Progress 09/01/18 to 08/31/21

Outputs
Target Audience:The primary benefactors of this technology are commercial beekeepers and growers who depend upon heathy honeybees for viable crop yields. In addition to serving the beekeeping industry and growers, this technology could be applied to other critical issues in rural communities. We will be exploring the application of this low cost, scalable, cold storage for use in post-harvest crop storage and off-grid distributed storage for remote areas. Changes/Problems:Due to Covid 19 delays and safety concerns, we filed for a no-cost extension. While this delayed the completion of the research, it allowed for more work to be completed on the commercialization of the product and added collaborators to our efforts. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project has provided many opportunities for professional development for the project team: 1. In-depth industry knowledge of Beekeeping, Pollination Services). 2. Advanced Building System Engineering knowledge has been acquired. 3. Data Analysis skills and techniques have been aquired. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We toured almond orchards and watched the process of hive placement, we toured Califia Farms, and most importantly we toured an indoor active overwintering facility. We interviewed the person who oversaw the facility and learned how it worked, as well as some of the difficulties they had. We have built connections with key opinion leaders and have conducted over 60 interviews of beekeepers, brokers, and cold storage facility designers. We attended several conferences, including the American Beekeeping Federation meeting, American Honey Producers meeting, the Almond Board conference twice, and Apimondia. We also attended several workshops including USDA Future of Climate Change and Project Apis M's summit on cold storage for honey bees. We were able to present some of our research and discuss the product we developed. We wrote a chapter on modular cold storage options for Dr. Brandon Hopkin's cold storage book for his Project Apis M grant. We presented our research at several regional and international beekeeper meetings, including the Irish Beekeeping Federation and the Milwaukee Waukesha Beekeepers meetings. We attended beekeeper meetings in Colorado and Texas. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? TASK 1 - Generate design drawings and specifications for mobile climate-controlled apiary (MICA) facility to reduce hive losses on a scale that is commercially viable. Accomplished - Fall 2018 - Fall 2020. We created drawings and with customer feedback we iterated through these drawings until we reached a product beekeepers would use. TASK 1.1 Precedent Research & Interviews - Accomplished Fall 2018-Spring 2020 To accomplish this task, we took every opportunity to learn about the problems facing beekeepers as well as the current solutions available to them. In February 2019, we visited Bakersfield, California for almond pollination. We toured almond orchards and watched the process of hive placement, we toured Califia Farms, and most importantly we toured an indoor active overwintering facility. We interviewed the person who oversaw the facility and learned how it worked, as well as some of the difficulties they had. We have built connections with key opinion leaders and have conducted over 60 interviews of beekeepers, brokers, and cold storage facility designers. We attended several conferences, including the American Beekeeping Federation meeting, American Honey Producers meeting, the Almond Board conference twice, and Apimondia. We also attended several workshops including USDA Future of Climate Change and Project Apis M's summit on cold storage for honey bees. We were able to present some of our research and discuss the product we developed. We wrote a chapter on modular cold storage options for Dr. Brandon Hopkin's cold storage book for his Project Apis M grant. We presented our research at several regional and international beekeeper meetings, including the Irish Beekeeping Federation and the Milwaukee