The Landscape of Well-Being: an FAQ for healthcare facility managers

Posted by Eastern Land Management on

Hospital landscapes are one of the best ways we know to bring nature into the healing process.

At Eastern Land Management, we are at the forefront of a movement that is promoting healing, reducing stress, and elevating the quality of life.

From our experience as a preferred healthcare partner, green spaces, and the plants and trees that create them, are not just a way to beautify your outdoor space, but a profound practice that offers a multitude of benefits, a deep sense of satisfaction, and a strong sense of rootedness in the world.

With that in mind, we’re pushing the boundaries of what healing landscapes can achieve; embracing new technologies, sustainability practices, and innovations that improve the performance of hospital grounds, and offer both patients and staff the chance to feel happier, healthier and better by stepping outside.

In nearly 50 years of serving facility managers in the healthcare segment, we’ve been asked a lot of questions and find that the more things change, the more the basics matter.  We consolidated our most frequently asked questions around five common themes to help you take the guesswork out of finding the landscape partner that’s right for you.

Q: Facility managers want to make sure landscape teams can keep up with corporate demands. What technologies are being used to shorten the distance between problem and solution, close loops, and save energy and cost?

A: ELM has been in the digital collaboration space for decades and takes a data governance approach to security. We have adopted specialized information integration tools that make us more efficient in our interactions, limit disruptions to healthcare staff. The strategy here is to eliminate all unnecessary “red tape” in order to be more productive, use smart tools and smart people to solve problems faster, and be intentional about meeting our clients in a common zone of opportunity,

Q: Facility managers believe it takes experience to scale efficiently and effectively. Does your landscape team have the correct leadership and skill set, agility, size, scope and talent?

A: ELM’s talent roster includes multiple experts who understand the needs and business models of commercial real estate (CRE) and facilities management, and who have segment experience in healthcare. As a company, we are corporate partners with multiple CRE associations, and have a commitment to grow and scale systematically, all while keeping our eye on the stars and our feet on the ground.

Q: Facility Managers want consistency, quality and service excellence. Can your landscape partner deliver a unified experience?  

A: ELM prioritizes market research, customer feedback, benchmarking and data-based insights. But mostly, it all starts with being a good partner, believing that good relationships matter, and understanding our customers’ needs. Our team is empowered to make decisions in the moment and in the field and go over and above to have a positive impact on the people and properties we serve. To us, problems are unnecessary boomerangs. They’ll come back to us if we don’t nip them in the bud.

Q: ARE YOU nimble enough to Be one step ahead?

A: ELM has rewired its operating model to optimize nimble. We have built agile, cross-functional teams around value creation, have instilled a culture of accountability, and invested in our team’s talent, skills, and professional development with advanced certification and training programs, and CEUs. We’re only as good as our bench—our corporate performance depends on the depth and quality of a new generation with talent ready to step in and do whatever it takes to provide fresh ideas and perspective.

Q: what ARE your landscape teams DOING to COMPLY WITH GREEN BUILDING RATING SYSTEMS AND contribute to healthier landscape environments?

A: ELM is a Sustainability ChangeMaker and winner of an award in Fairfield County for drought and conservation management.  We are a Community Impact Partner, support our local downtowns, our green cities initiatives, and urban renewal projects.  We are advocates for:

  • Our clients, our communities, our employees, and the people we serve.
  • Our partners’ green goals, our net zero/EV/battery-powered noise-reduction (“When Quiet Matters”) program; our tailored agronomic, integrated pest management, and plant health care plans.
  • Training, professional development, certification, and building a culture of learning continuous improvement.
  • Pollinator and beneficial-insects, turf-to meadow conversions, hanging baskets, and dramatic container displays.
  • Using our talents as landscapers to make our world a more beautiful, greener and healthier place to live, work and play.

Eastern Land Management has been serving leaders in Connecticut and Westchester County’s healthcare industry since 1976.

Contact CEO Bruce Moore Jr. at203- 316-5433 to learn more.

ELM earns high marks in trust, loyalty and retention

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In the book, The Amazement Revolution, there’s a concept related to employee experience called F.U.N., an acronym for Fulfillment, Uniqueness and Next, that draws a statistical link between a fun-at-work engaged team and their ability to deliver a better customer experience.  In other words, companies that score high marks in employee happiness, score equally high marks in customer satisfaction.

In 2024 alone, we had over a 95 percent employee retention rate. Our customer retention numbers were just as strong at 96 percent.

