Recap of 2017 Projects…A year of successes
Busy year at Landtech Design As we look back over the past year we realize that there have been a variety of projects that we’ve been involved in and wanted to share to you the many successes. If you are looking to explore irrigation design consultants for 2018 we encourage to see what relevant projects you can compare to for your consideration going forward. We look forward to working with many of you this year! Projects that stood out The key to working with our team is the ability to work across all levels or disciplines from architects to civil engineers and develop a comprehensive design incorporating the best in technology and water conservation. Here are a few examples that stood out as ones we completed and designed in 2017. Cummins Distribution Headquarters (Indianapolis, Indiana) Design Team: Deborah Berke Partners; Land Collective; CEC Engineers PepsiCo Research & Development Campus (Valhalla, New York) Design Team: Flad Architects; WSP Engineering; JMC Site Development Central Fields Rugby & Soccer Complex at Forest Park (St. Louis, Missouri) Design Team: SWT Design; Ross & Baruzzini City-Arch-River / Jefferson National Expansion Museum (St. Louis, Missouri) Design Team: MVVA, Dave Mason Associates, KJWW, Olsson Associates Landtech Design’s Role Since opening our doors in 1994, Landtech Design has prepared irrigation design documents on over 3,000 projects throughout the world. Nearly 98% of our projects are performed with Landtech Design serving as a Subconsultant to a landscape architectural office, or an architectural firm with an LA section. Specifically with the Cummins Distribution Headquarters their design team brought in our team to be involved with the water-harvesting aspects of the project and design of the pump-station and filtration. There were expansive irrigation needs on several plazas, two greenroofs, streetscape, native grass establishment and the incorporation of a weather-based controller for ongoing operations. This design was developed and approved as a LEED Gold project. Landtech Design has vast experience with LEED projects and we pride ourselves in knowing the latest technology advancements in irrigation. For a further listing of projects that we’ve been involved with we encourage you to request a downloadable file that will not only describe the many projects, but also provide scope details and cost estimates for the irrigation on that specific project. Learn more…...
Read MoreOtterbine – One of our valued partners
Creating beautiful waterways The Otterbine name is synonymous with quality and performance and we wanted to take the time today to share with you the words of their CEO, Charlie Barebo as we feel their words are very similar to those of Landtech Design and the Kenney Corporation. It is by partnering with these folks that we can offer the services and designs to our customers in a WIN/WIN fashion. Words to share from Otterbine Dear Colleagues, 2016 was a year of solid accomplishment and growth for Otterbine. In the last three years, we have grown revenues a solid 36% in total. We simply get fantastic support from all our stakeholders – our consultants, vendors, distributors, and the fine people we get to work with every day, our employees. Together, our founders called us the Folks at Otterbine. A little bit more about that. There is more to a business than just making money. Chuck and Terry Barebo made that clear right up front when they bought the business in 1980. How we treat people is a big part of our culture and one of the reasons WHY we are in business. Chuck Barebo, one of our two founders, says it best, “We wanted to create a fun, fulfilling environment that enriched our employees’ lives and treated them like partners. We shared critical operating information with them, we put an annual review and performance bonus in place, we share our profits with them, and we put a health insurance plan in place that included the entire family. Frankly it surprises me whenever anyone leaves us, be it a customer, distributor or employee.” In 2016 our average length of employee tenure was 14 years. We celebrated 5, 10, 15 and 35-year employment anniversaries at our annual supper on Feb. 3rd. Herb Kelleher, legendary CEO of Southwest Airlines likes to say, “If you take good care of your employees, they’ll take good care of your customers.” We are going to treat people – customers, distributors, vendors, and employees like people; valuable, creative, inspiring and loyal. This value was re-enforced at a strategic planning meeting about seven years ago when the second generation led team decided that the best way for us to compete is to be the easiest aerator and floating fountain company to work with. That covers a lot of territory and gives each one of us something to work on every day. This is part of valuing people, one of the reasons WHY we are in business, the core of our culture and value system. Read more…. New products for 2017 The Air Flo 3 diffused aeration system compliments Otterbine’s line of aeration systems with a sub-surface option to water quality management. Engineered to offer increased energy efficiency and quieter operation, this “bubbler” type system system is available with 1-disc or 2-disc manifold assemblies. Key features include: Lake Management: The Air Flo 3 system is extremely effective in all ponds with a depth of at least 6ft (2m), and all the way up to of 40+ feet (12m) depths. It breaks down thermal stratification and stimulates bottom aquatic life which feeds on algae and organic nutrients. The Air Flo 3 system is ideal for managing water quality of effluent ponds and lakes without releasing harmful particulates into the air, and is excellent in breaking up thermal stratification in ponds and lakes. Invisible: No parts of the system or a spray pattern are visible from the lake’s surface. Those concerned with evaporation favor the Air Flo 3 system since no water is released into the air. Safety: No electricity or...
