It’s 2021 Budgeting Season… Three Landscape Trends Re-shaping CRE Outdoor Space

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In early 2006, if we were to tell you that your lawn would be mowed by a robot, that the cloud was not a delivery system for rain, and that your sprinklers would be controlled by your iPhone, you would have said, ‘what’s an iPhone?’ 

Because in 2006, the device used by more people in the world than any other, did not exist.

Thirteen years ago, when Apple introduced its smartphone, even the most progressively imaginative among us failed to imagine that a pocket-sized digital tool would have the power to change the nature of our lives and create a boundary-less generation of professionals that could work from anywhere.

Big data, the internet of things, automation, video conferencing, smart technologies and collaborative platforms are, today, all part of landscaper’s tool kit.  

Here are three ways we’re using those tools to partner with commercial real estate professionals to drive continuous improvement.

Making outdoor space the new value-add.

Park-like settings, green spaces, shade tree allées and trails – the functionality of a facilities’ exterior landscaped footprint – are being re-configured to accommodate socialization, benefit health and safety, and create a new way of working and learning outside.

As schools move classrooms outdoors, restaurants expand patios, and health care promotes the therapeutic value of healing gardens, property and facility managers are also looking for opportunities to use outside space as an amenity that can contribute to the wellbeing of their workforce, as well as drive tenant retention.

Our landscape upgrade strategies deliver long term benefits in quality and flexibility, both in use and configuration, with smart technologies to enhance connectivity, and the revitalization of plant material to promote biodiversity and drought tolerance.

Optimizing pedestrian flow as the new outdoor amenity.

Pathways, border areas and buffer zones, plazas, walking corridors, sidewalks, bridge crossing, corners, lighting – landscaping is one of the best ways to control pedestrian flow and safety.  

From proper grading and drainage to hazard management, flow is more than social distancing. Having sufficiently wide, clear pedestrian paths that minimize risk and public space that’s risk free is a security priority. Especially in winter.

Prioritizing green tech as the new way forward.

Being ‘green’ gives property/facility owners and managers a number of ways to save on landscape costs due to tax breaks, incentives or others credits provided by utility companies or federal or state governments. 

And because landscaping is more about the environment than ever, building green tech into landscape’s infrastructure not only qualifies for LEED and green credits, but offer solutions that contribute significant savings to bottoms lines.

From corporate Class A to outdoor classrooms, increasingly sophisticated landscape technologies, biodegradable sanitation and smart sensors are changing the way properties become eco-friendly, energy-efficient and sustainable. These include, innovations in stormwater management, green roofs, water conservation programs, rain gardens and bioswales. 

ELM is not only leading improvements in commercial outdoor space, but building a better platform for service through enhanced communication, accelerated response and delivery, and aerial mapping for site improvements.

To learn more, contact ELM President, Bruce Moore Jr @ 203-316-5433.

Meet our Super Duty® F-350 4x4s

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From utility to performance and durability, we’re all-in on the rugged reliability of our new fuel-efficient Ford 350s.

Landscapers can’t live without a heavy-duty delivery system and for us, this next generation model promises to out-haul and out-perform any truck we’ve had before. 

Our quest for fuel economy, technological advancements, and smarter ways of working never ends and the impressive mileage data on this model will make our fleet upgrade more cost effective overall.

We customized our crew cabs with Covid-compliant acrylic safety dividers, and added high-capacity cargo containers that will generate less drag, deliver greater engine efficiency, and offer our all-season team greater endurance.

We know there’s no end in sight for ways to shrink our environmental footprint. From streamlining trailers, to burning less fuel, to making major improvements in energy savings, our team is stepping up to power smarter growth. 

To learn more about how landscape efficiencies benefit long-term requirements for doing more with less, contact Bruce Moore Jr, @ 203-316-5433.

Let’s Get Re-Building. Tips to make your post-Covid landscape a healthier space to live, work and play.

