The Environmental and Economic Benefits of Good Design

The many challenges of the design professional have become even more evident as our clients environmental awareness changes and becomes much more enhanced. Yet our client is still looking for great value in these tough economic times. While it may have been commonplace for the design professional to emphasize the benefits of good environmental design to the client in years past, this is not as necessary true anymore because it is the client that is now insisting in responsible environmental design.

Educated clients are investing in their property much more carefully than before because of economic impact and yet considering the environment in what they want in their landscape like never before. It goes without saying that it is essential for the landscape design professional to know their client’s concerns for the environment and their desires for their overall landscape more than ever before.

Of course good design has always offered both environmental and economic benefits so as design professionals we should welcome these added challenges. From the strategic placement of shade trees and evergreens, which benefits the client in reducing energy costs, to the efficient use of irrigation in reducing water use, it seems that the client is becoming vitally aware of many aspects of the design of good design. If we as design professionals don’t know the positive benefits of what we do, it is a now a good bet that many of our prospective clients do, so it is vital we communicate effectively with them regarding what we do.

Case in point, I actually at one time prided myself on telling potential clients, “I don’t promise I can save my clients money.” Whew, what a dummy I can be sometime! Needless to say, I don’t make this foolish statement anymore. In fact I am not shy anymore in expressing to my potential clients that I can provide a landscape design that can eventually save with both energy and water consumption. A well-designed landscape will work well with environment, not against it, and this will obviously result in less energy and water consumption as well as lower maintenance costs.

The attitudes and desires of the landscape design client are shifting. Educated clients regarding the environmental impact and economic concerns for their project can make good landscape design a priority for them. The client may not always directly see the potential benefit initially of a perceived benefit but explained in detail and properly and the client is much more likely to embrace what is being offered.

The client’s level of concern for environmental and economic issues is indeed changing, yet this can only be seen as a positive for our industry in the years to come. In positioning our services and expertise to enhance both the environmental and economic concerns of our clients our industry and our business reputation can only increase.