
Sabeh, NC. 2017. “Maximizing Profitability by Managing Plant-Environment Interactions.” Marijuana Venture Magazine. August 2017
Sabeh, NC. 2017. “Did you Know? Humidity, Pests, and Pathogens.” Cannabis Business Times. August 2017.
Sabeh, NC. 2016. “The Cannabis Industry Needs Us,” Resource Magazine.
Guttmann, S.D., T.M. Tiffany, N.C. Sabeh. 2012. “Student Remedy: Case Study of UC Davis Health and Wellness Center,” High Performance Buildings. Winter 2013 Issue.
Sabeh, N.C. 2011. 1-2-3-4-5 Member Highlight. ASABE CANV Section Bimonthly Newsletter. March 2, 2011. 31: 2-3.
Sabeh, N.C. 2007. “Ventilación y enfriamiento evaporativo.” Productores de Hortalizas. 16(5): 15-16.
Sabeh, N.C. 2006. “Foreign study completes an education, packs cultural rewards: Bento box lunch, anyone?”  Resource Magazine. 13(9): 14, 16.
Sabeh, N.C. 2006. “Wind tunnel experiments: Whirlwind Japanese tour: Air movement in a greenhouse.” Resource Magazine. 13(6): 9-10.
Giacomelli, G.A., N.C. Sabeh, P. Costa, M. Jensen. 2005. “Controlled Environment Agriculture: A sustainable option.” Southwest Hydrology. July/Aug 2005: 24-25.
Sabeh, N. and G. Giacomelli, “Maximize greenhouse light transmission, 2004, “GMPro: Greenhouse Management and Production. 2004. 24(11): 60-62

Interviews
Greenhouse Management. 2017. “Two types of temperature and humidity control.” Interview by Patrick Williams. August 2017.
Sungrower & Greenhouse. 2017. “Q&A with Nadia Sabeh.” Summer 2017.
Greenhouse Management. 2017. “Feature: Time to Upgrade.” May 2017
Urban Ag News. 2017. “Growing in a ‘perfect’ greenhouse climate.” Interview by David Kuack. January 2017.
Cannabis Business Times. 2016. “Digging Deep Into Greenhouse HVAC.” Interview by Kyle Brown. July 2016.
Cannabis Business Times. 2016. “Keep Your Cool.” Interview by Kyle Brown. May 2016.

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