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Making our environment healthier for everyone is likely to be an upside of post-pandemic recovery.

From oxygen-producing street trees to broader walkways and wider spaces, here are ten ways commercial property owners and managers can rehabilitate commercial sites to be more resilient and safer spaces for all.

  1. Widen pedestrian plazas to enable people to spread out.
  2. Construct and protect bicycle paths.
  3. Renovate public gather places, dining terraces, common areas.
  4. Transform underutilized hardscape into landscaped spaces.
  5. Reclaim underperforming landscape areas into broad corridors.
  6. Introduce wide walking trails and sidewalks with lighting, shade trees, and habitat and vector-control buffer zones.
  7. Eliminate redundant landscape infrastructure systems, such as old irrigation grids, and introduce automation and advanced technology to improve cost, eliminate waste and improve resource management.
  8. Optimize amenities as flexible public spaces.
  9. Integrate natural systems, riverbeds, estuaries, habitats, transit areas, medians, and parks at all scales to create a sense of community.
  10. Activate a multi-functional landscape plan that adheres to healthy living/working guidelines and new interaction and safety norms.

Our high-performing teams have been respected members of the integrated landscape design-build and landscape maintenance community for more than 40 years.

Working with general contractors and builders, and directly with building and facility owners and managers to improve project delivery and cost, our full-service framework offers a multitude of ways to get started.

Contact Bruce Moore Jr. at 203-316-5433 or email at bmoorejr@easternland.com.

ELM is licensed and bonded in the States of Connecticut and New York. 

Environmental Planning & Design Professional Bobby Papotto Joins ELM

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We are pleased to announce that Bobby Papotto, former owner of New Jersey-based landscape firm, Over The Fence Landscaping, joins our Landscape Enhancement Group as project manager. 

In this role, Bobby will partner with commercial real estate organizations to increase and sustain healthy asset value across property segments, and be a resource for improvements that ensure the continued vibrancy of the real estate landscape.

“ELM has a strong team in place, a growing set of enduring relationships and is committed to support our clients’ short and long-term growth objectives,” said Bruce Moore Jr. 

“I’ve always had a tremendous respect for ELM and appreciate what makes them different. I look forward to deepening ELM’s engagement with CRE sector organizations throughout Fairfield and New Haven Counties, and doing what I can to contribute to positive change and a more sustainable future,” said Bobby. 

Bobby earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Planning and Design from Rutgers University. He’s a die-hard lover of all things outdoors, pet- and eco-friendly, and when he’s not solving client problems, you’ll find him in the Connecticut countryside on long hikes with his dog.

For Landscaping to Add Real Value, Focus on Aesthetics, Functionality and Green.

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It’s not just beautiful flowers, perfect turf and no weeds. If you want your landscape to significantly increase the value of your commercial property, focus on functionality and experience. In other words, the way the landscape systems and features work and the way your landscape makes people feel.

To calculate landscape’s value, consider the direct economic role it plays in enhancing image; the way it attracts tenants and investment, and can become an integral part of the property’s brand. More importantly, consider that as property owners and managers and industry players value green building, landscape has growing clout as a link between sustainability and marketability, and contributing to making our communities overall healthier places to live, work and play.

The landscape projects that tend to lead to stronger returns are those that strategically improve focal points, tenant amenities and update the landscape’s infrastructure to meet higher standards for operational and energy efficiency, climate resiliency, resource conservation and safety.

