PV Solar Panel Glass

The glass in a solar panel is designed to protect solar cells, but at the same time as the light efficiently and reached the solar cells efficiently without thinking.

When we ask, “How does a solar panel”, tempered glass, which is the material used in the real panel must be part of our discussion. The reason is simple, is not easily broken and when it does not produce sharp pieces of glass that can cause harm to a person when it breaks. A tempered glass is as the glass material of the window of his car. Tempered glass panel also helps provide stiffness. If you have experienced the operation and development of a broken pane, you will feel it is unstable and can break if not completely handled some support from their fields, bottom and side. Now why use such a sign? Well, you need to carry the broken boards and send it to the manufacturer for warranty purposes, hence the need to ensure that no further damages.

Although solar cells have been integrated into the anti-reflective coating to prevent the inner layer of silicone to reflect light, the glass panel can further improve energy conversion using clear additional non-reflective material. But this anti-reflective coating on the glass may not last long or can not follow the life cycle of the panels and can reduce the performance of the panels in several years. Another method for resolving this problem is to texture the glass surface, which reduces reflection and even this to work, the rough texture may become a means of dirt or dust to attach to the surface and may not be easy or even winds heavy rains to evict them from the cup. This is where low iron tempered glass comes in where it provides long-term protection for panels of external harmful elements such as dust, water, chemicals, objects, or other biological factors that may impair the inside panels. This specialized type of glass is also stable under prolonged ultraviolet (UV), highly transparent, waterproof and gas and is self-cleaning. PV glass iron content is significantly reduced during manufacture to mainly improve transmittance.

Manufacture of glass for solar panels are not only to build it. Manufacturers also adhere to international standards in order to make safe and reliable glass.

Of course, if you build your own solar panel, you have the option of using special high quality glass however, if you are a beginner, a good glass material is Plexiglas, which has similar characteristics of tempered glass. Plexiglass is actually a brand name and also called safety glass. Knowing these facts about the glass used is only the first step in answering the question of “how a solar panel.”

A Drone Found A Man With No Chill Sunbathing On Top Of A 200 Foot Wind Turbine

It’s summer and the beaches are packed – so this guy got some private sunbathing time sky high

A drone pilot scoping out a giant wind turbine stumbled upon a man sunbathing on top of it.

Woken from his nap by the noise of the drone, he sits up, gives a wave, and looks rather nonplussed as the drone moves in further for a good look.

Husqvarna Group makes appointment

Anders Johanson has been appointed SVP Technology Office and CTO at Husqvarna Group and member of group management as of Oct. 1. He replaces Henric Anderson, who has been appointed president construction division.

Anders Johanson is partner and global practice leader technology and innovation management at Arthur D. Little. In parallel Anders holds a part time role as adjunct professor in industrial product development at KTH, Royal Institute of Technology, since January 2015.

Anders has a MSc. Chemical Engineering and a MBA from Chalmers University of Technology.

“The appointment of Anders Johanson underlines Husqvarna Group’s commitment to continue developing cutting-edge technologies combined with increased product development efficiency and strengthening synergies between the divisions in our group,” said Kai Wärn, president and CEO of Husqvarna Group.

Mid-Atlantic STIHL makes new hire

Mid-Atlantic STIHL, a division of STIHL Inc., has hired Genie McClain as its new marketing manager. McClain, who specializes in brand management and marketing, brings more than 20 years of experience in marketing, sales, merchandising and product management. Her list of past employers features nationally recognized brands and companies such as AT&T, YP, Miller Brewing Company, Gibson Guitar and Cunard Cruise Line. In addition to serving several multi-billion dollar companies, she has a proven track record of helping companies drive profitability, brand awareness and product preference. At Mid-Atlantic STIHL, McClain will be developing and implementing the branch marketing activities and communications programs.

Judge blocks EPA rule

The green industry scored a minor victory when a judge blocked President Obama’s push to extend the EPA’s reach to ditches and small streams to enforce clean water rules.

The issue was a point of emphasis for the National Assoication of Landscape Professionals at its Day on the Hill last month. NALP’s position was:

“Under the rule, permits maybe required for activities such as removing debris and vegetation from a ditch, applying pesticides, and building a fence or pond or be required by cities when discharging pollutants. Permitting can be a costly and time-consuming process that requires small businesses to hire attorneys and environmental consultants. In addition, the future development potential of certain land may be affected, which could diminish its value. Businesses also could be subjected to litigation under citizen suit provisions of the CWA.”

Click here to read the article.

Terex releases new GEN2 machine

SOUTHAVEN, Miss. – Featuring a 74-hp turbocharged Tier 4 final diesel engine with variable flow hydraulics for productivity and quick cycle times, the new 2,650-lb rated operating capacity Terex R265T compact track loader is the newest member of the Terex Generation 2 (GEN2) loader line-up. With a narrow machine width (70-in), the R265T radial lift path compact track loader can easily maneuver and operate in confined or congested work sites, making it a good loader for rental stores and contractors working in site preparation, construction, landscaping, infrastructure development and demolition applications. Its purpose-built chassis is designed to be a heavy-duty machine within a compact package.

