The verdant lawns and the beautiful garden that perfectly complement the elegant structure is the highlight of Arun’s brand-new house at Chetttikulam in Kozhikode, Kerala. The minimal features of the house have been enhanced with practical designs and space-efficient elements.
The elevation features the elegant, linear–box style. Fundermax wooden panelling and the show wall with rock claddings are incredibly attractive and grant more definition to the structure. The car porch, meanwhile, has been built-in GI frame with glass roof.
The landscape has been designed by retaining most of the trees in the plot. Meanwhile, the unique layout of the plot, which lies in varying levels, too has been retained. Tandoor stones are paved on the driveway.
Designed in 2554 sqft, this amazing abode has a car porch, living and dining areas, kitchen with a work area, three bedrooms and upper living area.
The stone wall adds a rustic charm to the sit-out. Meanwhile, the wooden furniture and shoe rack complete the quaint sit-out. The formal living area has been arranged in double height. The wooden tiled flooring adds the perfect contrast here. The glass wall above the double-height living area brings lots of natural light into the house.
The dining area is arranged close to the living space. White vitrified tiles have been paved on the floor here to separate this area from the rest of the house. The custom-made glass-topped dining table and the cushioned chairs match the minimal theme of the interiors.
The double-height stairway is built-in GI frame and has steps made in irul wood. An aquarium is arranged beneath this stairway. The wall beside the stairway has been turned into a photo wall where precious family moments have been immortalized.
The stairway leads to a spacious upper hall. This area has glass walls on three sides which helps in illuminating the house with natural sun rays. A simple hanging cot too has been arranged here.
The modern kitchen has been furnished in the pleasant colour theme of light blue and white. The cabinets are done in multi wood with PU paint finish. A quaint breakfast counter paved with black granite too is part of the kitchen area. Meanwhile, the black granite paved countertop is spacious. Interestingly, a few framed paintings have been used to decorate the walls here.
The bedrooms are well furnished and have all the required facilities. Full-length wardrobes, dressing areas and attached bathrooms are some of the features of the bedrooms.
The classy elegance of white and wooden combination dominates both the interiors and exteriors of this simple yet fabulous abode. The family, meanwhile, is thrilled that they have moved into their dream abode.
Green Landscaping Group AB (publ) has acquired Hermansen Maskin AS with a turnover of approximately NOK 75 million. The acquisition further strengthens our market position in Norway as we add another quality company to the group.
The acquisition of Hermansen Maskin AS is Green Landscaping Group’s 9th acquisition in Norway. The company is well known in its market for high quality as well as recurring and satisfied customers.
Hermansen Maskin is an entrepreneurial company founded in 2006 by Arild Hermansen. The company currently has sales of approximately NOK 75 million, good profitability and provides services within landscaping and maintenance. The company is established in Sande, southwest of Oslo. Customers are found mainly in the categories of construction companies, land developers and private individuals.
– We are convinced that Hermansen Maskin will complement and strengthen the group of companies that are already part of the group in Norway. The founder of the company, Arild Hermansen, symbolizes the entrepreneurial spirit that we seek, that is with a mind to run professional and successful companies in the outdoor environment industry, says Atle Roll-Matthiesen, Regional Manager Norway, Green Landscaping Group.
– I have for some time followed Green Landscaping Group and the quality Norwegian companies that have joined the group since 2020. The decentralized strategy will enable me and my employees to continue to run and develop our business as independent entrepreneurs. At the same time, we must be part of a larger context with the common goal of offering sustainable solutions in the outdoor environment, says Arild Hermansen, CEO, Hermansen Maskin.
– We are pleased that Hermansen Maskin is now joining the group and wish Arild and his staff a warm welcome to Green Landscaping Group, concludes Atle Roll-Matthiesen.
Green Landscaping Group acquires 100 percent of the shares in Hermansen Maskin AS with immediate access. The acquisition is financed within existing credit facilities and through a non-cash issue of own shares. The Board has therefore, within the scope of the authorization from the Annual General Meeting on 14 May 2021, decided on the issue of 105,923 shares in Green Landscaping Group, aimed at the sellers of Hermansen Maskin AS. This corresponds to a dilution of 0.2{6d6906d986cb38e604952ede6d65f3d49470e23f1a526661621333fa74363c48} of the share capital and votes in the Green Landscaping Group. The total number of shares in Green Landscaping Group after the issue has been 52,583,119 shares. The acquisition is not expected to have a significant effect on the result for 2021.
The previous owner of Hermansen Maskin is now shareholder in Green Landscaping Group (publ).