Our top six ROI impact list includes:

  • Create wow factors.  Add seasonal color, flowering perennials, foliage texture for curb appeal, and native and adaptive plants to save water and maintenance.
  • Dress it up. Prepare beds with fresh mulch, prune trees and shrubs, cull diseased and infested plants, power wash outdoor surfaces, eliminate weeds and unwanted plants.
  • Invest in technology. Upgrade irrigation infrastructure to offset water as the fastest growing utility expense. Invest in smart water technology to support and encourage conservation, and improved groundwater and stormwater filtration and management systems to support water quality.
  • Renovate hardscape, pathways, paved surfaces, terraces, decks, and outdoor built elements to repair winter wear and tear, improve safety and manage risk.
  • Add tenant amenities such as green roofs, LED lighting, outdoor television, dining areas, bocce ball, putting greens or jogging and bike paths.
  • Replace underperforming turf with drought tolerant native plants and meadow-style perennials to improve aesthetics; invest in tree cover, rain gardens and bioswales, and permeable surfaces to improve environmental health and water and air quality.

Commercial properties with well-engineered green systems reap energy savings, financial incentives (tax credits, rebates and stormwater/irrigation credits where applicable), reduced life-cycle and maintenance costs, reduced flood damage, and reduced water bills, while also creating reate measurable value for property owners and tenants both.

Eastern Land Management is a leader in sustainable landscape solutions, less toxic approaches to plant pest and disease management, and green infrastructure. 

ELM has been connecting the landscape of Greater New York Metro, and Fairfield and New Haven counties, Connecticut to what’s important to businesses for more than 40 years.

Contact Marc Angarano 203.316.5433 to learn more.

Thomas Tracy Joins ELM as Area Manager

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It’s an exciting time at ELM as we continue to grow our platform of service excellence for commercial real estate professionals throughout greater New York Metro and Fairfield County, Connecticut. 

Assisting in this effort is our new Area Manager, Thomas C. (Tommy) Tracy, a twelve-year veteran of the commercial landscape industry. 

“Finding the right team players is key,” said ELM President, Bruce Moore Jr., “We’re always looking for high-energy people who can create and deliver memorable value. We know there’s a lot riding on customer experience and Tommy checks off all the boxes: he’s passionate about making meaningful contributions to our clients’ success, is aligned on core values, and brings complementary strengths that will support our people-first culture.” 

As ELM increases its range of services and capacity, customer advocacy remains its competitive advantage. With its goal to stay strong as it grows, remaining customer-centric will continue to underscore what makes ELM a great company to work with and a great company to work at.

A native of Naples, Florida and raised in Bedminster, New Jersey, Tommy attended Seton Hall Prep, Bernard’s High School, and New England College prior to graduating from Rutgers University’s premier Golf Course Turf Management program.  

To learn more about ELM’s 2020 exceptional service experience and why the firm is an Employer of Choice, contact President, Bruce Moore Jr., 203-316-5433.

Being good is not good enough. Here’s what we’re doing to be great.

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We know that our clients, have a choice. So we don’t take the trust you place in us lightly. In fact, we consider our relationship with you the most important thing we care for, after we care for the health of your landscape and your bottom line. 

As we transition to a new year, however, we are focusing not just on how our new technical and operational innovations will solve your problems, but on making sure that ELM will be the one trusted and reputable partner you consistently turn to.

Here’s how we’re planning to make that happen:

  1. Serving people first – Creating a great place to work and a great company to do business with means putting people first. We know that not every organization has the luxury of forty-plus years of solid growth, so we consider our longevity to one of our most valuable assets. We believe that if we continue to take good care of, our employees, they’ll pay our legacy forward by taking good care of you.
  2. Being real – As much as we’re investing in artificial intelligence to make our work more effective, we promise not to forget that at the end of the day, authenticity, passion and emotional intelligence will always be a driver of trust.
  3. Doing more of what we’re good at – The point of having strengths is to use them. Being a positive organization, investing in our employees so they love their jobs, and empowering our ELM family to lead by example will continue to differentiate our teams’ commitment to you.
  4. Delivering exceptional service – There is nothing worse than feeling like your issues don’t matter. From our regular crews to our seasonal and emergency response teams, what matters to you, matters to us. We’ll go the extra mile, jump through hoops, and act with a sense of urgency. In other words, proactive, prompt and professional. 
  5. Powering up – Whether you know us well or we’ve just met, you know that new technologies are a game-changer, with innovations opening up real opportunities at the strategic level. We believe that having a future-oriented mindset will help us better align our services with your goals, and allow us to create ROI breakthroughs in results and response.
  6. Giving back – We believe that being a company of greater purpose puts us on the right track. From being better stewards of the landscaped environment to being better stewards of the communities we serve, putting our mission-driven philosophy into practice will always be the best way for us to reflect our core values, including quality, integrity, and upholding your trust.
  7. Raising our voice – In our industry, in our communities, in our professional associations, and on the boards and committees we sit on, ELM will continue to make its collective voice heard as advocates for continuous improvement and leadership – in social responsibility, technology, water conservation, operational safety, sustainable best practices, and winter risk management – to ensure that through our work as professional landscape and snow/ice managers, we make our clients’ world and the communities we serve happier and safer places to live, work and play.

