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Americana at Brand, photo credit Lonna Tucker 

Photography

Small Changes Can Achieve Real Savings

y Dennis Kaiser, ValleyCrest Landscape Companies

or developers and operators of successful commercial properties, the design and care of the landscaped environment is as

meaningful to the property’s bottom line as is attracting and retaining solid tenants. In a down economy and in arid environments

hat have water use restrictions, wise landscape design choices take on greater meaning. For owners looking to preserve and

nhance their office building, hotel, retail center, or mixed-use property a smart landscape partner can help evaluate sustainable

pproaches that offer cost savings without sacrificing aesthetics.

ere are five tips to keep in mind for any property in any economy:

) Implement sustainable landscape practices

orward thinking commercial property owners are making

ommitments to sustainability as a smart long-term business decision

ut there are short-term reasons such as a need to mitigate the

ffects of Mother Nature and to deal with mandated water use

estrictions in many areas. Conservation and reuse are being factored

to new and existing landscape designs just as sustainablendscaping practices are becoming standard in virtually every

roperty type. Increasingly, water conservation is becoming

ynonymous with a smart landscape plan that achieves savings for 

hose who own or operate facilities. This is showing up in the

echnologies being introduced and the strategic planning by many

wners that is taking place. Irrigation systems are being improved.

rids of inline drip are replacing spray heads on small landscape

reas. Decorative turf is being removed and only turf on which people

t or play remains.

owever, it is important to keep in mind some important beneficial

ses of turf.

Turf clippings can be recycled onsite as mulch which reduces the

need to haul away landscape debris. Mulching mowers can be

used to mulch non-woody debris into the turf where it decays and

enriches the organic soil matter. When there is an

overabundance of plant material to mulch into turf areas, mowers are used in “pick-up” mode to chop up and collect the

plant material. This chopped up plant material can be used as mulch or can be composted.

Another use for turf is managing stormwater runoff or as part of a bio-swale system. Rain in many areas picks up particles

from air pollution that can be a hazard to natural aquatic sites by stimulating excess algae growth. After the rain falls onto

roofs, parking lots and other paved areas, it can pick up more potential harmful substances. This water can be run through

bio-swales or turfed areas with a lower grade and berms designed to direct the flow of rain water and hold it where it can

soak into the ground. Particles can settle out and nutrients can be absorbed by the turf. Turfgrasses are probably the best

plant for this purpose because the dense root system keeps soil from eroding into the moving water. Also turf is biologically

active and has a high capacity to absorb nutrients and other compounds from the stormwater. After a storm event, debris is

relatively easy to pick up from turf and small pieces of trash are simply swallowed up by the growing turf. In snow markets

turf can swallow up a lot of the sand and small gravel that is left behind when the snow melts. Turf damaged by snow

removal equipment is easier to repair than other plantings.

) Plant flowers that bloom year-round

eople love flowers and expect them to be part of the landscape. At many malls, hotels or office buildings, landscaping plans

ften call for flower beds to be replanted four or five times a year with seasonal color. Instead, many landscape professionals

onvert flowers that bloom in short cycles (called seasonal flower beds) – to flowers that do not need to be changed out as often.

y converting some of the beds that are changed seasonally to flowering perennials that thrive throughout the entire growing

eason, owners can reduce costs without visitors to the property noticing a difference in the aesthetics. Simply replacing flower 

eds less frequently can yield big dividends because changing out flowers can be expensive and demanding.

here are also many flowering shrubs with different colored foliage that can be pruned to different heights. The combination of 

tructure and color can be quite dramatic and reduces the use of flowers.

ust as with turf, seasonal flowers may be hard to justify from an initial sustainability analysis. However, there are other important

onsiderations. Urban areas with flower beds and well kept landscapes have shown to suffer fewer litter problems, are

andalized less and often experience lower crime rates. These social benefits can be considerable and can easily justify the

 

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Disney Concert Hall, photo credit Tim Street-Porter 

Malibu Lumber Yard, photo credit Robb Williamson

xpense of seasonal color, especially on the public-facing parts of landscapes.