Proving it has the power and productivity to get the job done, the R265T loader has 221 ft-lb of peak torque, a tipping load of 7,571 lb, a bucket breakout force of 5,800 lb and a lift height of 125 in, enabling it to get loading, picking and carrying, grading, back dragging or snow removal jobs done faster and more efficiently. Compact track loaders, like the R265T unit, engineered with a radial lift path – meaning the loader arms raise in an arc pattern – excel at digging and grading applications. Another benefit of the radial lift path configuration is the visibility around the unit it provides to operators, especially when working around existing infrastructure, such as homes and in backyards.

The Terex R265T compact track loader comes standard with 18-in wide tracks and patented Posi-Track undercarriage technology with multiple levels of suspension that distributes the machine’s 9,180-lb operating weight down to only 3.6 psi of ground pressure. The low ground pressure prevents damage to the ground below (e.g. turf) and provides extended track life. For exceptional ride comfort and traction, this loader’s undercarriage is suspended from the chassis of the machine by torsion axles. These torsion axles are independent, so there are multiple levels of suspension points connecting the chassis to the undercarriage. This design allows the bogie wheels on the Terex R265T compact track loader to flex, creating a smooth ride and taking away much of the vibration and shock associated with running over rocks, curbs and other rough terrain. This model is also available with optional 20-in tracks for increased versatility to keep operators working year-round, even in wet, muddy or snowy conditions.

GEN2 compact track loaders, including the new R265T model, utilize a proprietary all-rubber track, rather than a rigid track technology with steel embedded tracks mounted on an existing skid steer chassis. With this system, these compact track loaders achieve more traction, higher flotation and better operating comfort so operators can make full use of the machine’s higher travel speeds. By utilizing composite materials rather than a steel skeleton, Terex tracks do not corrode or rust.

For more information about Terex GEN2 skid steer loaders and compact track loaders, visit www.terex.com/construction.

On the fringe

The Internal Revenue Service is reportedly considering taxing the perks many businesses use to attract and retain employees like food and gym memberships.

Far from leveling the playing field between the high-flying tech companies and the far larger number of small employers such as the average snow and ice removal business, the potential crackdown illustrates the importance our tax rules play in attracting and retaining qualified workers.

Fringe benefits are rewards given to employees for their service and play a crucial role in employee retention and recruiting. Benefits can include paid life insurance, dependent care assistance, group insurance and parking, among other perks.

The value of many fringe benefits can be excluded from an employee’s income. And, so long as tax laws are followed closely, every smart contractor can afford to offer fringe benefits to their workers.

Required employee benefits.

In general, there are two types of employee benefits: those every employer must provide by law, and those the employer offers as an option to compensate employees.

The law requires employers to:

• Provide time off to vote, serve on a jury and perform military service.
• Provide workers’ compensation.
• Withhold FICA taxes from employees’ paychecks and pay the employer portion of FICA taxes, providing employees with Social Security retirement and disability benefits.
• Pay state and federal unemployment taxes, thus providing benefits for unemployed workers.
• Contribute to state short-term disability programs Comply with the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
  

An employer is not required to provide:

• Retirement plans
• Health plans (except in Hawaii), dental or vision plans
• Life insurance plans
• Paid vacations, holidays or sick leave
  
  

Generally speaking.

The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires employers to give workers up to 12 weeks off to attend the birth or adoption of a baby, or the serious health condition of an employee or an immediate family member. After 12 weeks of unpaid leave, the snow and ice removal business must reinstate the employee in the same job or an equivalent one. The 12 weeks of leave doesn’t have to be taken all at once.

Most states subject only employers with 50 or more employees to the Family and Medical Leave Act. However, some states have family leave laws that place family leave requirements on businesses with as few as five employees. And, in many cases, special rules apply to seasonal employment.

What do they want?

The best perk that an employer can give an employee is often one that he or she wants and costs little or nothing. While stock options, big salaries and big ticket benefits may be needed to lure higher level employees, you can get pretty good mileage out of some inexpensive perks. A few common ones that consistently get high marks are:

• Flex time
• Free food and beverages
• Education or personal development training (on or after company time)
  

Notice that among the perks most often chosen by employees, only one, education or personal development, is a significant cost to the employer. That’s where our tax rules can provide a financial helping hand.

Ordinarily, every employee, as well as the operation’s owner, is permitted a personal income tax deduction for money spent for educational expenses, even if they lead to a degree. When education is offered as a fringe benefit by a snow removal or ice management business, the payments received by an employee for tuition, fees, books, supplies, etc., under the employer’s educational assistance program may be excluded from the employee’s income up to $5,250 per year.

Although the course covered by an employer’s plan need not be job related, courses involving sports, games or hobbies are usually covered only if they involve the employer’s business or are required as part of a degree program. Best of all, the snow removal business may claim a full tax deduction for the amount paid. Drawbacks include the necessity of a formal tuition reimbursement plan and, obviously, sufficient cash flow to fund the program.

Cash is king.

No small-business should provide competitive cash compensation in the absence of employee objectives. If the snow and ice removal operation establishes specific objectives that people will be rewarded for reaching or achieving, that’s exactly what they will do. Cash compensation, including bonuses, is really important.

Unlike many fringe benefits, bonuses and awards must be included in an employee’s taxable income. Should the bonus or award be in the form of goods or services, employees must include the fair market value in their income. The same applies to holiday gifts. Employees who receive turkeys, hams or other similar items from their employers at Christmas or other holidays may exclude the value of the gift from their income.