For a relationship-focused company like ELM, long lasting relationships make sense. And not just for business; many of our long-term clients and employees have also become friends.

“If we want to lead in loyalty and trust, nothing is more important than having a deep bench of smart, knowledgeable and passionate people who can take our business to the next level,” said ELM CEO Bruce Moore Jr. “Whether we’re hiring from schools and colleges, or recruiting from our local communities, we look for character — not just what people can achieve or their degree or last job title, but what they’ve learned from life and how their experience can help them serve others”

Having a trained, competent team is a plus. Our technical staff is certified in their specialties; our snow pros have received advanced certification and training in winter technologies and safety and risk management; our horticulturists are educated in the art and science of plant health; and crews across our service lines – water management technology, irrigation, tree and turf care, and landscape maintenance – are aligning their skills and competencies to our client’s needs.

As our business has grown, there has never been a time when we’ve felt that there is so much more we can do. With our 50th year in business only months away, our promise will always be one where relationships come first. where emotional bonds matter, and where genuine, authentic people-driven moments create lasting value.

To learn more about ELM’s culture of excellence, our commitment to best-in-class personal service, and our commitment to have a positive impact on the lives of the people we serve, contact CEO, Bruce Moore Jr., at 203-316-5433.

Davis Foster Joins Eastern Land Management as Division Manager

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Eastern Land Management announced that Davis Foster has joined its team as Division Manager overseeing Turf & Ornamentals and Water Management.  Foster joins ELM with a degree in turfgrass management from Penn State University and a career in the golf industry. He will be based out of ELM’s branch office in Monroe, Connecticut.

He says spending summers on golf courses as a kid is what drove his passion for meticulously groomed turf, as well as his  love for the game. “My dad was the General Manager of a local golf club, so I was fortunate to experience the business from the inside. But whether you grow up playing the game or get the bug for it later in life, you learn to focus on the green—where you want to go instead of thinking about where you’re stuck.”

“We’re always looking to improve our customer’s experience and Davis’ expertise in agronomy and turf health offers our customers special knowledge no one else can provide,” said ELM CEO, Bruce Moore, Jr.

Foster adds that if there was any one thing he’d like ELM’s customers to think about differently, it would be to increase biodiversity in their landscapes. “University researchers are developing new varieties of plants that can withstand extreme weather. When we use a greater diversity of plants suited to the site, it creates a dynamic plant community and strengthens the entire system—from improving soil health to serving as a natural deterrent to pests. Plus, there’s ample evidence that biodiverse landscapes attract pollinators and wildlife, and makes the plants look better and bloom longer, too.”

Please join us in welcoming Davis Foster to our team.

Are you set for spring? Your ultimate guide to all things outdoors.

Posted by Eastern Land Management on

Our late winter put spring on the back burner. But while most people were digging out from an atmospheric river of snow and ice, the promise of better weather signaled an on-time arrival for the season we all love best.

For landscapers and property professionals both, winter is traditionally the best time to review the scope and specs of your landscape maintenance plan, think about your wish list, and assess the quality of your landscape services..

If you don’t have a landscape partner procurement plan in place or are seeking better outcomes, here’s what we recommend you look for.

  • A landscape company that can bring innovative and sustainable solutions to increase the value of your business and the value of your landscaping.
  • who can knock it out of the park day-in and day-out with high-quality service and a genuine commitment to meet your needs.
  • that understands the ‘why’ behind your mission and is three steps ahead, thinking strategically to avoid problems before they happen.
  • who build relationships on transparency and mutual understanding.
  • who exceeds minimum prequalifications standards, has a closed loop delivery model, is compliant in risk management.
  • who can align scope of work with expectations and budget, having outstanding communications skills, and can develop a program that meets the needs of your landscape and can help you meet your short and long-term objectives.
  • and who is eager to invite  you into their operation, introduce you to their team, and offer you a tour of their facilities–a token of trust and transparency that shows you exactly what you can expect.

DID YOU KNOW?

We believe that business is built on friendships.Our client retention rate is consistently over 90%. That’s a lot of loyalty over the 49 years we’ve been in business, and a lot of friends.  We couldn’t be more honored by your trust.

THE ELM ADVANTAGE.

