landscape MAterials vocabulary terms

Green infrastructure

A design feature on a porperty that uses landscaped systems or manmade engineered systems to mimic natural systems

Low impact development

Stormwater managment and land development methods to try to match the way the stormwater traveled over and through the site before development

Bioswales

Designed planted drainage path to move water that may include check dams and drywells

Rain Garden

like vegetated bioswale but in a natural or man-made depression where rainwater runoff can collect and soak into the soil

Cistern

Tank for storing water, especially runoff from roofs in landscape projects

GReen roof

Vegetation that is planted on top a waterproof roof. Three main types: extensive (limited amount of soil), intensive (up to a few feet of soil =), and semi-intensive (varies from shallow to deep soil depth)

solar green roof

combines photovoltaic pannels and vegetation

Blue green roof

combines water retention with vegetation

green wall/ living wall

vegetation panted vertically against a wall. used indoors and outdoors

poc

point of connection. the begining of the irrigation system. The connection to the domestic water supply

sub-meter

a secondary water meter, usually installed after the point of connection, to help monitor irrigation system water use seperate from the water used in the building

backflow preventer

connected after the water meter, insures no contamination of the domestic water supply from syphoning of irrigation water into the city water supply

main line

an irrigation main line is the pipe that comes from the point of connection after the water meter to supply water to the valves

isolation valve (ball, gate)

an in-line mechanical fixture to regulate, typically manually, water flowing through a live (under constant water pressure) pipe run. Strategically located so water can be turned off when repairing or maintaining equipment

Master valve

an electronic in-line mechanical fixture the automatically closes when a tolerated leack level is detected by a flow sensor

remote control valve

controls an irrigation zone. An irrigation valve has a solenoid that is wired to irrigation controller and activates the opening or closing of the valve. electric valves are commonly sized for the amount of GPM the zone will need. Typical sizes for most landscape irrigation would range between 1”, 1 1/2 “ valve, or a 2”valve

lateral line

the pipe that runs from electric valve to the irrigation heads. Lateral line is only pressurized with water when the valve has been activated, opening the flow of water into the lateral line and to the heads

Sleeve

a pipe, normally schedule 40 or schedule 80 pvc, that runs under paving to allow installation of irrigation pipe and wires

PVC pipe

used for irrigation mainline and lateral lines. Generally from 3/4” size to 3” size in most landscape irrigation designs. PVC stands for Poly Vinal Chloride. THickness of PVC pipe is refered to as a “class” or “schedule”. irrigation mainlines are typically schedule 40 PVC, lateral lines are typically class 200

spray head radius

distance that an irrigation spray head will throw water out

Head-to-head coverage

An irrigation design that sets the distance and patterns of spray heads such that they spray far enough to reach the next head and provide full coverage.

Rain sensor

A device that measures rainfall and shuts off the controller during rains to help save water. Rain sensor can be wired directly to the controller or can be a wireless connection.

PSI

Pounds per square inch. This is a measurement of WATER PRESSURE. irrigation heads need a certain minimum water pressure to oporate correctly. irritgation pipe and valves can reduce water pressure, sometimes leading to not enough pressure for the system to work as needed. Too much pressure can cause misting and require a pressure regulator. Too little PSI can result in the need for a pump to raise the pressure.

GPM

GALLONS PER MINUTE. Typically, GPM designation of each spray head is important for calculating the total water needed per minute on an irrigation zone. Pipe sizing reflects total GPM through the system

Diagrammatic

A landscape irrigation design and plan are considered to be diagrammatic only, with the irrigation contractor needing to adjust the design as needed to enable full coverage and reduce over spray

Static water pressure

Pressure of water in pipe that is not moving. High pressure can cause misting of irrigation, low pressure can cause dribbling or non-functioning irrigation

Fall height

Vertical distance from the highest designed play surface on a piece of equipment and the protective surface beneath it

Fall zone/Use Zone

The area under and around a piece of equipment onto which a child falling would be expected to land or exit from the equipment. it is a defined clear area of cushioned play surfacing required for saftey. The thickness and density of the cushioned surface is determined by the height of an assumed potential fall

Protective saftey surfacing material

shock absorbing (impact reduction), cushioned surface material in the fall/use zone to help absorb falls such as rubber tiles, poured in place rubber surfacing, rubber mulch, wood mulch, and synthetic turf. Materials fall uner general categories of unitary or loose-fill

critical fall height

rating of a protective surface that approximates the fall height below which life-threatening head injury would NOT expected to occur.

