After more than four decades, Good Earth Plant Company has a brand new 2,000 square foot working warehouse and workshop facility. It’s been on our wish list since we moved to our Kearny Mesa property in 1994.
When I bought the property 18 years ago, there was a large, three-sided mechanic’s shed. It was torn down in 2007. Since that time, we used the old concrete floor as a large patio and created a “living lab” with examples of living walls. This is where the new warehouse sits. We relocated our living walls and they continue to thrive. We’ll give you a tour in a future blog post.
We’re delighted with the results, and we wanted to invite you in – virtually, anyway – for a tour in the video below.
Our new warehouse will primarily be used for project installation work: fabrication and creation of moss walls; creation of our decorated orchids and living art pieces; and prepping and staging of potted plants, both living and replica.
Why does a new warehouse matter to you? It means improving our ability to do good work for our clients, to keep our employees healthy and comfortable, and to work more efficiently and effectively.
It also means we’re following our own advice to incorporate environmentally friendly elements from biophilic design. Applying some of the principles you also know from the WELL Building Standard, our warehouse took several needs into consideration.
Bonus: Downspouts into water tanks and permeable paving, rain water stays on property
Natural light – skylights too!
Air circulation – security screen doors for cross ventilation
Comfort- rubber floor mats for standing, shaded work patio
Energy efficiency – solar panels,
Air circulation. Since the pandemic, we’ve recognized more than ever the importance of good quality air circulation. Jim notes the new “big ass fan” is his favorite feature of the facility.
Natural light. Our ability as human beings to experience natural light and the daily rhythms of the sun rising and setting affects our health in profound ways. It can alter our circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms are 24-hour cycles running in the background synchronized with our body’s “master clock” in the brain. This master clock is directly influenced by sunlight. When they’re working, circadian rhythms promote restorative sleep. When thrown off by a lack of light exposure, you suffer insomnia and a cascade of physical and mental health problems. Our warehouse has windows at different points of the compass to follow sunlight all day.
Comfort. Unlike most warehouses, ours is both temperature and humidity controlled. Both plants and people are most comfortable within the same ranges. So our warehouse stays between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and between 40% and 60% relative humidity. Heating and cooling is primarily obtained by passive methods: cross ventilation, our “big ass fan,” roof vents to allow hot air to escape, orientation to the sun, shaded windows, a white roof to reflect rather than absorb heat from sunlight, skylights, thick insulation, an evaporative cooler, and on-demand water heater.
Bonus! Energy efficiency: The large ceiling fan draws hot air up and out through roof vents, and temperatures are held constant without losing heat OR overheating thanks to the generous insulation. Security screened doors can be left open to take advantage of natural ventilation as well as San Diego’s naturally mild temperatures. There’s little reason to use artificial heating and cooling. This saves carbon production from energy consumption – and it saves money, too. We will add solar panels in the future.
When you’re comfortable, indoor plants will flourish too. Photo: Good Earth Plant Company
It’s also vital in our arid climate to manage our use of water and control stormwater. Our new warehouse includes downspouts that deposit rainwater into water tanks for later use. Our new hardscape includes paving that is water-permeable, meaning the water sinks into the ground instead of running into the stormwater system and washing pollutants into the ocean. What little rain water we get will stay on our property
In the video, you see our first project underway for a client. How about becoming the next client? What can we build for you to enrich your life with plants? Contact us and let’s find out!