Waukesha Beekeepers meetings. We attended beekeeper meetings in Colorado and Texas. TASK 1.2 Conceptual Design Review - Accomplished - Spring 2019 Using feedback from beekeepers, we interviewed several beekeepers and researchers as well as our CRADA partners at the USDA and achieved a design beekeepers were interested in using. TASK 1.3 Mechanical Simulation Models - Accomplished- Fall 2018 - Spring 2020. The data gathered from the MICA testing was used to model performance and energy consumption. The sensors needed for data collection are in place in the MICA and reporting accurate data. We have used actual performance data to verify model performance, then continue to utilize the model for iterative optimization of future versions. TASK 1.4 Optimization - Accomplished Spring 2019 We will then integrated the information from the conceptual design and simulation models. TASK 1.3 Drawings & Specifications - Accomplished Spring 2019 We produced a set of drawings for the production of the MICA with sufficient precision to build and test the first commercial unit. Team members Drennan, Bellucci, Glawe and League will be working together to complete this task. TASK 2. CONSTRUCTION TASK 2.1 Procurement - Accomplished - Spring 2019 In this task we value engineered and competitively priced the materials for construction. We have included a 10% contingency in our budget to anticipate adjustments in future costs. We constructed MICA at a facility in Boulder, CO. The facility is equipped with mechanic service equipment and building construction tools. TASK 2.2 Assembly - Accomplished - Summer 2019 TASK 2.3 Commissioning - Accomplished Fall 2019 and repeated Fall 2020 Upon substantial completion, commissioning of the mechanical systems and thermal envelope will begin. Tests include: Blower door test for air infiltration rates. Drainage and water management testing. Sensor calibration. Controls testing. TASK 2.4 Construction Close Out - Accomplished Fall 2020 TASK 3. TRANSPORTATION TESTING TASK 3.1a Preliminary Road Readiness Test - Boulder CO To Denver CO - Accomplished August 2019 - MICA performed well on its first trip and had no major issues. TASK 3.1 Road Readiness Test - Colorado To California Performance in task 3.1 deemed this trip unnecessary as MICA Traveled to Alvin Texas. TASK 3.2 Inspection - Accomplished November 2019 TASK 3.3 Maintenance - Accomplished Summer 2020 TASK 3.3 Brood Break - This task was deemed unnecessary and was not accomplished TASK 3.4 Road Readiness Test - Accomplished November 2019 - July 2021 The MICA was driven to Alvin TX instead of Madera, CA in October 2019. It was driven back to Dacono, CO in January of 2020. In October of 2020, MICA was driven to Othello, WA and back to Dacono, CO in July of 2021. TASK 3.5 Overwintering Study - Accomplished November 2020 to January 2021 Completed with Dr. Brandon Hopkins at Washington State University. Our MICA unit went up against an outfitted cargo container as well as leaving bees outside. Our unit increased survival rates 10x compared to the outfitted cargo container, and 2.5x leaving the bees outside. TASK 3.6 Deployment Test - Texas To California - Accomplished November 2020 Deployed to Othello, Washington instead of California. TASK 4. DATA ANALYSIS TASK 4.1 Analysis of Sensor Data in Colonies - Accomplished April 2020 TASK 4.2 Cost Analysis of Sensor Data In MICA- Accomplished June 2021. TASK 4.3 Develop Machine Learning Algorithms/Models to Predict Probability Of Making Grade, Survivability, Health Coming Out Of MICA - Accomplished August 2020. TASK 5. REPORTING & DOCUMENTATION TASK 5.1 Manufacturing Specifications - Accomplished September 2020, revised May 2021 Project documentation was done in anticipation of Phase III commercialization. Attention will be paid to as-built documentation and a revised set of drawings and performance specifications for manufacturing. Shop drawings and construction administration protocols will be included. TASK 5.2 BILL OF MATERIALS -Accomplished September 2019. A Bill of Materials was generated for pricing and sustainable material procurement requirements.