Hot dipped galvanized

Finish process where steel is dipepd into a kettle or vat of molten zinc. Steel reacts with the zinc to form an alloy coating which provides better corrosion resistance

Powder coat

Finish that protects the metal while also adding color. Pieces are sprayed with an electrically charged powder that adheres to the metal. the piece is baked and powder liquifies to cover the metal. Provides corrosion resistance due to this outer paint layer

Bollards

Poles, gnerally around 3 ft height, control traffic around pedestrians

Surface mount

holes drilled into mounting surface, wedge anchors pounded into the holes, furniture put over the anchors and secured in place with nuts

ROM (rough order of magnitude)

ROM cost estimates are otfen the first type of estimate done early on during the design of a project using rough “ballpark” numbers. This estimate gives the design team and client an idea if the project is in the budget or if the design needs to change to get into budget

unit cost

cost per measured unit of an item

lump sum

the complete materials and installed cost of an item or service

Contractor submittals

Material submittals for approval by Landscape Architect

RFI

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION a documented formal request typically from a contractor or owner to the designer… for clarification of a subject or items

written specfications

standar numbered selections. Part of Bid documents, usually includes planting and irrigation for landscaping. specifications supersede drawings

punch list

a list of items or work that does not conform to contract specs. the contractor then corrects the problems so the project can be completed

LEED

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Widley used green building rating system

SITES

while LEED focuses on buildings, SITES is focused on the area around buildings

CHPS

“chips” stands for Collaborative for High Proformance Schools.

Water features

surge tank – tank at base of water features to allow for extra water storage to prevent overflow. weirs / spill way – lip where water overflows, calculate water flow 100 gph = ½” ht. 1” width, Foot of Head - 1ft of head = 0.433 psi, GFI (ground fault interrupter), Pool fencing ht. at 4ft, – self closing gate. Pump - typical sized for 1 ½ time head. Pressure - problems cause misting or dribbling

Transformer

The power supply for the lighting system. A transformer alters electrical voltage from “line” voltage, typically at 110v from the building electrical supply, to “low” voltage, typically 12v. Transformers are sized based on electrical needs of the system, and typically come in 100 watt, 200 watt, 300 watt, or 600 watt

Photo cell

A device attached to the transformer that will automatically turn on and off the lighting with darkness and sunlight

Well light

A light fixture that is sunk into the ground with the top flush to grade, usually in lawn areas to up light tree canopies

Low voltage lighting

A system of lighting that has electrical voltage reduced to 12 volts by a transformer

Direct burial wire

wire that is typically 12 volts capacity, is buried in soil directly instead of passing trough a conduit

(K) kelvin

Kelvin is used in lighting to measure the “temperature” of a lighting source. higher the number the whiter/cooler the color, typical is 3000k

Watts

Is a unit of power that describes energy tranfer required for a lighting fixture.

Ambient

Preexisting general lighting of the surroundings

Bollard

Poles with embedded lights

LED

Light emitting diode. Use less energy and last much longer than incandescent bulbs

Lumen

an international unit of measurment to describe the brightest of lighting. The higher the lumen, the brighter the bulb

niche lighting

a light fixture embedded into the face of a wall or step

wire guage

size of wire. Typical for low voltage lighting, 8 gauge to 14 gauge wire. Smaller number is larger size.

Voltage drop

power lost across an electrical circuit

fully shielded

light fixture design does not allow for light directed above the horizontal