Read MoreProducts to advance your thinking
Exploring Green Roofs and Green Walls as ways to expand your design thinking City planners continue to evaluate the impact on global warming and our environment as buildings are constructed, parking lots are paved and the growth in downtown areas continues to swell. With that said, landscape architects have played an important role in designing ways to bring GREEN into an otherwise concrete and steel world. Green Roof and Green Wall designs have expanded over the past years from simple “green plantings” of sedum or grasses and wire walls to site specific designs incorporating recycled materials, improved growing mediums, and water collection systems for recycling of rain water for a total package of environmentally friendly project. Today we offer several products for you to consider with your next design project. GeoEdge …Aluminum Green Building Edging GeoEdge is a flexible aluminum edge restraint system that works great for green roof systems because of it’s multi-height and component system design. With the L-Shaped profile and options for solid wall, or slotted wall you can design to allow for water runoff or containment depending upon the roof application. Used in conjunction with permeable pavers you can design a complete roof system for soil containment, plantings, and pathways or patios for pedestrian use. Benefits to GeoEdge Engineered for use in greenroof applications, GeoEdge can be used to retain green roof planting material, as well as stones, pavers and tiles for rooftop walkways. GeoEdge has been proven successful bor both intensive and extensive greenroofs, and qualifies for LEED points. GeoEdge is a lightweight, flexible restraint that provides a finished look and assures an easy installation, making it a great alternative to poured concrete in permeable pavement applications. GeoEdge is manufactured from recycled aluminum material and is 100% recyclable. To learn more about GeoEdge and to see the sizes available and CAD detail files for easy download Click here Green wall and wire trellis With new product availability the design applications for green facades and trellises is growing rapidly and offering the additional benefits of noise reduction, improved air quality and a totally new look and excitement to otherwise cold stark walls or buildings. One added benefit not normally considered is the protection provided to the exterior building especially those exposed to direct sunlight or extreme temperature changes. These systems can be constructed of wires, mesh, cables and various anchoring systems providing ample flexibility to design applications. Here are a few of the products available through Jakob Rope Systems Stainless Steel Netting – WEBNET. Special flexible stainless steel nets, known as WEBNET can be attached to stairs, railings and multiple structures to allow for growth and training of vines for a lush green wall effect. Within a short time period the cables generally become non-visible making for a living wall to blend with any architecture. Catenary Cable with Vertical Cables Hanging – This trellis type system is new and unique in that it does not require any wall or permanent structure behind it for attachment. The Catenary cable is larger in diameter and installed as the primary “structure” from which then smaller cables can be attached vertically or horizontally to create the design. Traditional Volume or 3D Trellis Systems – These systems consist of panels that are generally attached to the outside building wall. The shading that these green walls create for the building keeps the inside of the building cooler during summer heat and warmer during the winter months resulting in reduced utility costs for the building owners. Look to Landtech Design for irrigation support Have an upcoming project that you think...
Read MoreIrrigation Maintenance Tips for your Property
Considering the fact that the irrigation systems are specifically designed to be low maintenance, a lot of those who own a property think that it wouldn’t be of much harm to leave it as is. That’s not true at all because even the sturdiest equipment can eventually wear out. Furthermore, a periodic inspection throughout the irrigation season is a great way to prevent and reduce any possible issues. This means your lawn would look at its best with minimal care needed. 8 Tips for Maintaining Your Irrigation 1. Have a Water Audit If possible, you should hire a Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor who can give your property a complete water audit. This would cover the entire property, as well as the irrigation system’s reach. After which, you’ll be receiving a report that states where exactly the water is going, and if your irrigation system is operating efficiently 2. Have an Older Irrigation System Re-calibrated Getting a sprinkler system retrofitted is a very good investment. Moisture sensors, nozzle upgrades, and smart technology work in hand to increase your system’s efficiency, which will save you a lot of money in the long run. 3. Pay Attention to the Irrigation Sprinkler Heads This should be done, at a minimum every other week. Walk throughout your property and see if all the sprinkler heads are in good condition and working. Don’t worry; this isn’t difficult at all because most controllers have a test cycle. All you have to do is set the timer to have it “tested.” The timer would run for a couple of minutes for each zone. There will also be short pauses between zones that would allow you to check the heads that seem to be not working. 4. Make Sure the Heads Aren’t Broken Due to the fact that sprinkler heads are hard to see, a head that isn’t retracting properly could accidentally get run over by a lawn mower. Additionally, if water is shooting up where the sprinkler head should be, then there’s a possibility that the head (or nozzle) is broken. Have this replaced immediately to prevent the problem from getting worse. 5. The Heads Should Not Be Clogged Hard water is often the culprit of clogged rotor nozzles and sprinkler heads. The mineral, dirt, and mulch buildup may prevent the water from discharging properly. In order to prevent this from happening, you should check the screen inside the stem of the spray head, and clean it thoroughly. In case the orifice is plugged, you’ll probably need to push out the clogged matter using a screwdriver, awl, or similar tool similar. If this doesn’t work, then you should replace the head. 6. Consider Hydrozone Landscaping For those whose landscapes aren’t divided into hydrozones yet, now is the perfect time for consideration. Have your irrigation system redesigned and reinstalled. Hydrozoning entails grouping plants together that should be watered equally. For instance, drought-tolerant plants shouldn’t be paired with annuals because they have different water needs. 7. Don’t Neglect Mulching Mulching is important, because you wouldn’t use much water if your landscape beds are already mulched. The good thing about this is that, mulch is known for retaining moisture longer, giving the plants the nutrients and protection it needs. 8. Watering Should be Done in the Wee Hours of the Morning It’s important that the irrigation times are set accordingly. Generally, set your timer so that your system operates between 2:00 am and 6:00 am. By doing this, your plants will benefit from getting water during the early hours because there’s usually less wind. Guest writer for this month...
Read More2012 Monumental Award
Landtech participates in creation of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail which was recently awarded the 2012 Monumental Award by the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce.
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