The information was, through the contact person below, submitted for publication on 2 December 2021 at 08:00 CET.
For more information:
Atle Roll-Matthiesen, Regionchef Norge, Green Landscaping Group AB +47 909 00 112, atle.roll@glgroup.no
Carl-Fredrik Meijer, CFO & IR, Green Landscaping Group AB +46 (0)70-108 70 19, carl-redrik.meijer@glgroup.se
Green Landscaping Group AB (publ) is the Nordic leading player in ground maintenance and landscaping of outdoor environments in Sweden. Our business concept is to enhance the customer’s outdoor environment by offering services focused on high customer value, long-term sustainability, and quality. The Company has approximately 1,350 employees and sales amount to approximately SEK 2 billion. The Company’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Stockholm with the ticker GREEN. For more information visit www.glgroup.se.
Hermansen Maskin AS was founded in 2006 and has sales of approximately NOK 75 million and 20 employees. The company provides assignments in land development such as digging, excavation, water and sewerage work, landscaping and winter maintenance. The company is based in Sande in Vestfold and carries out projects in the Sande and Oslo area. For more information www.hermansenmaskin.no
The North Split reconstruction project tearing up Indianapolis’ downtown I-65/I-70 interchange is about more than highways.
Part of the $350 million project involves redesigning the streets beneath the new bridges and creating an “urban forest” of landscaping around and between the new slabs of concrete.
The reconstruction of the heavily burdened interchange will reduce its footprint, and the extra space will largely be converted to greenspace and pedestrian-friendly walking areas.
While the interstates are project to open to traffic by Thanksgiving next year, crews will continue to work on the aesthetics into 2023.
The Indiana Department of Transportation and Superior Construction, the company contracted to reconstruct the North Split, have held a series of public meetings throughout the last month with nearby property owners detailing what these new areas will look like. Here’s a preview.
The underpasses
The North Split project will demolish and reconstruct more than 40 existing bridges, including those over 13 downtown streets.
All bridges in the project will incorporate design enhancements to make the underpass more visually appealing and friendlier to pedestrians: wider sidewalks, bridge abutments, signs, lighting and monuments along the bridge entrances.
The pavement for sidewalks will have different materials and accent colors to differentiate them from the roadway. Lights will be mounted on the walls under the bridges and on the bridge columns, and bar-style uplighting will illuminate the monuments.
On bridge openings over thoroughfares or neighborhood-connecting streets, referred to in Superior Construction’s design guidelines as “major gateways,” there will also be landscaping, space available for locally commissioned public art and, depending on the width of the street, space for multiple modes of transportation.
For example, the design beneath the 10th Street bridge includes three driving lanes, two bike lanes and a 13-foot pedestrian sidewalk.
The other major gateways are Central Avenue, College Avenue, Lewis Street/ Monon Trail, New York Street, Michigan Street and Washington Street.
Some work has begun, most significantly with the bridge over St Clair Street, the first completed bridge in the project. St Clair is one of three “minor gateway” bridges — the other two are over Market and Vermont Streets — which will be visually consistent with the major gateways but simpler, and without added room for public art.
The public art on INDOT’s land will be mostly on panels inside the major gateway underpasses and on the monuments adorning the bridge entrances.
Most of the aesthetic enhancements will be done after the bridge construction is finished toward the end of 2022. This aesthetic work will carry over into 2023.
Greenery
The intent of the landscape design, based on feedback from neighbors, was to create a kind of “urban forest” feel, said Ron Taylor, an architectural designer on the project. This includes grasses, wildflowers and canopy trees that are native to the Midwest and require minimal maintenance.
Generally, the side slopes directly adjacent to the concrete highways will host native grasses and wildflowers; areas farther out, shade trees, like oaks and hickories, and ornamental trees like dogwoods.
Noise barriers
Next summer, two walls meant to block neighboring homes from highway noise will be constructed along the north side of I-70 on the east leg of the interchange: One from Lewis Street to Commerce Avenue, and one from Commerce to Valley avenues. These should be in place by November, said Erica Johnson of engineering consulting firm HNTB.
Some evergreens will be planted as a visual buffer between the noise walls and adjacent neighborhoods, Taylor said.
Those residents had a hand in choosing a gray stone for the noise walls, through a postcard survey conducted over the summer.
Your feedback
INDOT and Superior Construction are collecting public feedback about these plans through Dec. 10. Comments can be emailed to info@northsplit.com. More information and detailed plans are online at northsplit.com/landscape.
Contact IndyStar transportation reporter Kayla Dwyer at kdwyer@indystar.com or follow her on Twitter @kayla_dwyer17.
