Staying nimble was the constant challenge for the Lifescape Colorado team as they navigated this project’s evolving commercial codes for rooftop outdoor living spaces. “The final outcome of this rooftop double-patio project with its outdoor living amenities and beautiful plants is impressive,” says Mike Ransom, project manager. “The plants are like the frosting on the cake.” Of course, as with most complex projects, the beauty and functionality mask the behind-the-scenes challenges. As Rachelle Folsom, Lifescape marketing director noted, “The plant design had to address many challenges not related to the beauty of the finished project, yet many of the solutions enhanced the beauty.”
Commitment to communication
A complex mix of people and organizations were involved in creating the evolving design, submittingpermits and researching codes, as wellproviding input for ideas to modify designs to meet approval and codes. Players included the homeowners, general contractor, Lifescapeteam – including the landscape architect, Ariel Gelman, who partnered with Lifescape – the builder and builder subcontractors, the city and more.
“The commitment of the diverse team to coordinate communication through multiple means – email, phone, in person – was crucial to project success,” shares Ransom. “Issues were resolved as quickly as possible. I give credit to all the players. People had their tasks and deadlines they made it happen!” He likens the coordination to an ant farm.Everyone knew their role and what to do, and were committed to the same outcome.
Penthouse neighbors shared a goal
Owners of both penthouse condos shared the vision of creating “a crown jewel of mountain, stadium and city views from this new condo tower,” according to Folsom. Since owners of both units were Lifescape clients, they and the Lifescape landscape professionals were excited to team up and turn a 600 square foot space into an overall 2,200+ square foot “container landscape”with seating areas, outdoor cooking areas, firepits and the desired views.
Almost weekly, new, updated presentation materials kept clients informed of evolving code changes to help them understand both the limitations of some design components, but more importantly, the possibilities and options for overcoming the limitations.Throughout ongoing design tweaks, the clients came to trust the Lifescape team’s expertise and understanding of the complexities they were working through.
Plantselection and other rooftop challenges
Plants were container-based and there were weight restrictions and city ordinances. Much of the plant material used in the design was dictated by multiple and evolving codes for rooftop landscapes. Of course, all plants – tree, perennials and annuals – had to be hardy enough to withstand conditions including harsh winds at the top of a 14-story building, as well as provide beauty and vibrancy.The design also needed to address codes and ordinances including solar reflection, night sky requirements, permeable ground, and weight restrictions.
Getting supplies to theroof required ongoing coordination. Whereas some material could be brought up the service elevator to 14th floor and taken up the stairway to the roof, containers and trees has to be craned to the roof.
Creating cohesion with two designs
Though the singular vision of creating “the view” was shared by the two homeowners, they had differing goals for their separate spaces. The spaces have a “cohesive aesthetic thread” beyond the mountain and city views. They both have containers filled with plants and blooms, and some hardy trees chosen to create shade.
A four-foot wall of metal containers with boxwoods creates a natural privacy screen, yet the spaces can be connected, if desired.
Riding the wave of challenge
When Ransom, who has been in the industry of a long time, reflects on this project, he says, “I loved it! There were new challenges for all. We need to ride the waves of challenge, not fight them. It’s how we learn the possibilities.”
Lifescape Colorado received ALCC’s Gold ELITE Award for Residential Plant Design for this project,Rooftop Doubleheader.
The following is a statement from Kat Weismiller, deputy section chief for Colorado Water Conservation Board’s Water Supply Planning Section.
The Urban Landscape Conservation Task Force (CWCB) was created tohelp the state think about how we,at CWCB,build and support climate-appropriate landscapes. Colorado is getting warmer with projections of up to 4.2oF (2.3oC) warmer by 2050.
We live in a semi-arid state and are heavily dependent on annual snowmelt and runoff from the mountains to the plains for our water supply. Colorado averages only 17 inches per year of precipitation with high variability across the state. Climate change is making our water supply more variable, and less dependable and predictable. As a result of climate change and longer term aridification, we are increasingly weighingthe value trade-offsregarding water use and how we want to allocate it across competing community needs like economic development, housing, parks, river health, recreation and more. Outdoor water use, including the functionality and aesthetic design of urban landscapes, is at the crux of this discussion. Irrigation of outdoor landscapesaccounts for 40-50% of Colorado’s municipal water demand. The 2023 Colorado Water Plan notes the need for “transformative landscape change” – water conscious and attractive urban landscapes that can be sustained on as little as one-day per week watering. Though past water conservation measures have decreased statewide per capita water use by 5% between 2008 and 2015, we have a long way to go to meet the ambitious goals of the Water Plan.
Water-wise landscaping and land use practices can play a critical role in providing substantial and permanent water savings while minimizing water waste in Colorado communities. Urban water conservation requires water providers and other groups to work together in ways that extend beyond turf removal to advance the broader concept of landscape transformation to provide lasting water savings, while sustaining healthy communities.
The Task Force arose at the direction of the Governor who charged CWCB with facilitating a task force discussion to evaluate the best practices for advancing outdoor water conservation. Recognizing that this topic is critical,and several efforts are currently underway to find policy solutions and best practices for urban landscapes, the Task Force plans to offer leadership and guidance at the state level by exploring where there are both opportunities and challenges for achieving sustained outdoor water savings. The Task Force will look into ways of implementing practical landscaping changes that increase water use efficiency and achieve sustained water savings, while supporting vibrant and beautiful communities.
