Landscape and Architecture Firm Streamlines Operations and Adds Value for Clients Using Cloud-Based Irrigation Control

“We love the remote accessibility of the solution. We can make changes to the irrigation or run schedules while sitting in our office in another town.”

— Kevin Falkerson
Founder & Principal, Symbios

At the core of Symbios, a Sebastopol, California-based “ecotecture” firm, is an understanding that structures and landscaping can be designed to be in harmony with the natural world. From energy-efficient homes to ecologically sound commercial structures and award-winning green roof designs, Symbios takes pride in the fact that their projects are not only pleasing to the eye but also responsible to the environment.

Their offerings don’t just include ideation and creation: once a site has been built and the irrigation installed, clients can also choose to have Symbios maintain the site. Depending on the specific sites that the Symbios team is maintaining and considering the large region that their client base encompasses, it can be disruptive and inefficient to physically visit each site to evaluate and troubleshoot.

Not only do physical visits max out staff time, which is problematic during summer months, but also if the site happens to be a business, there are often patrons on site during business hours. Between the number of sites, distance between sites and limited staff, Kevin Falkerson, founder and principal of Symbios, knew he had to deploy a smarter system.

Among the many options available, Falkerson chose HydroPoint smart irrigation because of its central control capabilities from the cloud, precise water delivery, alert system and flow monitoring. HydroPoint’s remote access allows the Symbios team to control site irrigation from the desktops in their office 90% of the time. The precise water delivery system has enabled them to maintain plant health and conserve water, ensuring fewer plants are lost due to excessive or inadequate watering. The alert system lets the team know, day or night, the exact location of a leak or flow situation, all culminating in a more streamlined workflow for the team.

What’s more, they can now generate reports or water budget numbers in an instant, providing even more value for their clients. Since employing HydroPoint irrigation systems, Symbios’ site visits have declined dramatically, as has the amount of physical work the team must do, enabling them to redirect their energy toward what they do best: creating innovative and harmonious environments.