—Opening the Way to Financial Evaluation of Biodiversity with Publication of Nature-Positive Methodology—
OSAKA, Japan, November 30, 2021–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Sekisui House, Ltd. (TOKYO:1928) has been pursuing the conservation of biodiversity since 2001 by creating green networks in urban residential districts under its Gohon no ki (“five trees”) indigenous landscaping concept. Together with the University of the Ryukyus1, the company has analyzed the outcome of the Gohon no ki Project that it has implemented with 1 million customer households2 over the space of 20 years, and has designed the world’s first mechanism for quantitatively evaluating urban biodiversity. It has published this qualitative evaluation mechanism today as a nature-positive methodology for promoting the conservation of biodiversity.
Results of quantitative evaluation analysis (1) – The number of native tree species in each region—the foundation of regional biodiversity—has increased tenfold. (Graphic: Business Wire)
The Gohon no ki Project
Since the 1970s, incessant urban development has dramatically reduced the amount of habitat available for flora and fauna in our cities. Sekisui House launched its Gohon no ki Project in 2001 as an initiative to conserve biodiversity through the eco-friendly landscaping and greening of the gardens of its customers. Based on the concept of planting five locally native trees, three for birds and two for butterflies, the Gohon no ki Project proposes greening gardens and local communities with native tree species suited to the local climate and benevolent to birds, butterflies, and other local fauna. The project takes its lead from garden landscaping modeled on traditional Japanese satoyama (which translates roughly as “village woodland”).
In the 20 years from 2001 up to 2020, more than 17 million trees have been planted under the project. The company has also promoted urban greening throughout Japan by incorporating the Gohon no ki concept into its planning of green spaces in its condominium and community development initiatives.
Quantitative evaluation of biodiversity
Sekisui House has since 2019 been working with the Kubota Laboratory, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, and Think Nature Inc. to quantitatively evaluate the contribution of this network-type greening to urban biodiversity. Based on the Japan Biodiversity Mapping Project (J-BMP)3 managed and operated by Think Nature Inc., a company established by Professor Yasuhiro Kubota, the partners have analyzed the data on tree number, species, and location accumulated over the 20 years of the Sekisui House Gohon no ki Project to quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of the project in conserving and restoring biodiversity.
This quantitative evaluation revealed the following benefits for biodiversity from planting native tree species in line with the Gohon no ki Project as opposed to planting conventional horticultural and exotic species in gardens in urban areas where biodiversity has declined significantly (Japan’s three major metropolitan areas).4
The number of native tree species in each region—the foundation of regional biodiversity—has increased tenfold.
The number of bird species that residential districts can attract has doubled.
The number of butterfly species that residential districts can attract has increased fivefold.
Biodiversity in the three metropolitan areas has recovered to 30{6d6906d986cb38e604952ede6d65f3d49470e23f1a526661621333fa74363c48} of the level of 1977 for which the first trustworthy biodiversity related data exists.
This is the world’s first mechanism for quantitatively evaluating urban biodiversity and its application to an actual case. The disclosure of numerical data enables biodiversity to be expressed in terms of financial value, thereby providing a means for visualizing private sector contribution to biodiversity.
Nature-positive methodology
In recent years, increasing efforts are being made to conserve biodiversity. In June of this year, the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) was launched, and in October, the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) was held. In Japan too, discussion has begun in earnest on other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) for enlisting the support of the private sector to drive urban greening.
In this societal context, Sekisui House is making its 20-year biodiversity conservation initiative available to the public as a nature-positive methodology. The Gohon no ki Project’s nature-positive methodology represents a means for expressing urban biodiversity. Sekisui House is making this methodology available to the general public with the aim of raising awareness and enabling its store of knowledge and expertise to be utilized by others to promote greening and contribute to the conservation of biodiversity.
Based on joint review of available data, Sekisui House and its partners set the number of tree, bird, and butterfly species, diversity index, and number of individual trees, birds, and butterflies in 1977 as 100{6d6906d986cb38e604952ede6d65f3d49470e23f1a526661621333fa74363c48}, and using 2000, the year before the Gohon no ki Project was launched, as the base year, simulated change up to 2070 in Japan’s three largest metropolitan areas (Kanto, Kinki and Chukyo) that have suffered the greatest decline in biodiversity. This simulation indicated that planting native tree species that are likely to benefit local fauna (the Gohon no ki concept) compared to 2000, the year before the launch of the Gohon no ki Project, would enable biodiversity to recover to 37.4{6d6906d986cb38e604952ede6d65f3d49470e23f1a526661621333fa74363c48} of 1977 levels by 2030 (target year for conservation of biodiversity internationally), 40.9{6d6906d986cb38e604952ede6d65f3d49470e23f1a526661621333fa74363c48} by 2050, and 41.9{6d6906d986cb38e604952ede6d65f3d49470e23f1a526661621333fa74363c48} by 2070.