Publications

Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/20

Outputs
Target Audience:Our target audience consists of scientists reseach overwintering of commercial honeybees, commercial honey producers and beekeepers, and growers who rely upon honeybees for pollination. Changes/Problems:Due to delays caused by not achieving desired performance testing results in the fall of 2019 and due to the unforeseeable delays caused by Colorado's Shelter-in-Place Requirements to limit the spread COVID-19, our timeline for achieving project milestone has been delayed. We are filing for a No Cost Extension to complete remainder of the tasks during the next winter season (Oct 2020-Jan 2021) and design period (Jan 2021- August 2021). What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?We have interfaced with several professional beekeepers and learned a great deal from their many decades of experience. As a design team, we have become more attuned to their needs and how to create a useful product. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have used to prototype as a demonstration apairy to educate the industry on best overwintering practices. We have shared our work with researchers at the Carl Hayden Bee Lab, Project Apis M, and Washington State UNiversity. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?2020 July-August Test MICA unit with heat, humidity, and CO2 loads to mimic bees to ensure changes have improved the system. Perform analysis on MICA performance 2020 September Prepare colonies in Colorado for overwintering experiment. Locate MICA in a Colorado beekeeper's yard. Test MICA onsite and adjust for climate variations. Continue customer development. 2020 October Inspect colonies and select for overwintering in MICA. Place Colonies inside MICA and record data. 2021 November Monitor and record data. Focus on investor relations. 2021 January Monitor and record data. Continue investor relations. Release bees for pollination. Inspect colonies. 2021 February Record results and begin statistical model. Use results for marketing and customer development. Continue investor relations. 2021 March Begin design of MICA 2.0 with Czero Engineers. Continue investor relations. 2021 April Continue design of MICA 2.0 with Czero Engineers. Continue investor relations. 2021 June Continue design of MICA 2.0 with Czero Engineers. Continue investor relations. 2021 July Finalize design of MICA 2.0 and begin production. Continue investor relations. 2021 August Troubleshoot production and product delivery. Continue investor relations.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? To date, We have successfully accomplished 2 of our 5 tasks. We have constructed the MICA 1.0 and transported it to our beekeeping partner, Integribees, in Alvin, TX. The MICA 1.0 was in Texas from October 17, 2019 until January 21, 2020. The testing performed in Texas revealed the need to upgrade several components of the system to improve reliability prior to placing honeybees inside. Because we were not able to test with honeybees inside the MICA, we have not yet achieved the desired outcomes in Task #3 (Overwinter and transport honeybees to growers in MICA and assess the health of the honeybees upon arrival). With a 12 month extension, we can complete Task #3. Because timing is critical to the successful completion of this task and must occur over the winter, we will put bees into our cold storage unit on October 15th and overwinter them to January 10th 2021. During winter 2019-2020, HiveTech Solutions facilitated the USDA team to perform a timing experiment which identified October 15th as a better date to go into cold storage compared to November 15th. Using observation and sensor data on 35 colonies outside in Houston TX during winter 2019-2020, we have begun to establish a statistical model, using frames of bees, frames of brood, and frames of food, to predict which colonies will make grade coming out of cold storage. The completion of task 3 will allow for us to finalize this model to complete Task #4 (Develop a statistical model that can predict from the number of colonies that enter MICA in September, how many will emerge with 8 or more frames of bee coverage in February to make grade) and then complete Task #5 (Produce final report and documentation with sufficient precision for manufacturing.) We have updated the equipment in MICA and current testing is on track for improved performance this winter.

Publications

Progress 09/01/18 to 08/31/19

Outputs
Target Audience:Our target audience consistsof scientists reseach overwintering of commercial honeybees, commercial honey producers and beekeepers, and growers who rely upon honeybees for pollination. Changes/Problems:We have encountered changes in timing and sequence of some of our inital approaches. Due to the new CRADA agreeemnt, we have changed the timing of our Brood Break Experimentfrom June 2019 to July 2020 and have adjusted the timing of the Overwintering Experiment to be November 15, 2019 - January 30, 2020. We have also adjusted the number of hives in our study. Working with our CRADA partners and their commericial beekeeper, weare going to inspect 300 hives in September 2019 and include 95 hives in the overwintering experiment. We also intend to shift our budget for a contractor to perform data analysis to our CRADA to perform data analysis.Per the Terms and Condidtions, we will submit updated documentation through thte specifiec channels. We have had cost overruns for technical engineering designservices. Theseoverruns, however, have been offset by savings in the construction and labor costs made possible by design solutions. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have been reaching out to commercial beekeepers through attending conferences and through our CRADA agreement with the Carl Hayden Bee Lab in Tucson AZ. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?To accomplish our goals, we will continue to meet our schedule deadlines and budget allowances. We have been meeting and exceeding our goals for our financialperformance and intend to submit a revised plan that adds more deliverable to our project.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Task 1is a two year goal and we have achieved the first year goal of generating the inital design drawings and specifications. Tasks 1.1 -1.4 requiretesting in year two and we are on track for completing this task. Task 2 has been achieved. We have built MICA and are in the commisioning phase. Task 3 is in progress and we will have results in February 2020. Task 4 is a year 2 goal and we are currently developing our approach to the statistical model. Task 5 is a year two goal and we are on track to achieve this goal in 2020.

Publications