No-mow Sod

This no-mow sod creates a natural meadow look with half the maintenance. Reducing the use of power tools such as lawnmowers, hedge clippers and leaf blowers in your garden reduces the burning of fossil fuels, which create carbon dioxide emissions. The no-mow sod also uses less water than the traditional lawn, which is a plus for our arid, dry summers. The round stepstones in the lawn, as well as the adjacent small deck and bench are all made from recycled composite lumber.

Porous Paving

Porous paving allows water to percolate naturally between the pavers. As the water percolates, many contaminants, like oil from leaky cars, are naturally filtered out through microbial activity in the soil. This keeps toxins and pollution out of our storm drain systems, which flow into our local creeks and streams.

Composting

Compost and worm bins are a wonderful way to reduce the waste you send to landfills. Materials such as food scraps, lawn clippings and yard waste can all be composted. As an added bonus you get a free organic fertilizer to use in your yard. Compost can be used as an alternative to synthetic fertilizers, which often runoff into our local creeks and streams.

Weather based irrigation controller

This WeatherTRAK ET plus controller by Hydropoint downloads weather data from local weather stations. It also uses information such as plant types, slope, soil and sun intensity to determine the local evapotranspiration rate (water lost from the soil through evaporation and from plants through transpiration) and adjusts the watering accordingly. This type of irrigation controller waters the landscape much more efficiently than traditional controllers do. Hydozoning, grouping plants according to their watering needs, is also essential to conserving water.

Synthetic Lawn

Synthetic lawn can be used as an alternative to turf areas, for children's play areas and dog runs. The advantage of synthetic lawns is that they reduce the amount of water used for landscaping. According to the Santa Clara Water District, landscaping consumes 50 to 70 percent of the total water used by residences and businesses, so any reduction in landscape irrigation is a plus. It is also made from recycled plastic materials.

Recycled Mulch

Adding a thick layer of mulch throughout the landscape helps the soil retain moisture and controls weeds. It also works to moderate soil temperatures, keeping the soil cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, and increases the overall health of the soil, as microorganisms break down the mulch and add its nutrients back into the soil. The mulch at the Sunset Green-Built Idea Homes was made from recycled wood chips.