Landtech was recently included in the irrigation design and oversight in the development of this outstanding downtown greenway project.   The Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene and Marilyn Glick, received the Monumental Award at the 35th annual A Monumental Affair awards ceremony on November 15, 2012.   The primary firm responsible for the project was Rundell Ernestberger Associates, LLC  

“A bold and transformative project featuring a world-class bike and pedestrian path that connects neighborhoods, cultural districts and entertainment amenities.”  - Scott Miller, Indy Chamber President and CEO

Sharing with you the recent post from Rundell Ernestberger Associates, LLC:

Serving as the downtown hub for the Indianapolis greenway system, the Cultural Trail has established a framework of green infrastructure that creates a more connected and sustainable community in which to live, work, play and learn.  The Cultural Trail provides a new prototype for urban transportation corridors that integrates green infrastructure, clean transportation, community revitalization, economic development, and sustainable design.  Funded by private donations and federal transportation grants, this eight-mile, $63.5 million project was designed and constructed in multiple phases over a six-year period.

Learn more…

We have many new and exciting projects for 2013 and look forward to working with you on projects you have.  Want to learn about the exciting advancements in Water Harvesting or ways to earn LEED credits through smart irrigation design?  From renovations to new design we focus on listening to what you need and offering the technical irrigation design support.  Contact us today to learn how we can support your team.

Contact…

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This year our hearts are heavy and our prayers go to the families and the community of Newtown, Connecticut as they struggle to put their lives back together after the tragedy they have suffered.  As we Pray for the victims and all people who are suffering around the world we pause to reflect upon our blessings, especially the relationships in our own lives.

We are thankful for the blessings of family and friends. With that in mind, we want to thank you for the business you’ve given us, but more importantly, thank you for your friendship.

Friendship is a gift from God and as you pause during this holiday season we pray that every one of all faiths is able enjoy this special time and pray that you have a bright New Year.

Sincerely,

Mike Kenney

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The reality is subsurface drip irrigation is not only a growing trend, but a smart choice. When you consider that water regulations for turf irrigation are on the rise, installing systems that maximize water efficiency is a must, especially for larger commercial and municipal projects. The fact is, water is a high value resource and regulations will continue to increase as water use continues to grow and water scarcity rises.  This is not a trend that green industry professionals can afford to ignore.

Subsurface irrigation is ideal for new build projects that require an irrigation system as opposed to going into an existing irrigation system and replacing it with a subsurface irrigation system. It is smart to partner with a landscape architect and an irrigation consultant on projects like these. In order to do it properly, it has to be installed mindfully. There is a learning curve for installing subsurface irrigation systems that may initially be outside your comfort zone as landscape contractor. Rather than shying away from it, use commercial projects as opportunities to gain knowledge and experience in installing subsurface drip irrigation systems. Having the technical capacity and no how will be important to staying competitive in the industry and offer a great way to differentiate your business.

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Our process begins with what we call “scoping”, which is an exercise that enables us to come up with a recommendation for the optimal size of the cistern needed for water harvesting. This is important to determine because cisterns are the most expensive component of a water harvesting system. You need the cistern to be large enough to collect the rain expected to fall, but you don’t want it to be so big that is will never be full, resulting in money wasted. So how do you know what size cistern is right for a given site?

Landtech has a model (below) that helps estimate water use during the peak month of July. Once we know the expected amount of water that will be needed, we give the data to our partner, Wahaso who are experts at water catchment and reuse. Wahaso uses the information to discern the optimal size for the cistern, or water catchment system, based on how much water the site can expect to harvest according the average amounts of rainfall, as well as the area of the roof/surfaces that collect the rainwater.

Here is an explanation of the above model:

We begin by grouping the site into categories based on the water needs of the plants and turfgrass. Group A represents the acreage of turfgrass and lawn areas. We assign each group a weight based on how high the needs are for watering the area. Group A is weighted at 100% meaning it has the highest needs of all groups, and therefore placed at the top of list for watering priority. Group B is the next most demanding group, representing the amount of acres for the highly visible/more-public areas. This is weighted at 70% because it can do fine with a little stress, whereas Group A will not and, therefore, needs to receive 100% of the water required. Group C is the acreage of the plant beds, which we deem moderately important, weighting them at 65%. Last, is Group D representing the areas that will require temporary irrigation to enable newly planted trees or plants to get established. This group is given a weight of 60%.