On a similar note, so-called “de minimis” benefits may be worth little or nothing in the eyes of our lawmakers, but can go a long way toward making an employee happy – without an accompanying tax bill.

Under the rules, employees may exclude from income the value of fringe benefits that qualify as de minimis.

Retirement savings.

Small businesses should, according to many experts, consider a bigger menu of benefits to attract and retain older workers. In many cases, the standard benefits could include health insurance and an employer-sponsored retirement plan such as a 401(k).

After that, a snow removal contractor or business might consider adding a “cafeteria” plan, which allows employees to pay certain qualified expenses such as health insurance premiums, adoption assistance, dependent-care assistance, group-term life insurance coverage, as well as contribute to health savings accounts, on a pretax basis, thereby reducing their total taxable income and increasing their spendable/take-home income.

Benefits from benefits.

Unfortunately, employers face plenty of uncertainty as the administration delays key pieces of the Affordable Care Act. The latest delay granted large businesses another year, until 2016, before offering affordable coverage to all full-time workers.

The delay means businesses with 50-99 workers will not have to meet the requirement until 2016. Larger employers must cover 70 percent of full-time workers next year and 95 percent by 2016. However, according to the Kaiser Foundation, more than 90 percent of employers with 50-199 workers already offer insurance, as do 99 percent of businesses with 200 or more workers.

The bottom line.

Many small snow and ice removal contractors mistakenly believe they cannot afford to offer benefits. However, while going without benefits may boost the snow removal and ice management operation’s bottom line in the short run, a “penny-wise” philosophy could strangle the business’s chances for long-term prosperity.

The IRS’s predicted crackdown on extravagant benefits will likely center on whether they benefit the employee – and are thus taxable – or benefit the business.

With benefits such as health insurance and retirement plans falling under government scrutiny, the importance of qualified professional assistance to help your snow removal business afford to keep the workers so essential to its success – and compete for new workers – can’t be emphasized enough.

The author is a financial writer based in Ardmore, Pa.

Plantscapers acquires company

IRVINE, Calif. – Plantscapers recently expanded west to the Palm Springs region by acquiring Designer Greens, a longstanding industry leader in the area.

Plantscapers opened its satellite office in Palm Desert, Calif. on August 1 with a client showroom and warehouse, along with a gathering place for a local team of technicians and customer service professionals. An open house is planned for clients, prospective clients, local designers and architects for the beginning of next year.

This acquisition allows the Irvine, Calif. headquartered company to continue its southern California footprint. Plantscapers has an expansive residential and commercial client portfolio that spans from north of Los Angeles to San Diego. Introducing Palm Springs and Coachella Valley into the company was a logical next step for the growth-focused Plantscapers.

“We already have several clients in the area,” said Julie Farrow, CEO of Plantscapers. “And with the addition of the amazing clientele of Designer Greens, Plantscapers Inc. can continue its creative interior plantscaping designs utilizing live and replica plants, living wall installations, patioscaping, and weekly plant maintenance across more of Southern California.”

Farrow and Greg Eberly, president of Designer Greens, have been friends for over twenty years, attending industry education courses, sharing best practices, and working in non-profits together. When Eberly began to prepare for retirement, he knew there was only one company he could trust to operate Designer Greens, and that was Plantscapers.

“Knowing retirement was on the horizon, I began searching for an A+ company with whom I could merge Designer Greens’ accounts,” said Eberly. “I feel so fortunate to have found a winner, a company owned by multi-decade personal and professional friends.”

On the same day of the Plantscapers’ acquisition, the company also launched a client-focused website which can be found online at: www.plantscapers.com.

Plantscapers’ Palm Springs area location is at 42280 Beacon Hill, D-8, Palm Desert, California, 92211. Phone 760-779-9700.

NALP announces new ambassadors

HERNDON, Va. – The National Association of Landscape Professionals has recently named two new ambassadors to the Foundation. Each of the following ambassadors pledged $25,000 to award scholarships to students enrolled in landscape contracting and/or horticulture programs at two-year or four-year colleges and universities:

– Jack Ingels Scholarship – Brett Lemcke, R.M. Landscape, Hilton, N.Y., and Phill Sexton, WIT Companies, Albany, N.Y.

– Stephen Hillenmeyer Landscape Services Scholarship – Stephen Hillenmeyer, Hillenmeyer Landscape Services, Lexington, Ky.

“On behalf of the National Association of Landscape Professionals Foundation, I want to thank our newest ambassadors for their generous support of the next generation of industry leaders and for helping us to reach further milestones,” said Miles Kuperus, Landscape Industry Certified, Foundation president.

The Foundation is more than halfway through its five-year campaign to raise the fund balance from $2 million to $5 million. To date, the fund has grown to $4.1 million.

SavATree announces promotions

BEDFORD HILLS, N.Y. – SavATree has announced the promotions of Mike Harris to the position of branch manager of the Hudson Valley Branch, and Craig Geddis to branch manager of the Cape Cod office located in Mashpee, Mass.

Harris has been an arborist with SavATree in this office, and previously out of the Wyckoff, NJ branch since 2003. In his new role, Harris will be responsible for day to day operations and sales management of the branch as well as servicing clients in Yorktown, Cortlandt Manor, Croton-On-Hudson and Peekskill.

Harris is a highly credentialed arborist, having completed the rigorous coursework to attain the prestigious New Jersey Tree Expert certification; one of the toughest in the U.S. Harris also has a degree in Biology from Earlham College in Richmond Indiana.

