I'm not him but I'll tell you why I went with fewer big plants instead of shitloads of small ones; plant count in case you get The Knock.
And indeed it did happen to me. The difference between big SCRoG plants and SOG would have been a few years in prison. It's the stupidest reason ever but...
You throw out a lot of words but they're pretty self contradictory.
Also, I have a degree and decades of experience in indoor environmental control. If you want to learn, just ask- and then listen carefully.
When the snow was about 4" deep, there would be twin tracks in the snow where Harley the dachshund/JRT mix was dragging his balls.
Small wonder why he wasn't thrilled about snow days...
Air leaks and no door between basement and main floor are the biggest culprits. I live in an area with lots of basements and the best way to warm up the basement is to put a door in the stairwell and keep it closed. This stops the warm air from migrating upstairs. In summer, leave the door open...
Seal and add CO2 does add a bit of complexity but CO2 supplementation is not expensive once you have the sensor, regulator and a tank or two.
Or spend time in there and breathe. YOU make CO2 as well lol