Summary
Nigel Thompson, our managing director was interviewed by Gabrielle Stannus of Inwardout Studio for an article in the Hort Journal Austalia‘s May 2021 edition.
Hort Journal Australia is a national publication that provides a platform for the horticultural industries to bring new ideas forward, share thoughts and communicate about the industry as a whole. They actively engage with individuals and businesses to improve the quality and enthusiasm of the industry.
In a zoom interview Gabrielles’s interview with Nigel, they discussed the future of irrigation with the advancements of practical technologies and vertical living walls.
Earth & Water directed by Nigel, has designed an installed some of the most unique water systems in Australia. To be able to contribute and drive the water industry to a smart and more efficient future has been slow in the past, but with our uptake of smart water systems it has sped up in recent years.
Vertical Living Walls
Earth & Water was one of the first companies to design and install vertical living walls in Perth. We have developed our skills and experience by working with home owners, builders, architects and apartment developers to design and install vertical living walls specifically for their requirements.
Vertical living walls are surprisingly technical and challenging to pull together. Gabrielle and Nigel discuss how pressure-compensated drippers irrigate more consistently and accurately than standard irrigation systems.
We have installed WA’s largest vertical living wall at Concerto apartments – Perth’s tallest residential development at time of publication. We have also installed smaller walls for herb gardens in residential settings.
A critical aspect of a successful vertical living wall is the Smart Controller allowing for live reporting and more efficient water management, remotely.
Smart Water Systems
A very topical discussion for Hort Journal Australia is smart water systems because technology is playing a larger part in the horticultural and water based industries across Australia.
Gabrielle and Nigel discussed how WIFI-enabled irrigation controllers are the brain of all new irrigation systems. When they are correctly installed and connected to sensors such as water meters and local weather stations, they become self-sufficient and require less time managing them.
Earth & Water install smart water systems for all clients – residential and commercial. This includes handover to clients who want to manage it themselves or providing an alert based water management service for prompt repairs.
We have found Hunter Industries Hydrawise smart controllers are the most reliable and practical controllers to use, albeit more expensive!
An interior plantscaper should look for smart irrigation systems that are reliable and most importantly, intuitive to use, which means matching the end end users’ capacity and willingness to manage the smart irrigation system to the make, model and the way the system is designed. Ease of use and practicality are essential.
Gabrielle Stannus
Partner| Inwardout Studios
Gabrielle is a landscape architect with a Masters in Urban Horticulture, specialising in green roof and vertical living walls.
As a regionl convenor for the Australian Institute of Horticulture she brings new ideas and concepts to the table for discussion.
Please reach out to her for info at Hort Journal Australia and her company Inwardout Studios.
View her profile and business via the links below.
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