Savings Created by Agency Promotion of Landscape Efficiency Programs
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| 50% |
Since the early 1980’s the paradigm-shifting concept of Xeriscape has been promoted by water agencies both nationally and beyond. Among the seven steps that comprise this public outreach campaign is the application of effective irrigation principles (involving effective design, specification, installation, and maintenance of irrigation products towards reduced +/or beneficial use of water in landscapes).
Research reveals that agency-driven Xeriscape campaigns have been successful in their engagement of residential water customers, and landscape professionals. Questions, however, arise from examination of the Xeriscape concept relative to total residential and commercial outdoor water use as it relates to the now normative inclusion of water-using irrigation systems in urban and other landscapes.
The underlying concern of this analysis rests on the question: Does inclusion of irrigation system education help or hinder the water savings potential of Xeriscape and similar landscape water-efficiency programs?
It is assumed that water reduction will become increasingly mandatory as finite freshwater resources become less available in the face of global warming. To the degree that today’s urban landscape traditionally includes not only irrigated lawns, but irrigation systems that feed planting beds as well, would indicate that the inclusion of landscape irrigation systems in the promoting of Xeriscape and similar principles, has driven the larger effort of water conservation, not closer to, but farther away from stated water savings objectives.
The following anonymous survey aims to obtain water conservation program management insights regarding their experience and understanding of water agency savings perceived to be derived from Xeriscape and other landscape-oriented water conservation public outreach programs. Your best guess may be required to complete one or more questions.
We ask that you complete this survey by: *Friday, February 13, 2015.*
Research reveals that agency-driven Xeriscape campaigns have been successful in their engagement of residential water customers, and landscape professionals. Questions, however, arise from examination of the Xeriscape concept relative to total residential and commercial outdoor water use as it relates to the now normative inclusion of water-using irrigation systems in urban and other landscapes.
The underlying concern of this analysis rests on the question: Does inclusion of irrigation system education help or hinder the water savings potential of Xeriscape and similar landscape water-efficiency programs?
It is assumed that water reduction will become increasingly mandatory as finite freshwater resources become less available in the face of global warming. To the degree that today’s urban landscape traditionally includes not only irrigated lawns, but irrigation systems that feed planting beds as well, would indicate that the inclusion of landscape irrigation systems in the promoting of Xeriscape and similar principles, has driven the larger effort of water conservation, not closer to, but farther away from stated water savings objectives.
The following anonymous survey aims to obtain water conservation program management insights regarding their experience and understanding of water agency savings perceived to be derived from Xeriscape and other landscape-oriented water conservation public outreach programs. Your best guess may be required to complete one or more questions.
We ask that you complete this survey by: *Friday, February 13, 2015.*