In his new role, Geddis will assume responsibility for sales management and daily operations of the branch, in addition to servicing clients both on and off the Cape.

Geddis has worked in tree and plant health care for the past ten years, most recently in SavATree’s Lincoln branch. A native of Massachusetts, Geddis is an ISA certified arborist with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Forestry from Unity College.

DSTE announces speaker lineup

The Deep South Turf Expo has announced the line up for the event's inaugural education program. Breakouts from the program include professional development, professional pesticide usage and safety, soil and water management, golf turf, sports turf and lawn and landscape education.

Industry professionals from all over the southeast to speak on their specialties in turfgrass management. Among the academics and researchers who will be presenting are Drs. Beth Guertal, Dave Han, Lawrence Graham and Scott McElroy, (Auburn); Drs. Stephen Enloe and Bryan Unruh, (University of Florida); Dr. Ron Strahan, (LSU); Drs. Christian Baldwin, Jay McCurdy, Barry Stewart and Maria Tomaso-Peterson, (Mississippi State) and Dr. Mike Goatley (Virginia Tech).

In addition, industry professionals will speak on aspects of professional development in all arenas of turf management, including Bill Brown, Turf Republic; Ken Magnum, CGCS, retired from Atlanta Athletic Club; and Ray Sayre of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. For a complete listing of the speaker line-up go to DeepSouthTurfExpo.org.

According to Dr. Jay McCurdy, "The Deep South Turf Expo is a great opportunity for the region's professional turfgrass managers to broaden their knowledge base, right in their own backyard. The educational topics featured are relevant to southern turfgrass management, and the speaker list is phenomenal. The expo will be unprecedented, with vendors and sponsors from around the nation."

Dr. Bryan Unruh, University of Florida agrees. "There is strength in numbers! Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana: Four states - one Turf Conference. An excellent opportunity to meet with your colleagues to learn the latest in turf management, participate in a large equipment expo, and enjoy comradery with each other."

The Deep South Turf Expo is a collaboration of the Alabama Turfgrass Association, the Alabama Golf Course Superintendents Association, the Gulf Coast Golf Course Superintendents Association, the Louisiana-Mississippi Golf Course Superintendents Association and the Mississippi Turfgrass Association.

The inaugural event is scheduled for Oct. 13-15 in Biloxi, Miss.

John Deere announces promotion

OLATHE, Kan. – John Deere has just announced its Gear Up For Fall program. The program, which runs from August 15 to the end of October, gives customers who attend Drive Green events an extra $250 off a wide range of turf equipment, in addition to the other Drive Green program product discounts and the sweepstakes.

According to Tom Elliott, product marketing manager for John Deere, customers can get the $250 Gear Up For Fall coupon when they attend a fall Drive Green event and apply it toward the purchase of a new John Deere ZTrak, EZTrak, QuikTrak mower, Signature or Select Series tractor, or select Gator utility vehicle models.

“Fall is a great time for residential and rural property owners, farmers and ranchers and others in the green industry to check out a wide selection of John Deere equipment,” Elliott said. “These fall Drive Green Demo events are the perfect place to compare competitive models and test drive the latest utility tractors, lawn and garden equipment, Gators and more. Plus, the Gear Up For Fall incentives, along with the other Drive Green coupons, make this an especially good time to invest in John Deere equipment.”

In addition to the $250 Gear Up For Fall coupon for turf equipment, event attendees can receive a $500 coupon for the purchase of select John Deere utility tractors and discounts on attachments. Attendees also can register for a chance to win a John Deere 3032E Compact Utility Tractor with loader and rotary cutter package to be given away later this year.

“Along with making the Drive Green events fun and informative experiences, the first 50 people who attend fall events at participating dealerships will receive a special limited-edition John Deere Gear Up For Fall camo cap,” Elliott said.

At Drive Green events this fall, John Deere dealer experts will be on hand to demonstrate the equipment and answer questions. Admission is free and no pre-registration is required to attend.

For more information on the Drive Green equipment discounts and events in your area this fall, visit www.JohnDeere.com/DriveGreen, or see your local John Deere dealer.

CytoGro available in quarts

OCALA, Fla. – Ecologel Solutions and subsidiary BioPro Technologies are now offering CytoGro Root Hormone Biostimulant in quart-sized bottles. Used for years by golf course superintendents, sports field managers and sod farmers, as well as for other large scale commercial applications, CytoGro has traditionally been offered in one gallon jugs, which provides enough product to treat four acres at the initial application rate. With growing interest for residential installation and maintenance, the quart sized bottle offers an appropriate size for smaller applications. The smaller size also provides a lower price point for trial applications by new users.

CytoGro is an EPA registered hormone biostimulant designed to enhance root development, increase root mass and improve stress tolerance. It guarantees cytokinin content and co-factors that enhance hormone efficiency at low rates. The liquid formula is easily applied as either a foliar spray or soil drench, and is broadly compatible for tank mixing with most other liquid applications. Furthermore, CytoGro contains extremely low levels of gibberellic acid, making it compatible with modern gibberellic acid blocking growth regulators.

In addition to the new quarts and traditional one gallon containers, CytoGro is also available in larger sizes upon request.