  1. Optimized total cost of service.
  2. Integration of services and delivery.
  3. Ability to meet your environmental impact objectives.
  4. Service quality management.
  5. CRE-trusted partner of choice.
  6. Certified in landscape and snow and ice management.
  7. Member of BOMA Westchester County, BOMA SoCt, Bridgeport Regional Business Council, National Association of Landscape Professionals, Snow & Ice Management Association.

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE?

Learn more about ELM’s Award of Excellence winning landscape services; its sustainability and green-build goals, and its ability to deliver unrivaled value to college and university campuses, multi-acre corporate sites, multi-family, and mixed-use..

Operating in Connecticut and Westchester County, New York since 1976.  Contact CEO Bruce Moore Jr. at ‭(203) 316-5433 for commercial landscape services unmatched in meeting client needs.‬

Photo: New Canaan Library. Winner of a Silver Award of Excellence 2024 from the National Association of Landscape Professionals.

Making Their First Move: ELM has been in business for 49 years. Here’s why Bruce Moore Jr. decided now was the right time.

Posted by Eastern Land Management on

BY JIMMY MILLER, DIGITAL EDITOR, LAWN & LANDSCAPE

PUBLISHED JANUARY 02, 2025

Listen to article

 

After operating for nearly 50 years, Eastern Land Management landed its first acquisition this winter.

Despite receiving offers in the past, ELM’s President and CEO Bruce Moore Jr. made his first move because Marty Devaney’s Contour Landscaping “checked a lot of boxes.”

“I got along with (Devaney); we shared a lot of the same values,” Moore Jr. says. “We treated this just like new employees – we hire slow and make sure that it’s a culture fit.”

Of course, Moore knew a little about Contour before the acquisition – they’ve each operated in Stamford, Connecticut, for three decades. But they were never really competitors: Moore’s company, Eastern Land Management, had been fully commercial maintenance and Contour handles lots of homeowner associations and condo complexes. And while they knew a little about each other, they also hadn’t really had many conversations in the past.

So, when Devaney approached Moore Jr. about an exit plan two years ago, the pair had to do more than just talk shop. They grabbed coffee many mornings and lunch many afternoons. They spent time at Devaney’s office and time out in the field, looking at the quality of Contour’s work. But one thing really struck Moore Jr. as particularly insightful along the way.

“He’s got extremely high employee retention,” Moore Jr. says. “That tells me the culture is good.”

The fit was good, too. As Moore Jr. has hoped to grow ELM organically, he also saw Contour Landscaping as an attractive partner. While other companies often had too many residential clients to be a good purchase for ELM, Contour’s HOA clientele mix offered some diversification from ELM’s commercial accounts. While commercial real estate has also taken a dramatic hit since COVID-19, Moore Jr.’s also noticed that multifamily housing is growing in just about every market.

“Commercial office real estate vacancy rates are extremely high right now,” he says. “We thought this was a good opportunity for us to learn from (Contour).”

Moore Jr. also cited Contour’s density and the quality of their work as reasons he decided now was the time to make his first purchase. Contour also provides some tree services, further expanding ELM’s portfolio.

Devaney stays on as a branch manager of 30 new employees at Contour Landscaping, an ELM Company. Moore Jr. says the name will stick for the foreseeable future. Devaney’s employees now have access to ELM’s benefits like holiday and paid time off. And after a day of essentially onboarding for the new employees, Moore Jr. says the team feels like it’s integrating nicely already. Contour’s employees received new uniforms and detailed explanations about ELM’s processes and perks.

Moore Jr. believes it’s a win-win situation: Contour can use ELM’s back office support and recruiting help, while ELM has added expertise in revenue avenues they had not previously explored.

“(M&A can be good) for smaller companies to continue their legacy and limit their amount of risk they have now as a business owner,” Moore Jr. says. “We’re taking care of payroll, back office, admin, etc. For a guy like Marty, he’s able to continue doing what he loves, and that’s going to help us integrate as well.”

Read it here at: https://www.lawnandlandscape.com/news/eastern-land-management-bruce-moore-jr-first-acquisition-contour-landscaping/

 

Eastern Land Management Expands Presence in Fairfield County with Acquisition of Contour Landscaping

Posted by Eastern Land Management on

Eastern Land Management has acquired Contour Landscaping, a Stamford, CT firm founded in 1992 by Marty Devaney.

Contour will be rebranded as Contour Landscaping an ELM Company, with Devaney in the role of branch manager.

