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MENU OF SERVICES

Residential Programs

Smart Use has conducted over 30,000 residential audits over the last 8 years in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Phoenix. Over the years we have refined the audit process to target either high residential users, landscape budgets for high seasonal users, or customers who likely have leaks. Residential services we provide:

  • Residential Landscape Audits – A variety of landscape and irrigation services targeted to high seasonal users that may include suggested watering schedules, sample catch can tests and customer education and landscape recommendations such as smart controllers, turf reduction or system efficiencies.
  • Residential Irrigation Budgets (usually targeted to neighborhoods with high outdoor use)Establishing an irrigation budget based on square footage of plant types can show the customer how much water is needed each month versus how much they are using and what the potential savings is in water and dollars. We also show customers how they are doing in relation to other residential customers in their neighborhood and/or city-wide. Once an irrigation budget is established, a customer can receive a periodic report showing progress toward their goals and reminding them of the suggested watering schedule.
  • On-line Water Schedule Generator – Easy to use water schedule generator and watering tips plus more advanced analysis for customers who want to provide more data such as catch can test results (online at www.watersmart.us)
  • Single and multi family audits and retrofit – standard audit with retrofit of aerators and showerheads, customer education and handouts re rebates, xeriscape, etc
  • Leak detection – high consumption analysis: Assistance for customers with sudden jump in consumption; recent program evaluation reveals program is highly effective in shortening duration of leaks
  • Residential Training Classes (see below)

Industrial, Commercial and Institutional Programs

  • Large Landscape Audits – similar to residential including assistance or recommendations re Smart Controllers, moisture or weather sensors but includes more in-depth analysis of head types, coverage, and overall system performance and design.
  • Commercial Irrigation Budgets for Irrigation-only Accounts – Can be established as an educational tool for large landscapes showing square footage by plant type, water needs by month based on ET curve, water use monthly and potential savings in water and dollars. Once the recommended budgets are established customers can receive periodic updates of progress. Often the irrigation budgets lead to large landscape audits from those customers who see a large gap between their need and their use.
  • Restaurant audits that may include retrofit (pre-rinse nozzles, aerators,) and information to the customer re suggestions and priorities for retrofit or repair and available rebates. Smart Use has audited about 1,000 restaurants to date
  • Large commercial audits – energy and water – that may be tailored to the site, for example, health care, hotels, manufacturing, etc. Smart Use has extensive experience with schools, community centers, and municipal facilities. Often government facilities want to make sure their own sites are in order before asking the public to conserve.

Training

Smart Use has conducted training for all customer segments with excellent reviews. Our training programs have expanded every year because of the positive reception. The 1 hour landscape sessions for residential customers has been especially popular and will be offered more often this year. A training manual is always included as well as handouts regarding rebates, low water use plant selection, system design or other materials the city wants us to distribute.

  • Commercial training (3 hours) for Energy and Water Efficiency – targeted to specific groups as requested for example, HOA’s, Hospitality Industry, Apartment Managers, Facility Managers
  • Landscape and Irrigation Training

1 day training (6 hours) for landscape contractors or landscape maintenance staff of schools, cities, parks, etc; focus is on ET, watering schedules, water efficiency in irrigation systems, etc

1 hour training for residential customers on three topics:

    • Turf Watering – bell shaped curve of watering schedule; calculating water needs and efficient watering schedules, using online and other resources
    • Drip Systems
    • Leak Detection

Consulting

  • Program Development and Evaluation; Data Analysis - Most of our contracts include a consulting rate for specialized research or projects requested by the utility. Most of this is for data collection and analysis or database projects related to a specific issue faced by the utility. For example, last year we conducted a study of the outcome of our restaurant audit and retrofit program in Albuquerque and this year we will finalize a study of the leak/high consumption audits. We are also studying ways to target more programs to the largest users, both residential and commercial and analyzing water use patterns of the largest commercial customers over the last ten years.
  • Research- Smart Use conducts research for our customers on new technologies, best management practices, cost/benefit of particular programs or devices, and establishing standards for water efficiency for specific devices such as cooling towers.
  • Strategic Planning and Drought Response - Creation of Water Conservation Plans (long term and short term), drought response plans, analysis of impact of various drought response scenarios, and other conservation planning services.

How We Work

Smart Use hires local staff in each area where we have a contract. Our trademark is our reputation for outstanding customer service, both to the utility or contracting entity and the customers they serve. We know we represent the utility in our interactions with residential and commercial customers and always maintain a positive approach, striving to motivate and educate. We hire both full time and part time employees to match the needs of the contract which allows us to be cost effective and flexible.

Smart Use Experience

Below is a chart showing our audit experience over the years.

Description

Quantity

Single Family Audits

10,700

Single Family Leak Audits

1,300

Multi Family Audits

20,800

Small Commercial Audits

2,500

Restaurants

1,050

Large Commercial Audits

60

Irrigation Budgets

2,200

Large Irrigation/Landscape Audits

220

Low Flow Toilet Inspections

400

Total

39,230

References from our primary contracts – Albuquerque, Phoenix, Bernalillo County, Santa Fe, Mesa and Durango can be supplied upon request.
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