PGMS offers scholarship opportunity

Every year before New Year’s Day, the Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS) receives scholarship applications from a number of hopeful students across the country vying for over $6,000 worth of scholarships. The top recipient will also have the opportunity to attend the GIE+EXPO in Louisville in the autumn. PGMS will pay for the scholarship recipients’ conference registration and a travel allowance as well.

Scholarships are for students studying landscape and grounds management, turf management, irrigation technology or a closely related field. The applications are screened by the PGMS Scholarship Committee. There are two primary sections to the screening process. The first section is mandatory information that is required from the applicant for the scholarship to be considered. Each committee member reviews the first part for completeness of the required information. Incomplete applications are not considered for scholarship awards. The following items are mandatory for the scholarship application to be considered. Please note three letters of recommendation are needed:

1. The completed scholarship application. The application can be downloaded from the PGMS website.

2. A cover letter. Typed. Please include introduction, educational and professional goals and intent for use of scholarship funds.

3. A current resume. Typed. Please include past employment history, awards and certificates earned.

4. College or school transcripts.

5. Three (3) letters of recommendation. These should be from an instructor, employer, etc. One of these letters must be from a PGMS member who is sponsoring the applicant.

The next section is what the scholarship committee is looking for. This is where the presentation is important. It is the clarity and definition of the presentation that separates the candidates and categorizes the potential in the scholarship recipient. The committee looks for these points throughout your portfolio. Key items in the presentation are:

1. Active student in a horticulture or related field with solid grades

2. Past and current employment in the green industry

3. Green industry involvement with professional organizations, apprenticeships and internships. This could be involvement in organizations such as FFA, 4-H, state or county programs as well as volunteering for civic projects and outreach programs.

4. Community volunteering and involvement

5. Personal development in the form of classes and volunteering.

6. Extracurricular involvement: Sports, Clubs, Theatre, Music, etc.

7. Personal goals and objectives

Here are a few tips for applying for the PGMS Scholarship.

1. Start the process early. November is probably good timing. For example, obtaining three letters of recommendation takes time. If you are hoping to receive letters from professors or school officials at the end of the semester or after finals, they are pretty busy taking care of grades and student obligations.

2. Obtaining transcripts can take time too. Plan accordingly.

3. Share your story. What is it about you that makes you an outstanding candidate?

4. A key point is getting sponsorship from a PGMS member. If you don’t know a PGMS member, contact PGMS Headquarters. They would get you in contact with a PGMS Branch or a PGMS Regional Director who would assist you in finding a member in your area.

The scholarship application deadline is January 1, 2016.

PACE expands warehousing

To keep up with continued growth, outdoor power equipment distributor, PACE recently doubled its Lakeland, Fla. warehouse space to an expansive 41,628 total square feet. PACE also purchased an additional 44,000 square foot building on Keel Street near the PACE headquarters and main warehouse in Plymouth, Mich. The purchase and expansion brings PACE’s total warehouse space for the four locations (including West Bend and Sacramento) to 205,000 square feet.

Much of the expansion is made possible by PACE’s use of state-of-the-art technology. PACE is able to provide online ordering and same day shipping on parts and most equipment orders for enhanced dealer and end-user satisfaction. Dealers also benefit from PACE’s customer service from factory trained staff, plus 24-hr access to pricing and online ordering. “Ease of doing business is key. The easier we make things for our dealers, the better they can serve their customers. That’s great for everyone, and it’s great for business,” said PACE’s VP of Operations, Shawn Hill.

“It’s a challenging, dynamic business environment, but we have a dedicated, versatile staff. PACE team members welcome the challenges, and we are always developing and implementing new ideas to better serve our customers,” said Chris Saxton, president of PACE.

For more information, call 1-734-453-6258 or visit www.pacelink.com.

App offers irrigation troubleshooting

CALEDONIA, Mich. – Available today, the app “ArmadaTech Irrigation Troubleshooting Guide,” offers irrigation and sprinkler maintenance personnel a mobile and informative step-by-step guide to identifying and isolating an electrical problem in a sprinkler system. The app guides the contractor on a page by page journey, asking them to answer questions about their sprinkler system. As each question is answered, the app takes the contractor to the next step until the problem is diagnosed. Within the app are tutorial documents and videos if the contractor is unsure of how to perform the actual test or needs clarification by what is meant.

The app was developed by taking tried and true irrigation troubleshooting methodology and marrying it to the modern convenience and portability of a smartphone app. Over many years of trial and experimentation, listening to contractors, and drawing upon our own observation, Armada has developed refined techniques for identifying electrical trouble in sprinkler clocks, wiring and solenoids. These methods are incorporated into the troubleshooting app and made simple by following the step-by-step question approach.

“ArmadaTech Irrigation Troubleshooting Guide” is a free service of Armada Technologies and available at the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Further information is available by calling Armada Technologies at 616-803-1080 or www.armadatech.com.

India Opened The World’s First Solar Powered Airport

The southern city of Kochi is now the proud home of the first airport in the world solar energy.

On August 18, the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) -India international largest in terms of passenger traffic to any ordered 12 megawatts (MW) of solar projects fourth airport. The airport already had a solar power plant of 1 MW, which can produce 4000 units of electricity per day.

With its new solar power station, the airport can now produce 60,000 units of electricity per day, which is more than enough to meet their daily needs.

