How can landscape companies become more energy efficient?

Landscape Professionals

Richard Bare
Arbor-Nomics Turf
Norcross, Ga.

“Everyone should be converting over to the Husqavarna, Honda or Stihl electric automowers, so you can use the mowing operators for landscaping or hardscape operations — for higher profitability. It’s coming; may as well beat your competition to the electrical outlet!”

Paul Fraynd
Sun Valley Landscaping
Omaha, Neb.

“Effective routing, reducing drive time and overall cost to deliver services to sites. In addition, maintaining newer model equipment and taking advantage of alternative power sources such as electric and propane. For us, recycling yard waste to produce our compost is an effective way to help the environment and our bottom line.”

Chris Joyce
Joyce Landscaping
Cape Cod, Mass.

“Landscape companies can become more energy efficient by using alternate energy options in their fleet and equipment when a possibility.”

Aaron Katerberg
Grapids Irrigation
Grand Rapids, Mich.

“As an irrigation contractor, lifting water is the only way to store energy we have, other than batteries. The efficient use of water reduces energy and beautifies our world. Our job is helping our customers balance beautification with water usage.”

Jerry McKay
McKay Landscape Lighting
Omaha, Neb.

Bryan Stolz
Winterberry Landscape & Garden Center
Southington, Conn.

“One thing we’ve done to become more energy efficient is to upgrade our technology in the office. We updated many of our work stations to thin clients, which use significantly less electricity and give off less heat than traditional PC work stations, which has also lowered our air conditioning costs. In addition, the updated work stations have made our people more efficiently, so we’ve generated a strong return on these investments.”

Industry Consultants

Marty Grunder
The Grow Group
Dayton, Ohio

“There are a multitude of ways. You can use battery-operated equipment. We are running Stihl equipment; it’s awesome and only going to get better. Aside from that, I think a company gets more energy efficient by talking about it, teaching it and rewarding the behaviors you want.”

Phil Harwood
Grow the Bench
Grand Rapids, Mich.

“Take a holistic approach to energy savings. In addition to field equipment, consider shop/office lighting, HVAC systems and even windows.”

Kevin Kehoe
3PG Consulting
Laguna, Calif.

“Better routing. If you look at the stats, gasoline is expensive and a truck that drives just 10 more miles a day every week will cost you $780 per year. And if you have 20 crews … well, do the math. It’s wasted time and money.”

Jeffrey Scott
Jeffrey Scott Consulting
Trumbull, Conn.

“Energy efficiency is concurrently achieved with modernized equipment, operational efficiency and client density. If this is your goal, then make it win-win-win-win!”