To learn more about ELM’s 2020 service platform and ways ELM is striving to work smarter together, contact President, Bruce Moore Jr., 203-316-5433.

What Makes ELM a Truly Great Place to Work?

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We found that in the forty plus years of doing business, we wouldn’t be a leader in the green industry without having an great team of employees who do amazing things.

We believe that a culture of enthusiasm is contagious. When people are happy at work, it can spread through the entire company and into our relationships with our communities and our clients. 

ELM is always looking for great people, talented people, and folks who take real joy in their jobs. We celebrate employees at every level who create solutions to help our business succeed and a have a willingness to lead by example.

If you are keen on being part of a strong team-building experience, and enjoy making our communities and our clients’ businesses healthier, happier places to live, work and play, give us a call.  We’re always looking for people like you.

Our employees tell us that working at ELM is a win-win.  Listen to what they have to say… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqhrLQ9kH6M

Bruce Moore Jr. is “Living for Landscaping”

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Capping a first year of leadership success as ELM’s president, Bruce Moore Jr is “Living for Landscaping” in the August issue of Irrigation & Green Industry magazine. Learn how ELM’s strategy for offering exceptional service is winning customers and how everyone at ELM is empowered to drive growth.

https://igin.com/article-7564-Bruce-Moore-Jr-Living-for-landscaping.html?fbclid=IwAR23w5w3edDqzSmV8QC667MBf9K-5PXwQUZ4Xnch5ft2fUMpajme7Z_VkZk

ELM Launches Core Values as Workplace Culture and Performance Initiative

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Workplace culture surrounds us every day. Culture is what we do together as a team, what we value and believe, and how we behave and interact with each other and with every one we meet.   

Among the many essentials of a high performing workplace, we believe that positivity benefits everyone. For us, a positive place to work is the best place to work.  It reduces stress, raises morale, increases productivity and gives everyone a giant sense that what we do, and who we do it for, matters.

We believe that it’s not enough to simply hang a sign on the wall.  As part of our business strategy, and because we are, at our core, relationship people in a relationship business, we believe that it’s crucial for everyone on our team to take pride in making our values actionable.  

That’s why we came together as a team to identify them. And why we are now promoting them to foster inclusivity, and to improve collaboration and accountability at every juncture and in every function.

Basically, our core values are the principles that guide what’s most important to us: to act and work with integrity, to deliver quality and excellence, to be honest and reliable, and accountable to the expectations of those we serve. These notes will set the tone for ELM moving forward and identify what we, as a team, care about the most.

There is a lot of research on the importance of happiness at work. And while we recognize that happiness is, at best, open to interpretation, we also recognize that having a friendly, trusting, respectful and motivating company culture are essential requisites for professional happiness.

If our new core values can create and ultimately measure that happiness, then creating a high performing and positive workplace will be more than the sum of the investment we’ve made in making ELM a Great Place to Work.

To learn more about ELM’s ongoing commitment to pay its values forward, contact company president Bruce Moore Jr. at 203-316-5433.