“We initiated a pilot project in February 2013 as part of our plan to shift to renewable energy by setting up a 100 kilo watt unit,” VJ Kurian, managing director of CIAL told Quartz in a telephone interview. “When we found that feasible, we set up a 1MW unit in November 2013.”

“We did not want to be identified as just another airport and be confined to it,” Kurian added.

GIE+EXPO continues to expand

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – GIE+EXPO (the Green Industry & Equipment Expo) and Hardscape North America (HNA) will co-locate in Louisville again in 2015, and feature two new apps to help attendees navigate the shows.

The GO EXPO and GO HNA apps, sponsored by Gravely, will give attendees the ability to access the exhibitor list and floor plan, search by product, plan their schedules and contact exhibitors directly from the app.

All who download one of the apps and then log in will be entered into a drawing to win $5,000.

The two shows at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville take place Wednesday through Friday, Oct. 21-23, and will also feature:

• HNA will grow from six to eight conference sessions, including Jerry Gaeta leading “Estimating Projects with Confidence,” Monroe Porter discussing the topic of “Building a More Profitable Business with Numbers and Efficiency,” and Charles Van der Kooi providing advice on “How to Evaluate, Motivate and Reward Your People.”
• Attendees will have the opportunity to attend Latino Link, a series of seminars presented by the National Hispanic Landscape Alliance (NHLA). The series targets three GIE+EXPO audiences: a breakfast session for dealers, three seminars for owners and managers of landscape businesses and two Spanish-language sessions for members of the Hispanic workforce.

Register today for full access Pre-registration for a three-day pass to the tradeshow is only $15 per person until Sept. 10. Beginning Sept. 11, the fee will increase to $30. The tradeshow admission for those who wait to register on site will be $60. To register online, go to www.gie-expo.com. Additional details about the show are available on the website or by contacting Sellers Expositions at 800-558-8767 or info@gie-expo.com. GIE+EXPO, www.gie-expo.com, is sponsored by the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) and the Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS). HNA is produced by the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI) and endorsed by the Brick Industry Association and National Concrete Masonry Association.

• 750 exhibitors showcasing the latest innovations in 700,000 square feet – indoors and out. The 19-acre Outdoor Demonstration Area will be open Thursday and Friday during the show.
• A Dealer Day preview for dealers, distributors, retailers and media on Wednesday. The tradeshow will be open Thursday and Friday to all in the industry.
• The Dealer Resource Pavilion will combine education for dealership owners and managers, training and certification for technicians, a dealer-only lounge and Internet café, information on managing a profitable parts and service department and networking among dealers.
• Additional educational opportunities for dealers include a three-session Dealer Summit offering tips on using social media to grow your business, manufacturer forecasting and dealers sharing best-practice advice.
• LANDSCAPES 2015 (formerly Green Industry Conference), organized by the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP), and the Professional Grounds Management Society’s (PGMS) popular School of Grounds Management offer educational sessions and peer networking. These educational events for green industry professionals and professional grounds managers begin Oct. 22.
• GIE+EXPO Workshops feature 10 sessions for landscapers, including tracks on hardscapes and snow and ice management.
• By attending one of the two hardscape-related GIE+EXPO workshops on Thursday, attendees will gain admission to six hours of hardscape installation demonstrations in the HNA Outdoor Arena tent. The HNA demonstrations can also be accessed with a $25 registration upgrade.
• The New Products Showcase featuring exhibitors’ latest innovations.
• Three free concerts featuring Grand Funk Railroad with From Paris on Wednesday, Kellie Pickler with The Crashers on Thursday and The Rigbys with Lyndsey Henken on Friday.
• Giveaways, including a $5,000-drawing sponsored by STIHL during the Dealer Day reception on Wednesday and a $10,000 Fabulous Friday Giveaway sponsored by Belgard Hardscapes. One winner will be drawn at 4 p.m., and the winner must be present to win. To be eligible, register for GIE+EXPO. An entry form will be mailed along with badges and will include instructions for returning it on site.

Aquatrols expands Australia presence

Aquatrols is announcing a new distribution partnership with Bayer Environmental Science that will significantly expand the company’s presence in Australia. The deal will provide greater solutions, innovations, and support for turf managers across Australia, according Matthew Bywater, international accounts manager for Aquatrols in the Pacific Rim.

“As our science and product range has developed beyond simply controlling dry patch and into greater rootzone management, so has the need to further support and research our products on a localized basis. Working with Bayer will allow us to address the specific needs of Australia’s turf managers,” said Bywater.

Peter Kirby, turf market manager for Bayer Environmental Science in Australia, expressed similar optimism about the deal.

“We pride ourselves on supplying Australia’s turf managers with the products and services they need to produce optimum playing conditions. Over the past 60 years, Aquatrols has shown a strong commitment to research and development and a genuine concern for their customers. We are pleased to partner with them to provide Australia’s turf managers with products that are backed up by sound science and research,” Kirby said.

All Aquatrols products will be available through Bayer’s Australian distribution network beginning Sept. 22.

After the storm

There’s a calm following a storm, but there’s nothing low-key about the disaster response required to get a landscape back into shape. Tree damage, flooded spaces, debris and infrastructural damage can be left in the wake, and it’s not pretty. But landscape firms that take on cleanup work know this, and they come prepared.

This month, Lawn & Landscape spoke with three firms that tackle different aspects of storm cleanup, disaster response and prevention like preparing a landscape to handle floodwaters and more. Here’s what they had to say about the resources, labor and skills it takes to perform these services successfully.