The next step is determining the amount of rainfall (RF) to be expected, as well as the amount of rainfall that will be effective (ER), due to slope, plant cover, soils, etc. This reduction is necessary because there will never be 100% of the rain that actually percolates into the ground during/after a rain event.

Then, we must consider the evapotranspiration rate (ET) for the area, which refers to the amount of water that evaporates before it can be absorbed + the amount of moisture that transpires from the plants. We then subtract the evapotranspiration amount from the effective rainfall amount to determine the amount of supplemental water required for each group, according to their weighted needs.  Next, an efficiency factor is applied (by Group) to develop an estimated application amount.

Once we have this amount of water-inches required, we multiply that by the number of acres for each group to summarize the number of gallons of water the site will need for irrigation per month.  We then compare that to how much rainfall will be able to be captured. This reveals the optimal cistern size for the specific site.

If we find that the landscape plan has the need for more water than what we can capture, we then try to work with the team to find ways to tweak the design so that it will demand less water. For example, by having a larger portion of the site landscaped with hearty plants that use only half the amount of water than turfgrass does, we can cut down on the overall water needs for the site. Another option would be to increase the ‘collection’ area in order to capture more water.

There are many factors to include in order to accurately estimate how much water a site will require for irrigation. If done correctly, it will uncover opportunities for reducing the irrigation needs for a particular site. The key is being able to understand the data and the options available to create the most efficient and effective irrigation system possible.

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Reduce Site Water Requirements

One of the simplest ways to decrease water used for irrigation is to limit the turf areas that require a high amount of water, along with plants that have moderate to high water needs. Replace plants and turf areas with hearty/native plants that can survive with less water.

Improve Distribution Uniformity (DU)

Oftentimes, facility managers will run the sprinklers longer if they see that there are dry/brown spots. Not only does this decrease water efficiency, it is ineffective. Dry spots are a result of poor sprinkler head spacing and placement. Distribution uniformity means placing the sprinkler heads properly so that water will be distributed evenly across the entire lawn, or planted area. Using equipment that has a more consistent application rate in turf areas to eliminate dry areas will also work to achieve even distribution of water.

Use Pressure Regulation

Pressure regulation helps ensure that sprinklers are operating at the optimal level.  When pressure is too high, water droplets atomize, which results in significant amounts of water being carried off-site by wind drift. By reducing the operating pressure, the water drops are larger and heavier, and are more likely to land where intended.

Convert to Drip Irrigation

Convert sprinklers (within plant beds) over to drip irrigation so water has less of a chance to evaporate and/or runoff. Drip irrigation is about 90-95% efficient, while spray heads and rotors are about 60-65% efficient.

Improve Management Practices

Make sure property managers remember to check the sprinklers once a week. Since the sprinklers usually operate after work hours, property managers may not know when a sprinkler head isn’t operating properly. A good practice is running the zones once a week to check that the whole system is in working order.

Use Smart Controllers

Smart controllers determine the watering durations and frequencies on a daily basis based on the real-time weather conditions. They adjust run times based on the needs of all the various plant types; some days, certain zones may not need to run at all.   The controller relies on you to input the correct soil and plant type. It is important to remember that these controllers are only as good as the information you input. If you are considering using a smart controller, you must be able to assess and document the various site features present within each zone (plants, soils, exposure, shade, slope, root depth).

The post 6 Ways to Decrease Water Used for Irrigation appeared first on Landtech Irrigation.

Rainwater harvesting systems typically consist of three main components:

• the capture system (roof and gutters)
• the storage unit (cistern)
• the delivery system (pipes, pumps, and valves)

Materials for the water storage unit are about two-thirds of the overall cost of the whole project, making this the most expensive component of the entire system. That is why it is  important to understand how to determine the optimal size water storage unit for each individual project. If you build too large, the payback will start to decrease.