) Make sure your irrigation systems are designed for your commercial space

rban landscapes must be designed and maintained for regular 

rigation on compacted soil. Soil is compacted during site

evelopment as part of reshaping the landscape contours to provide

or vehicle movement and parking. Also people in urban environments

sually feel safer if they can see where they are going so the soil has

o be graded to provide for this pedestrian “flow.” Typically, large

eavy equipment is used to speed the building process and reduce

bor costs. In these compacted soil conditions, most of the plant

oots are near the soil surface. It is only near the soil surface that gas

xchange between soil and atmosphere is rapid enough to provide

he roots with enough oxygen to support root function. Consequently,

ndscape irrigation systems should be designed, maintained and

cheduled for shallow rooted plants. Root growth in compacted soil

an be enhanced by radial trenching for trees and the addition of 

asily degradable mulch to build healthy soil structure from the

urface down.

he two most efficient irrigation systems for most areas on large

ommercial landscapes are gear-driven stream-rotor heads and inline

rip with integral molded emitters. Ideally, there should be no spaghetti tubing on large commercial landscapes. Spaghetti tubing

ystems typically have a higher failure rate. Spray heads are appropriate for shrub beds since shrubs tolerate uneven water 

pplication. Bubblers are appropriate for palms and small trees.

he benefits of using rotors are that they have the lowest rate of water delivery so they apply water evenly and allow the water to

oak into the ground instead of running off the curb. Despite the advantages, there are a few disadvantages to keep in mind. The

minimum width of an irrigated area using rotors is 20 feet and wind can alter the path of water before it reaches its intended

arget area. Retrofitting with inline drip may also be a good choice to consider for most areas on commercial properties.

he right irrigation system depends on the water needs of each area of the landscape. Many commercial facilities include dozens

f different irrigation controllers that are used to maintain hundreds of different zones on the property. Some zones use spray

eads that water shrubs, while separate zones are set up for turfgrass areas that require large rotors. Diversifying your irrigation

echniques according to the needs of each plant area and using recycled water can save retail facility owners money each

month.

) Use recycled water 

ecycled water is one of the best ways to have a reliable source of 

rigation water and ensure that the investment in the irrigated

ndscape is protected during times when potable irrigation water is

estricted. The use of recycled water will increase rapidly over the

oming years as municipalities work to install large pipes to carry

ecycled water from treatment plants out to users. Landscape retrofit

ans should consider whether recycled water will be available in the

oming years. This could encompass a comprehensive irrigation

ystem that uses recycled water provided by the city or simply

ollecting water from the parking lot islands and the perimeter roads.

When selecting materials for landscape upgrades, keep in mind that

ecycled water often has a high salt content, which can negatively

ffect some plants. Soil compaction compounds the problem because

he hard soil can make it difficult to leach salts from the recycled

ater.

) Encourage ongoing communications between

managers and landscape professionals.

rom a design standpoint, landscape professionals, owners and

roperty managers who work closely together can make decisions that are certain to generate value for the long-term.

ommunications must be more than just about providing an inviting physical environment for visitors, but in saving money in

maintenance and upkeep costs. In fact, by involving a landscape maintenance team in the design process, property owners caneceive input about the cost impact of the design before construction begins and even into the maintenance phase, so any

otential long-term problems can be addressed while still achieving the desired quality and curb appeal.

ennis Kaiser is the senior communications manager, public relations, for ValleyCrest Landscape Companies, the nation's largest integrated 

ndscape services company. The Calabasas, Calif.-based firm works with architects, developers, commercial real estate owners and 

managers, and public agencies to find water smart and sustainable solutions for their properties. For more information about the company,

lease visit www.valleycrest.com (http://www.valleycrest.com)

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