Natural solutions

A major flood in the fall of 2013 turned Longmont, Colo., into a virtual island. Bridges were washed out and properties were destroyed. A few days later, President Khalana Gocken took flyers to a neighborhood facing a filthy aftermath that felt overwhelming to residents. She only spent a few hours knocking on doors to share information about her services at Ethos Landscape and Design. “These poor people were trying to figure out if they could even save their houses,” she says, adding the hard approach just felt predatory.

So she started offering people insight instead. “I gave advice about what they could do moving forward, and that made me feel better, and I decided from then on I was going to make sure that my clients don’t have to experience this, or that (damage) is limited.”

Some of the areas Ethos Landscape serves are flood plains. Aside from flood disasters, which are not a regular occurrence, heavy rains and storms can wash out properties if adequate infrastructure is not in place. And Gocken isn’t talking to clients about traditional setups like French drains. “You can only fit so much water through a 4-inch pipe,” she says.

Instead, she’s having conversations with clients about rain gardens, dry creek beds and other natural solutions for managing erosion, storm water run-off and even finding ways to trap water on properties to help feed the soil and plants. In the municipalities she serves, no one is allowed to collect rainwater.

Gocken admits she’s not a traditional landscape maintenance and design firm. She previously owned a firm like that before deciding to take this sustainable approach a few years ago. “It kind of takes an open mind and a little bit of faith on our clients’ part to start down the road with us,” Gocken says. “We do a lot of explaining. We explain the way nature deals with issues (like storm water and flooding). And nature does it beautifully.”

And Gocken shares examples of how a preventive approach to managing floodwaters and run-off can benefit clients – and what happens without these solutions in place. “I had one client who had just dug a foundation to build a home, and as the water was running down a hill from other properties, it became a swimming pool – it was crazy,” she says. “After that, I said, ‘OK. We are getting you a rain garden and deep-rooted plants that can deal with this water as it is running off so it does not collect on your property and create problems for you.”

Once clients try one of Gocken’s natural solutions, they often call with gratitude. “They say, ‘We went outside after that rain storm and it worked,’” she says.

So Gocken doesn’t rush in to sell cleanup services. Instead, she teaches how soil rebuilding and other techniques can set up clients for success when storms do strike. This way of considering how we manage water and seeking alternatives is a long-term approach, she says. “This is where the industry will be heading in the next 20 years. There will be no other option.”

Scaling sales

Andrew Bachman turned what he considered a serious deficit in the storm cleanup process into a business niche for Trout Brook Landscaping in West Hartford, Conn. Following a big storm, trained arborists and landscape professionals with the equipment and skills to handle tree work don’t have time to prospect or sell services. They just want to do the work.

“It doesn’t make sense for these companies that have the equipment to also manage the projects and do sales at the same time,” Bachman says. “They make more money hiring a sales person to do the face time with customers.”

Bachman is the face time.

But Trout Brook does more than sell in the eye of the storm. Holding four arborist certifications, and owning a landscaping firm of his own, he brings skill and consultation services to clients who need guidance so they can restore their properties back to a usable state.

“There are not enough people who can provide a quality consultation to homeowners and businesses for tree work following storms,” Bachman says of filling a niche.

Trout Brook’s emergency response role is to assess situations and propose plans of action. This includes meeting with the property owner, calling in insurance companies to assess and secure structural damage, and then essentially designing a project scope for a qualified contractor to execute. “We are the sales team, so when we go to a storm, we do prospecting calls and customer traction,” Bachman explains, adding that securing sales is specialized work. Not every tree company thrives in this area, which is why they can hire Bachman to be the sales arm. “Disaster response, or storm-chasing, requires an attentive, detail-oriented salesperson,” he says.

Bachman cut his teeth in this area while working on major disaster response projects in 2011. Hurricane Irene tore through New York and southern Connecticut, and two months later a Halloween snowstorm, Alfred, dumped a foot of heavy, wet snow on the region.

“There were tree branches breaking all over town, and some trees fell over entirely,” he says. “There were contractors coming in from all over the country – the government actually requested for tree contractors to make their way out to Connecticut to help out.”

During that time, Bachman connected with a cable television contractor with 35 years of storm experience and two bucket trucks. Bachman learned from this mentor, and they served on a contractor team post-Hurricane Sandy, clearing right-of-way roadways in northeast New Jersey.

“During that time, we connected with others on the FEMA project and others from prior storms,” Bachman says of the network of tree contractors and other professionals on site. “There is a huge need for qualified contractors for this type of work.”

And there’s an even greater need for qualified professionals to communicate with customers and draft plans for managing the cleanup. Bachman says his strength is sales.

While his company owns a bucket truck and does residential tree work for his client base, along with landscape maintenance and installation, he chooses to spend post-storm man-hours doing sales.

“That way, we are nimble and we don’t have to bring equipment with us when we do storm work now,” he says. “We are agents of the companies we sell the work for.” Bachman takes a sales commission off storm work sold. These sales vary depending on the year. During Hurricane Sandy, storm sales accounted for 30 percent of Trout Brook’s revenues.

“I was doing that work for two and a half months during that winter,” he says.

