When commercial irrigation is used, efficiency is not a matter of expensive pieces of equipment, but how the system works in the actual site conditions of soil, pressure, wind, seasonal variation and so on.

How the term efficiency is misapplied in irrigation systems.

In real operations, efficiency is more than just water saving. A system that is efficient is one that is able to consistently maintain:

·       All zones are evenly covered with water.

·       Very little run-off and overspray

·       Good performance in variable weather conditions

·       Water delivery according to plant demand, rather than a set schedule

Many systems will perform well after they are installed but then slowly become inefficient as pressure changes, seasons vary and systems are not recalibrated.

It's important to think about site conditions before you select the equipment.

Each commercial building reacts differently when irrigation water is flowing. Professionals don't start with the equipment they will use; they start with understanding how the site "drinks" water.

Soil Behavior

The movement and availability of water to plants depends on soil and the plant's ability and equipment to utilize water.

Heavy soils have a high water holding capacity and low water infiltration rate.

Light soils have low water holding capacity and irrigation cycles are shorter.

If left untreated, the system might appear to be in good condition but cause dry areas or pooling.

Water demand varies within the same property due to wind, heat and sunlight. For instance, open turf adjacent to parking areas dries quicker than shaded regions of turf close to buildings.

The irrigation zoning

 process is where real efficiency is created.

Large commercial properties are never designed as one, even watered, uniform watering area. These zones are instead based on actual water demand and are made up of segments. They are instead segmented into zones according to real demands.

This is the time that many systems go wrong, when there is an attempt to water them all at the same time.

Experts divide areas as follows:

•            High-sun turf areas

•            Shaded landscape beds

The presence of sloped areas where runoff can occur.

•            Decorative planting zones

Irrigation Zoning

Selecting the best watering strategy for each area

In the commercial building sector, there is no universal solution for irrigation that works everywhere. Efficiency is the result of the proper combination of systems.

For Turf Areas, Sprinkler Systems are installed.

Sprinklers are used extensively for lawns and open areas, but their effectiveness can vary greatly depending on how accurately the sprinklers are designed.

Typical "real life" problems are:

·       Poor Spacing – uneven coverage

·       Water loss due to the movement of wind.

·       Spraying at multiple locations with an overlap.

Drip irrigation

 It is employed when accuracy is more important than coverage. It provides water to the root zone, thus lowering evaporation and runoff.

Subsurface Systems

For extremely efficient sites, Subsurface Systems are designed to capture high-quality air from the ground.

In some commercial or water sensitive projects, subsurface irrigation is employed to minimize the surface evaporation.

In practice, however it needs to be carefully planned and maintained to prevent it from becoming clogged or from unevenly distributing over time.

The most prevalent hidden issue is hydraulic design. The most frequently encountered hidden issue is hydraulics.

The biggest real-life reason for inefficiency is NOT the sprinkler itself, but rather the pressure imbalance between the system.

If pressure is not well controlled:

·       Weaker coverage in far zones

·       Excessive spray may be applied in near zones.

·       The water flow is not uniform throughout the area

Smart Irrigation in Real use, Not Just Theory

In modern systems, automation is an effective way of being more efficient, however, smart features in real systems are still to be calibrated.

Watering

It is usually controlled according to weather information, but default programming does not work without modification for most sites.

Soil Moisture Sensors

When watering is applied based on fixed times, soil moisture sensors can help save water by measuring actual soil moisture levels and avoiding unnecessary watering.

For commercial systems, Why Fixed Timers Fail.

One of the more frequent problems with business properties is the use of set and fixed watering schedules.

In fact, the demand for irrigation is dynamic because of:

•            Seasonal temperature shifts

•            Rainfall variations

•            Fertility and vegetative stage of the plants

Irrigation Scheduling

Even a well-designed system becomes ineffective over time if it is not adjusted over time.

The downfalls to a job that can be avoided in reality.

The majority of irrigation issues in commercial properties are caused by preventable design or maintenance problems:

·       All zones watered at the same time.

·       Wet lines and overspray due to incorrect sprinkler spacing.

·       Not considering wind and slope effects

This is caused by pressure differences between long piping sections.

Once installed, seasonally recalibration is not required.

These problems tend to develop slowly and are more difficult to identify early in the disease process.

The performance of a product is determined during its maintenance. Long-term performance is decided during the maintenance of a product.

No system is self-sustaining, even the most well-designed will dissipate in efficiency with neglect.

Here are some of the common long-term problems:

·       Partial drainage of sprinkler heads

·       Underground leaks that are not detected and are small.

·       After seasonal changes, the settings on the controller drift.

A commercial system is running as designed by regular inspection and adjustment.

Conclusion

No single product is the most efficient system for watering a business property, it depends on a well-designed sprinkler, drip irrigation and smart control system that is tailored to your site conditions.

In practice, there are three things that are more important than efficiency:

·       Accurate design that is based on the site.

·       The correct zoning and hydraulic balance will be achieved.

·       Continuous calibration and maintenance.

With proper management of these, water consumption is greatly reduced without compromising landscape quality.