The acquisition of Contour expands ELM’s footprint in Fairfield County and helps diversify the Company’s customer base. “Contour is our first acquisition. Their considerable landscape maintenance expertise of community associations and, with combined resources of both of our companies, is a significant next step in our long-term vision to be the leading provider of commercial landscape services in Fairfield County,” said ELM President, Bruce Moore Jr.

“Long before we joined the ELM team, we respected all they did in our community and for our profession,” said Devaney. “They’re an exceptional company and leaders in our market. We’re excited about this new chapter and working together to pave a new way forward.”

ABOUT ELM

Founded in 1976 by Bruce Moore, Sr., ELM provides end-to-end landscape services to large-scale commercial and institutional real estate properties across Fairfield and New Haven Counties, Connecticut, and Westchester County, New York. Bruce Moore Jr. was named President and owner in 2018.

ELM is an active member of Westchester County BOMA, Southern Connecticut BOMA, the Bridgeport Regional Business Council, the Snow & Ice Management Association, and the National Association of Landscape Professionals.

In 2019, ELM was recognized as a Fairfield County Sustainablity ChangeMaker for its commitment to water conservation. The firm has received multiple Awards of Excellence from the National Association of Landscape Professionals.  www.easternland.com

 CONTACT

Bruce Moore, Jr., bmoorejr@easternland.com

203-316-5433

PHOTO

Bruce Moore Jr (at right) and Marty Devaney (at left)

For Immediate Release: December 2, 2024

Nature is Just What the Doctor Ordered

Posted by Eastern Land Management on

For more than thirty years, our healthcare facility specialists have been helping hospitals improve patient quality of life with plants and therapeutic landscapes that reduce patient stress, increase well-being, and strengthen the healing environment.

Beyond the human health benefits linked with landscapes, there are financial benefits as well. Trees and landscaping can increase property value,  improve return on investment, and when coupled with a program for sustainability, be part of the strategy for certifications in WELL, LEED and green building.

From meadows to garden views and beautiful outdoor areas, there are ten ways to be more purposeful about hospital landscapes.

  • Focus on low maintenance ornamental grasses and flowering perennials that attract birds, butterflies and wildlife; contribute to biodiversity, engage the senses, and are less susceptible to pests and disease.
  • Create plant-filled, multi-level, interactive courtyards and gathering spaces with accessible walkways to ensure safety for all levels of mobility.
  • Add water features, waterfalls, ponds and contemplative fountains for relaxation.
  • Transform underperforming outdoor areas into low-maintenance meadows, adding trees and natural elements that enhance the patient experience.
  • Integrate patient-centered landscape features to accommodate limited mobility —  handrails, grade-sensitive walkways, accessible ramps, and seating.
  • Bring the outside in. Create atriums, green walls and enclosed all-weather landscape pavilions that provide high-value impact, improved access to natural light, and make nature available year-round.
  • Choose seasonal plant and tree for their vibrant foliage color and texture; plants that are non-toxic and non-thorny; and emphasize high contrast plantings to help patients with low vision; plant shade trees and lush perennial shrub and herb borders to create a sense of serenity.
  • Mitigate environmental risk with organic plant health care applications, integrated pest management and sustainable plant and soil health care practices.
  • Have a winter safety and risk management plan in place for 24/7 emergency snow and ice removal services.
  • Keep grounds clean around the clock. Parking lots need to be meticulously maintained, shrubs, beds and borders should be trimmed with no overgrown plants or weeds, there should be no litter and nothing that gets in the way of making people feel better just by looking at how beautiful it is.

ELM serves the health care network across Connecticut and Westchester County, New York, including specialized and acute and primary care facilities, ambulatory centers, and major teaching hospitals.

To learn more, contact Bruce Moore Jr., president, at 203-316-5433.

Take a look at how ELM is giving a next generation of healthcare, benefit from nature.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IMuxQGIAOM

Photo: Stamford Hospital, Stamford Connecticut

Greener Pastures for Mixed-Use

Posted by Eastern Land Management on

The way we use flowers, plants and trees to transform spaces into places people love serve multiple purposes.  For mixed-use projects, plants open up a world of economic possibilities.  From public plazas to rooftop gardens, the ROI is better than ever as smart landscapes continue to increase property value year-after-year.