The 21-member task force includes eight water utilities, two water conservation and/or conservancy districts, two environmental nongovernmental organizationrepresentatives, and several single seats including a seat dedicated to the landscaping industryfilled by ALCC president, John McMahon. McMahon willrepresent ALCC membership interests in these critical conversations. The team aim plansto meet four times in2023, aiming to wrap-up provide a set of concepts to be considered by January 2024.
Each year Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC)grants scholarships to studentspursuing careers in the green industry who attend Front Range Community College (FRCC), Colorado State University (CSU) or University of Colorado.
Ben Stickland received the JBK Scholarship in 2023. Ben Stickland is a junior at CSU, double majoring in horticulture with a specialization in landscape design and contracting and environmental horticulture with a floriculture concentration. He hopes one day to own a business using locally sourced materials and native plants to design sustainable landscapes.
Ciera Clawson received the Todd Williams Memorial Scholarship in 2023. Ciera is a sophomore at CSU, majoring in horticulture with a specialization in landscape design and contracting. Ciera is a member of the SOLDAC organization (Student Organization for Landscape Design and Contracting) and recently competed with the CSU team at the National Collegiate Landscape Competition. She is interested in working with sustainable landscapes in the future.
Stephanie Fewsmith received the Tom Trench Memorial Scholarship in 2023. Stephanie attends FRCC majoring in horticulture. After moving of from the nonprofit sector and overcoming health challenges, Stephanie is pursuing a new career in horticulture focusing on growing food and sustainability.
Olivia Mosbarger received an ALCC scholarship. She is a sophomore at CSU majoring in horticulture, with a specialization in landscape design and contracting. She competed with the CSU team at the National Collegiate Landscape Competition earlier this year. Olivia is interested in a career in landscape management and design.
Emily Beeson also received an ALCC scholarship. She is a graduate student in the landscape architecture program at the University of Colorado-Denver. She would like to pursue a career in sustainable landscape architecture.
Submit your 2024 ProGreen EXPO session proposal now
We invite you to submit your session proposal for the 2024 ProGreen EXPO in Denver, Colorado, taking place January 30 - February 1, 2024. This annual conference allows green industry professionals in the Rocky Mountain region to gain vital knowledge and skills to improve business, educate employees and discover the latest trends for the upcoming season.
Submissions will be accepted through August 15, 2023.
Tis the season! No… not for mistletoe and holly, but sunburns and dehydration!
By Troy Sibelius
In hot weather, our body’s natural cooling systems are not enough. Heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke pose a real threat to outdoor workers. Heat stresshas a significant negative impact on employee production and attendance that can causeproject schedules and budgets go into disarray as companies scurry to complete the work. Let’s take a closer look what is really going on.
Reality and myth
You know the controls for working in the heat: provide plenty of water, sunscreen, sunglasses, allow regular breaks, etc. Unfortunately,a persistent mythis that production is hampered by adding morecontrols. Not only does this mythpresent a disregard for safety, but it’s also just plain wrong! In addition to preventing heat illness, proper controls can also prevent mental/physical fatigue and employee runoff. The myth assumes on-site downtime and precautions decrease employee output has a negative impact on your budget.
Let’s examine the effectsheat has on productivity. Extensive research on human performance reveals arecurring statistic; for each degree above 80o F (roughly) productivity decreases anywhere from 2%-3%. This meanson a 100o F summer day, without controls in place, production can be reduced by up to 50%. Under these conditions employees move slower, regularly forget equipment and materials, andproduce lower quality work,possibly requiringrework. Studies also indicate that people working in these conditions on a regular basis (e.g., landscaper workers)showed tendencies toward increased absenteeism, conflicts, safety and HR complaints, and attrition.
These issues have not been resolved by demanding that workers to “toughen up” or to “handle the heator stay out of the kitchen.” In the current labor market, employees are asking, “why should I prove I’m toughwhen the crew across the street has water, shade and regular breaks?”Employees today are very aware of their value and other available jobopportunities. Employers who make‘concessions’to put controls in place simple to meet employees’requests,tryingto keep them happy, may still seethem leave for an extra $0.25 per hour. Rather than making concessions, why not create an environment where people want to take pride in the quality of their work and have input into the conditions that allow them to perform well?
Employee concessions or strategic decision?
To address the topic of heat illness ask yourself and your employees, what could we correct that would make it easier to work in the heat? You might think, “that soundslike you’re making a concession,” and you would be correct if we stopped here. If we add the analysis of impact on the organization, instead of‘wasted time’ adding scheduled breaks to keep employees comfortable, we’re instead adding ‘concessions’ to reduce employee fatigue,attrition and negative impacts on production. Nowyou are making a strategic decisionthatmanagers can support because they see the direct impact.
Here are fewthings you can do now to build a culture that honors employee value andpromotes commitment to quality and production.
Create a list of project requirements when temperatures exceed 90o F. Select cost effective and high impactmethods including shade tents, hardhat insert/ brims, wearing loose, light colored clothing andprovidingcoolers stocked with ice, water, and electrolyte drinks.
Avoid overexertion during peak temperature hours. Work to implementmore breaks and/orrotate workerswhen temperatures are high. If production is decreased due to heat,and adding more breaks improves the impact,you can have a net positive gainon production and increase employee morale.
Meet with employees to discuss what has been done and why and ask them for additionalsuggestions.
Now is the time to emphasize that employee culture and morale are valued assets,ANDquality and production are expectations of the job. Everyonedesires to show up, be treated respectfully, havecontributions recognized, and go home injury and illness free. Under strong leadership, everyonecanhaveshared goals, creating a successfulcompany and culture where people want to show upAND take pride in their work.