If the Gohon no ki concept of planting native trees were applied to 30{6d6906d986cb38e604952ede6d65f3d49470e23f1a526661621333fa74363c48} of all newly constructed properties in Japan moving forward, urban biodiversity is predicted to rise to 84.6{6d6906d986cb38e604952ede6d65f3d49470e23f1a526661621333fa74363c48} of 1977 levels. Sekisui House believes that this indicates that if the private sector works with the general public, the decline in biodiversity can be reversed to achieve the goal of post-2020 biodiversity recovery that is the theme of COP15, and that its Gohon no ki concept can contribute to this goal.
Mr. Makoto Haraguchi, Fellow, MS & AD InterRisk Research Institute and Sustainability Section SVP for TNFD, MS & AD Insurance Group Holdings
Mr. Teppei Dohke, Executive Secretary General of the Japan Committee for the International Union for Conservation of Nature
Ms. Mariko Kawaguchi, Specially Appointed Professor, Rikkyo University / Executive Advisor to CEO, Fuji Oil Holdings Inc.
Mr. Yasuhiro Kubota, Professor, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus / Representative Director, Think Nature Inc.
1. This is joint research with the Kubota Laboratory, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus. 2. Cumulative number of households built from February 2001 to January 2021 is 1,001,977. 3. Japan Biodiversity Mapping Project (J-BMP) website: https://biodiversity-map.thinknature-japan.com 4. Comparison of continuing to plant conventional garden tree species with planting tree species in line with the Gohon no ki concept over the 20 years from 2001 to 2020
The City Council recently voted to sign off on awarding a trio of three-year public grounds maintenance contracts totaling $731,226 to a local landscaping and lawn care business.
Precision Cut is now authorized to maintain the grounds of 11 facilities or locations for $496,785, the Battleboro and Northeastern cemeteries for $131,589 and four low-lying areas or areas with boat ramps or water for $102,852.
The vote occurred during the Oct. 25 City Council regular meeting.
The action also came in the context of extensive discussion having occurred during the Oct. 11 council work session about wanting the Parks and Recreation Department to be able to do more in terms of maintaining the public grounds in the future.
City Manager Small-Toney during the Oct. 11 council work session made clear that, as far as increasing the skillset of Parks and Recreation employees, she believed the first step would be to come back to the council in January with what a higher level of service, managed internally, is going to cost.
Still, Small-Toney made clear her plan in the meantime was going to be to ask the council to approve the three-year contracts with Precision Cut to continue to help with maintaining the public grounds.
And Small-Toney made clear the contracts would include wording giving the ability to the municipal government to make changes, including to reduce Precision Cut’s service level.
Precision Cut had been continuing to work amid a month-to-month contract extension based on a previous contract.
During the Oct. 25 City Council regular meeting, Councilman Andre Knight was quick to note the discussion of Oct. 11 having been intense and there being a lot of concerns about the contracts and the Parks and Recreation employees and to note the municipal management saying they are going to bring back a plan in January.
Knight wanted to know whether, as the council waits for what is going to come from the municipal management, it would be wise to instead set the lengths of the contracts at one or two years.
Mayor Sandy Roberson, who chairs council regular meetings, said he would let Small-Toney answer that question, but Roberson said his recollection was that, regardless of the terms, the contracts could be broken within a 30-day notice.
Small-Toney said that would be correct because the requests for bids were issued with specific requirements and expectations.
“And so as I said, we could amend the contract once it’s awarded,” Small-Toney said. “But I think to go back now and change the requirements for the contract would negate it, in essence.”
“That answered my question, thank you,” Knight said, adding he has no problem.
Councilman Lige Daughtridge made the motion, seconded by Councilman Richard Joyner, for awarding the contracts to Precision Cut.
In a roll call vote, Knight and Councilmen Reuben Blackwell, W.B. Bullock and T.J. Walker voted yes.
Councilwoman Chris Miller was participating in the Oct. 25 council regular meeting via teleconferencing.
City Clerk Pamela Casey twice called Miller’s name, but an immediate response from Miller could not be heard.
After Roberson said the motion carried, Miller said, “I abstain.”
“Well, that’s a yes vote,” Roberson said.
“I made the point I think,” Miller said.
“Yes, you did,” Roberson said.