Thunderstorms in the spring 2014 resulted in storm sales of about 5 percent of revenue that year. In 2015, snowstorms produced roof clearance jobs. Bachman saw an opportunity to put the bucket truck and his professional tree climber to work. Those sales (his company did all of the labor) amounted to 10 percent of revenue so far.

Bachman’s storm business is all about focusing on his strength in sales, while maintaining a strong base business serving his clients’ landscaping needs.

“This is the angle of storm business where we find the most profit,” he says.

Landscape the levees

Rebuilding the Big Easy after Hurricane Katrina required significant infrastructural investments, and government dollars flooded in to New Orleans to aid the cause. Working as a subcontractor to a large civil contractor, Mullin Landscape Associates performed some work installing “levee armory,” which requires laying down sod or hydroseeding significant stretches of land.

Mullin Landscape Associates met a tight deadline, earning recognition as part of a larger contractor team as first to finish their portion of levee armory. Doing so required resources – mainly available labor that could be assigned to this project while the rest of crews maintained the company’s regular accounts and kept other design/build projects moving.

“These companies (civil engineering) want to know they can draw from a large labor pool,” Mullin says. Aside from labor, a business must be able to front the cash flow for materials and labor until payment comes in – and that’s almost never until after projects are completed when the government is paying the tab. “That can cause a headache for smaller companies,” Mullin says.

Mullin says the bulk of post-Katrina rebuilding projects were initiated shortly after the disaster, but there’s still work to be done. Mullin Landscape Associates is currently on two project sites. The larger of the two has been in progress for about a year, and Mullin estimates a good six more months of time before completion. In the end, the levee armory project involving hydroseeding work will be about a $250,000 project, performed in stages over time.

Overall, hurricane recovery work makes up a small portion of the business – much less than 10 percent, Mullin says. And while government jobs tend to be primarily price-driven, and Mullin likes to stay away from projects driven only by dollars, he says the civil contractors that bring on Mullin Landscape Associates appreciate the value he brings, even if Mullin Landscape Associates’ price isn’t the lowest.

But beyond revenues, these disaster rebuilding jobs can provide some positive visibility, Mullin adds. “The project we’re doing now is on a busy stretch of road along the Mississippi River, and we have our truck and a hydroseeding machine on that levee,” he says. “That can help people realize the capabilities we have as a company.”

Fall forecast

Summer is on the way out and as fall approaches, it’s time to start thinking about preparing lawns for a strong spring comeback. Turfgrass researchers don’t expect especially high pressure from weeds or diseases, but the hot and dry summer in many parts of the country has left lawns weak.

“I don’t think there’s going to be any unique or major disease pressure other than the fact that if our lawn care operators aren’t diligent in trying to get those areas to recover, anyplace that a plant is weak is an opportunity, if moisture returns, for a pathogen to be opportunistic,” says Jim Kerns, turfgrass pathologist at North Carolina State University.

He says warm season grasses will bounce back once they get some rain, but cool season grasses are more at risk when the weather gets colder.

Jim Brosnan, associate professor of turf and ornamental weed science at the University of Tennessee, says the usual annual broadleaf and grassy weeds will be making an appearance this year. Last year, the wet September and October led to early germination of fall weeds, so many pre-emergent programs didn’t work as well as they did in past years. And it’s important to watch the winter weather to anticipate spring weed pressure.

“Last year, we had early germination, particularly of annual bluegrass, and then we went into winter and it got legendarily cold, as it has for two winters in a row now, and that really stunted the growth of everything. We had a lot of rain after that cold period and from that got a surge of winter annual broadleaf pressure and grassy weed pressure in late March, early April,” Brosnan says.

Kerns says germination will depend on whether your area receives a lot of precipitation or stays dry. He recommends aerating around Labor Day. “It can always help with recovery to get a good healthy stand of grass back, especially in cool season grass,” he says.

Kerns says cool season grasses should recover from winter weeds pretty well and operators should be able to get away with spot sprays or some broadcast applications for broadleaf weeds. For warm season grasses, many operators will need to wait to apply anything until the grasses go truly dormant in northern areas.

In order to do an effective pre-emergent application, Brosnan suggests scouting lawns in August. In his area, pre-emergent programs start around Labor Day, but that was too late last year. Cool weather grasses like tall fescue will be thriving this time of year, so it’s the ideal time to put down an herbicide. Just make sure the weather isn’t too hot and stressing the turf.

Scouting will make post-emergent applications more effective since smaller weeds are easier to control. “If you can come in and control seedling weeds that have just maybe newly germinated, that’s a much easier path than say coming into a lawn in March and trying to take out a mature common chickweed plant with flowers on it,” Brosnan says. “That’s just two different things.”

It’s key to treat winter annual weeds before they set seed back into the soil because once weeds have set seed, they have given themselves a foothold to come back the next year. “If we can control a weed before seed sets into the soil, we’ve at least done our part in reducing the weed seed percentage in the seed bank,” Brosnan says.

Brosnan also recommends switching up your control methods to avoid herbicide resistance, with annual bluegrass in particular, as he has seen an increase in treatment resistance.

This has been occurring on golf courses and sports turf, and while he hasn’t seen any cases in lawns yet, it is a threat. Continuing the same applications year after year reduces the tools in the tool box for weed control and can lead to complex and costly problems, he says. “There’s no point where diversification is bad.”

If you are applying an herbicide in the fall, make sure that you aren’t overseeding at the same time.