A small scale watering harvesting system for the home or small business would likely opt for a cistern that has less than a 10,000 gallon capacity. This type of system would be a viable use of collecting rain water and filtering it for reuse to water a garden or entrance area.

A large scale water harvesting system for large commercial projects is at the other end of the spectrum.  The financial investment for these types of projects is going to be considerably larger. There are a number of factors that need to be considered:

• What is the size of the area to be irrigated?
• What is the area of the roof top or surface that will be allocated towards collecting and diverting water to a storage facility?
• What are the rainfall patterns for the project site?

How these factors relate to the overall design of the system will vary in every project. With so many variables to consider, it is difficult to have a standard rule of thumb for projecting costs. But generally speaking, a water system in place and installed is right around 2 dollars per gallon. So for a 150,000 gallon storage unit, you will likely be in the ballpark of $300,000 project.

Landtech’s partner, Wahaso (Water Harvesting Solutions, in Chicago) has good data about the rainfall pattern for every part of the country to help answer the questions: What was the amount of rain? How long did it rain? How frequently did the rain events occur? Answering these questions is vital to knowing what size of cistern you will need and how much you can expect to rely on harvested water for irrigation. Let’s say you need 150,000 gallons of water a week for your irrigation, and you live in a location where the amount of rainfall will not be sufficient to fill a 150,000 gallon cistern meaning the cistern would never actually be full. Therefore, spending money on a cistern that large would make a significant impact on the ROI.  A cistern should only be big enough for the amount of rain to be expected.

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The professionals at Landtech are following suit by shifting the way we think about the future of irrigation. Programs like LEED and SITES have created a whole new way of thinking for us. We have witnessed firsthand how those with expertise in sustainable irrigation can provide high value perspective to developers, landscape architects, engineers and homeowners. Irrigation consultants are playing a valuable role in bettering the environment while at the same time boosting the image of the entire industry.

While many in the irrigation industry see the rising trend of construction projects forgoing or minimizing irrigation to gain LEED and SITE credits as a threat, we are looking at this as an opportunity to engage. Efforts to conserve are not a passing fad. As irrigation professionals, we see that we have an important role to play as leaders in this movement. At first touch, LEED and SITE credits seem like a threat to our bottom line. However, the reality is that water is a scarce resource and we, as irrigation professionals, possess front-line knowledge and experience that give us an edge in providing value to the growth of the conservancy movement.

LEED projects require a different mindset, and we know the platform of products that effectively  accomplish water conservation. We know what will work best for the specific needs of a project. Addressing irrigation from a design/build approach is usually not effective because irrigation contractors often don’t know what products to use to get LEED or SITE credits. At Landtech, we know exactly what needs to be done to meet the calculations for those water-efficiency credits. As experts in irrigation and devout followers of state-of-the-art technology, we create the right roadmap to get the results that are in demand in this era of green development.

The post What Does LEED and SITES Mean for Sustainable Irrigation? appeared first on Landtech Irrigation.

Here are seven reasons to use an irrigation consultant:

1. Commercial irrigation systems have become expensive; irrigation technology is sophisticated and can often be confusing. An irrigation consultant is a specialist who is kept up-to-date (by manufacturers), and can design a long-lasting system that is both water and energy efficient.

2. Most consultants are willing to review products with you, and can help you select from a wide array of products on the market. They can help you separate facts from confusing sales claims.

3.  Most importantly, an irrigation consultant can be supportive in the struggle to convince your client (and/or construction manager) to not sacrifice quality, by value-engineering, and substituting-out the most appropriate products that will be long-lasting & efficient, and (when applicable) will enable the project to meet the requirements of LEED and/or SITES.

4. A consultant puts contractors and distributors on an equal footing by impartially specifying the appropriate equipment for the project being addressed. The bids that are submitted will also be more comparable, allowing the decision-makers to compare apples-to-apples.

5. A consultant is aware of project considerations beyond equipment selection: water/power supplies and consumption, location of upfront equipment (backflow preventer, pump-station, mechanical room spatial requirements) plant watering needs, environmental concerns, etc.

