Over the past several decades, technology has made our lives easier in ways we couldn’t have fully realized before it was created. In fact, not long ago, the idea of a “smart-home” sounded like a concept taken straight from a science fiction novel. Yet, here we are today with smart technology plugged into a growing number of homes. Walk into any big-box electronic store and you’ll find an array of devices that allow you to use your smartphone or tablet to control things around your home, like your thermostat, carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, internal and external security cameras, and even the locks on your doors.
The continuous technological revolution has made equipment like those listed above more accessible and affordable for normal folks like you and me. So, as landscapers and innovators, we got to wondering what role smart technology plays in what we do for you, our tech-savvy clients!
Smart Technology Meets Irrigation
One area in which smart technology intersects with our business is irrigation. While many major irrigation product manufacturers are considering this technology, we personally have had great experiences with Hunter® and their HydrawiseTM system. Let’s look at how it works!
When your controller is installed, we input information about your landscape into the system, for example the soil composition, slope, exposure to sun or shade, etc. Next, you let your controller communicate with your network utilizing your WiFi connection. The genius part about all this is that your WiFi is connected to a physical location, and the internet has weather data for that location. This is fantastic because it enables a cool feature called predictive watering. Predictive watering allows your system to automatically adjust based on local weather patterns. THIS IS HUGE! This allows for water conservation without taking the time to look up the weather, go change your controller, find out the weather changed, go back and change it again … you know the drill. We live in Kansas! Hunter® has a neat tool on their website that allows you to calculate how much water you could conserve with HydrawiseTM, albeit an estimate. Try it for yourself by clicking here .
Another popular feature is that you can download the Hydrawise app to your smartphone or tablet, allowing you to control your system anytime you want, from anyplace that you are! The app is equipped with tons of neat features that enable you to save time and money when it comes to watering your lawn and landscape.
Smart Technology Meets Outdoor Lighting
Another point where smart technology intersects with landscaping is outdoor lighting. Our team has experience with Unique Lighting Systems® and their Light LogicTM cloud-based control systems. We love that these systems provide a way to automate and control outdoor lighting conveniently from your phone or tablet. Light LogicTM has their own list of unique features that include wireless controls for up to four scenes, easy retrofitting into existing lighting installations, and astronomical timing which automatically adjusts dusk and dawn times based on your location.
Transition From “Home” To “Smart Home”
If you love what you’ve been reading and want to learn more about smart technology for your home, irrigation systems, and outdoor lighting controls, the team here at Lawrence Landscape is here to help! Contact us today to get started on your transition from home to smart home.
