Norris Design, an award-winning people and placemaking firm, received a Merit Award in the Research and Communication Category for Smartscape: A Non-functional Turf Initiative for Responsible Landscapes.
The ASLA Colorado/Wyoming Design Awards recognizes Colorado and Wyoming Licensed Landscape Architecture professionals in their pursuit to lead, educate and participate in careful stewardship, wise planning, and artful design of our cultural and natural environment.
Smartscape is a platform that combines plan view representation and performance metrics to evaluate existing high-water-use landscapes, catalog landscape typologies, and project the social, environmental, and financial impacts of more sustainable design solutions. By leveraging the applied knowledge and research embedded in the Smartscape algorithm, the platform enables clients and communities to understand the costs of landscape conversion, identify break-even points, and quantify ongoing annual savings. This commitment to transparency and efficiency supports informed design decisions and demonstrates the long-term value for all project stakeholders.
“Norris Design has long been at the forefront of water conservation efforts. We are particularly proud to influence the future of resiliency in water conservation through our Smartcape program, implementing impactful strategies not only in Colorado and Wyoming but also throughout the broader Western U.S. and internationally. As climate change continues to disrupt weather patterns globally, our innovative tool, is empowering cities, educational institutions, water providers, and developers to create sustainable landscapes that effectively conserve water resources while minimizing environmental impact,” states John Norris, principal and founder of Norris Design.
To learn more about the CO/WY ASLA awards, visit https://www.aslacolorado.org/awards/
