To keep the plantings on each level of the building lush and beautiful, the maintenance crew had originally installed a drip irrigation system. Although it applied water at a slow rate, the system had begun experiencing excessive drainage between 6 to 8 minutes of run time. Because of this, the staff had been forced to extend the watering cycles to 45 minutes per zone, six days a week to keep the surrounding plants healthy. 

The primary concern was the numerous planters and rooftop pool areas, which have different microclimates and watering needs. Because they use structural soil, they can pass as much as 1½" (40 mm) of water per hour through the drainage system. Given the frequent watering required in the hot desert climate, conserving water and saving money were critical issues for the staff. 

“The challenge was getting enough flexibility to program multiple start times and durations while accounting for the varying levels of sunlight exposure on each side of the building,” said Chris Besing, Principal of the design and construction company, The Landscape Broker.

Establishing a reliable connection with the system was also a consideration. The upscale property’s five buildings were constructed on top of a two-level parking garage, which is where the irrigation controller and pump station are located. Given the distance from the controller, the proximity to resident vehicles, and the high level of cellular traffic in the area, it was impossible to use a radio remote for system management. 

The location of the irrigation valves posed another challenge. They were suspended from the parking garage ceiling, making it difficult to perform maintenance without clearing vehicles from the area — a process that inconvenienced residents and increased liability for the complex. The staff had also hoped to incorporate flow management into their irrigation system to better track its efficiency. Unfortunately, sharing flow between two controllers initially proved difficult