6. A consultant can assist the landscape architect/developer in developing accurate budget estimates.

7. An increasingly common involvement is that of water-harvesting.  An irrigation consultant provides a crucial link with the team in being able to provide early preliminary calculations for anticipated water use/demand. This greatly assists in the planning efforts in the programming phase of a project, in determining water-storage chamber sizes & location, and positioning of the necessary mechanical equipment involved.

If you would like to learn more, contact Jim Davis at 314-541-2779 or email him at: jim.davis@landtechdesign.com

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1) Good, long-lasting irrigation systems can be expensive.

2) An irrigation system is basically a utility, which is costly to modify after being installed.

3) Irrigation controller technology is both sophisticated and ever-changing.

Why not just release a ‘performance spec’ and go about it from a design-build approach? This usually results in distributors designing against each other with ‘competitive pricing’ as the dominant influencer. The project manager may not realize that they could be handicapping themselves (and their client) in their quest for a good, quality system by taking this route.

First, whenever a sale is an uncertainty, one of the contractors’ biggest concerns will be cost control of their design efforts.  Potential site problems, which may deserve careful field review and analysis, will likely be handled on an ‘assumption’ basis.  And, quotations/bid forms will usually be written so that incorrect assumptions will revert back to the client/developer or general contractor.

Second, the contractor’s next biggest concern will be cost of the system’s components. Competing contractors/distributors will usually not suggest the latest, state-of-the-art products to the prospective customer because they will be worried that their competition will undercut them and win the bid.  This is true with whole-good products (sprinklers, drip, valves and controllers), and especially true with ‘allied’ components of the system (pipe, wire, fittings, gate valves). The premium products that can create an efficient and sustainable system (using water-saving products) just won’t make it onto the project.  Even on a non-LEED project, the system could be ‘WaterSmart’ if a Certified Irrigation Designer (consultant) is involved on the project from the very beginning.

If the client and/or design team is interested in having an irrigation system that incorporates some of the newer, state-of-the-art products that conserve water and create a high-efficiency system, then the team should consider hiring a professional irrigation consultant for the project. (Not many contractors have the Irrigation Association’s ‘Certified Irrigation Designer’ certification.) The sole aim of an irrigation consultant is to design an efficient/productive system that will fulfill the project’s needs for the long term.  They are not in the business to sell sprinklers, nor are they concerned with the ‘market share’ of manufacturers.

Measured against the initial cost of a new system, the money spent for irrigation consulting services may well turn out to be the wisest investment in the overall design/construction process, and a good guarantee that the new system will work for the long term. The irrigation design and consulting fees on commercial projects may range from $1500-$20,000; however, most probably average between $2-4000 per project.

On a well-designed system, typical operational savings might be around $2000 per season ($1000 from reduced water-use, and $1000 from fewer service/repair calls). That common scenario illustrates a payback-period of as little as two-years for the services of a Certified Irrigation Designer.

If you would like to learn more, contact Jim Davis at 314-541-2779 or email him at: jim.davis@landtechdesign.com

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The ETwater central server communicates daily with the on-site controller to automate scheduling.  The ETwater central server tailors the schedule to the user’s landscape profile and the current weather conditions.

How it Works:

1.  The customer enters his/her landscape profile online and downloads it to ETwater ’s server.  This step may be performed by the landscaper when irrigation system is installed.
2.  A weather station in the customer’s community constantly measures climate details and rainfall.
3. We access the real-time weather information for the customer’s local area and match it with his/her landscape profile to develop the ideal watering schedule.
4.  Our server interfaces daily with the customer’s on-site ETwater Smart Controller  to update the customized watering schedule based on ET and rainfall.
5. The Smart Controller ensures that each zone is watered correctly according to the customer’s landscape profile.

ETwater was the first product to successfully complete the rigorous industry standard Smart Water Application Technology (SWAT) test in November 2004, 15 months before any other smart controller product. ETwater is the only irrigation product ever to win the coveted Wall Street Journal Tech Award  for “Best Environmental Technology Innovation,” receiving the award in September 2006.

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