City Attorney Jep Rose said abstaining is an affirmative vote unless Miller had a recognized reason for declining to vote yes or no.
“Philosophical differences,” Miller said in response.
“OK, very well,” Roberson said. “The vote is in the affirmative. The motion carries.”
Precision Cut is a woman-owned business and the City of Rocky Mount strives to involve minority- and women-owned businesses in seeking contracts.
The contract with Precision Cut calls for maintaining the grounds at the following facilities or locations:
The Douglas Block.
City Hall.
The Rocky Mount Senior Center.
The Imperial Centre for the Arts & Sciences.
The Rocky Mount Business Services Center.
The Rocky Mount Event Center.
The two Main Streets alongside the rail line.
The Rocky Mount Judicial Center.
The Helen P. Gay Rocky Mount Historic Train Station.
The bus station.
Station Square.
The contract with Precision Cut for maintaining low-lying areas or areas with boat ramps or water specifically lists the following locations:
Holly Street Park.
City Lake Park.
The Tar River Reservoir boat ramp.
The Sapony Creek boat ramp.
During the Oct. 11 council work session, Parks and Recreation Director Joel Dunn said his department did not have the people power to tend all of the municipal grounds in a timely manner and started looking at contracting out some of the work.
During the Oct. 11 council work session, Blackwell said he was not questioning either the intention or the work being done by Precision Cut.
Blackwell said, however, he was concerned the skill level of the contractor seemed to exceed, at least in Dunn’s confidence, the Parks and Recreation staff concerning key properties being contracted out.
During the Oct. 11 council work session, Knight said he believed it to be really sad when the municipality has to hire somebody from the outside to come in and beautify Rocky Mount.
Since 2014, the landscaping scene has grown a minimum of five percent each year. It is a growing industry that doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Business is business, and without the proper strategies in place, you cannot effectively target your audience.
Growing a landscaping business takes tons of physical labor and mental work. When it comes to offering your tree business to new customers, here are some important aspects that you need to keep in mind.
Get Listed on the Proper Platforms
In the technological era of the 21st century, online marketing platforms are the foundation on which any business can succeed. Digital and social media are vitally important if you want any business to survive. The first step is listing the business on Google. It allows prospective customers to find your tree services easily.
If you can afford to include search engine optimization, then your business will be one of the names listed at the top. It means that people won’t have to scroll multiple Google pages to find you, and you are likely to get business from someone that has never even heard of your services. Ensure that you use the correct phone number and physical address and that your business information includes all the pertinent services that you offer.
Purchase the Right Insurance
All businesses need a variety of insurance policies, and for tree services, there is specific insurance that you need to invest in. Trees can cause damage to cars and other buildings if there is falling debris. Some trees may even need to be cut down if they pose a major risk to a customer’s property. Tree insurance covers your business in the event that there is an accident involving your client, employees, or your business premises.
Before you offer your tree services to new customers, consider a tailored tree service insurance plan for your business. This type of insurance will cover you for any property damage or medical bills resulting from accidents related to your tree cutting services. In addition, these plans cover a variety of legal bills which is necessary if any accidents do occur on a customer’s property.
Referrals Are Your Most Important Asset
For many businesses, word of mouth is incredibly important. People want to see results, and when you produce good work, they will refer your business. Equally important to know is that any bad word of mouth will also have a major impact. In saying so, your customer services skills need to be impeccable, as well as the quality of services that you can offer.
Let your work speak for itself. Each time a customer gives you a good review, post it as a testimonial to your website or social media pages. Offer clients a discount on the 10th session if they successfully refer you to a friend or other business. Referrals are the most cost-effective way to get the right kind of attention for your business. It costs next to nothing and is the best marketing approach to take for a landscaping business.
Take the Jobs Nobody Wants
A great way to advertise your tree services is to take on the tough tasks that no one else wants. Perhaps there is a particularly large tree in amongst other buildings, which could cause major damage if the tree isn’t cut right. There are plenty of opportunities to take on big landscaping jobs that other tree services don’t have the right tools for. Places that won’t take these kinds of jobs are usually concerned about health and safety, but with the right business policies and rules in place, you can minimize any risk to your customers and staff.
It will take a small initial investment to get the tools and staff that can perform the job. Once you have everything in place, it opens up doorways to other private customers that may have more than a few trees that need to be cut down. This is a recurring business that will be yours for the taking.
There are countless more ways that you can market your landscaping business for new customers, and these few tips are just to get you started. Remember, landscaping is big business, and with the right approach, tools, and employees, you can make a lasting impression on customers that will bring in more business.