On trend 

A new way of looking at beauty is in. For landscaping, that means more nature, more natural solutions, more perennials, and more trees to help cool the air.  Conventional lawns are being replaced by eco-friendly meadows, and we’re swapping-out high-maintenance plants for plants that can go with the flow when weather shifts

We recommend 

  • Smart technologies that monitor resources and water 24/7
  • Predictive AI, analytic tools and market intelligence to identify cost effective solutions
  • Digital platforms that facilitate improved communication and reporting
  • Integrated pest management to reduce chemical applications
  • Plant and soil health programs to boost the landscape’s ability to thrive
  • Noise-reducing EV and battery powered equipment
  • Stylish planters and screening shrubs that create a sense of seclusion
  • Controller-based drip systems in containers and plants lightly fertilized with non-toxic products for minimal impact
  • Colorful annual rotation 4/x year to soften surrounding hardscape
  • Zone hardy, climate-adaptive plant material that can go with the flow when weather shifts
  • Climate-positive landscaping strategies, more plants to decrease pollution, and healthier soils to sequester carbon

Learn More

Discover the importance of ROI for sustainable decision-making. Contact Marc Angarano and Ted Marron at sales@easternland.com to learn more.

 

 

Accomplished Leader Andrew Britell Named ELM Senior Area Manager

Posted by Eastern Land Management on

Leaders are often asked about the best place to begin when you want to start your own business. In Andy Britell’s case, it began with a happy ending.

For every 13-year-old kid who can’t find his best four-legged friend, tracking down his lost pooch was only the beginning. What happened next changed the course of Andy Britell’s professional life.

It happens that the dog had wandered into a neighbor’s yard. The grass needed cutting. The neighbor needed help, and a lawn mowing business was born.

Andy scaled up his neighborhood lawn mowing business throughout middle and upper school, and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration & Management from the University of Rhode Island.

Andy says his entrepreneurial passions will always put him outdoors. Water and nature in summer, mountains and skiing in winter, and working with clients to improve the value they get from ELM all year long. “The smile on their faces when our clients see everything come together in their landscapes says it all.”

Andy was born in Danbury. Raised in Westport, attended Fairfield Prep, and has lived in Norwalk, CT, for the past twenty years. Over the course of his career, he’s run a waste management firm, served as Executive Director of the Norwalk Tree Alliance, and was Chief Operating officer of BPS Landscape Design Build before joining ELM Monroe as Area Manager in 2022.

His promotion to Senior Area Manager is well-deserved.  Please join us in congratulating Andy on his entrepreneurial leadership, his love of landscaping, and his ability to empower people and teams.

Meet Chak Hamra, ELM’s Irrigation & Construction Lead

Posted by Eastern Land Management on

“There is no better person to take ELM’s exceptional reputation in water management to the next level,” said ELM President, Bruce Moore Jr. about Chak Hamra, who joined the ELM team in August 2022 with a stellar background in Ag Engineering and Natural Resources Management. “Chak’s broad expertise and technical proficiency is not only a tremendous value-add for our commercial real estate clients, but boosts our thought leadership and brand positioning as we approach our 50th year in business.”

Chak says his love for nature goes way back to when he was a kid and is what eventually brought him into the green industry. “I want to find ways to reintroduce more green space to counteract the density of urban sprawl. Making nature accessible to more people not only improves our collective quality of life but is a prescription for healthier communities.”

Irrigation and hydrology form the core of Chak’s passion and his commitment to protect natural resources. It’s a responsibility he takes seriously. “Our consumption of water has increased by approximately 70% from what it used to be in the 60s. I have experienced the green industry in many countries, in different parts of the world, and in different weather conditions. Each situation had unique climate challenges, regional plant species and varieties, and maintenance requirements. Best practices and knowledge have a big impact, but across all regions, I’ve found common ground on a commitment to create greener surroundings and deliver perfect service. That reflects who I am,” said Chak.

Chak earned a Master of Science Degree in Agriculture and Natural Resources Systems Management from the University of Tennessee at Martin, and a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture at the American University of Beirut.

Smart Irrigation Month highlights the social, economic and environmental benefits of efficient irrigation products and services.  This July, ELM is also honoring not only the innovations that are doing the work of water management—digitally calibrating water use, balancing hydration needs of plants, and saving water and cost—but the people who make it all possible. Technology alone may improve efficiencies, but it’s people like Chak who deliver results.

ELM received a ChangeMaker Award in Sustainability from Fairfield County, CT in 2019. With Chak and his team leading on irrigation and water management, we’ll continue to advance our commitment to sustainability and resource conservation every single day.

Welcome to the team, Chak Hamra.