Maintenance Quality Descriptions of Grass in the Nordic Countries

– do they contribute to the overall sustainable management?

Thomas B. Randrup Anders Kristoffersson & Bengt Persson

What is sustainable management of Green Spaces (including grass)?

actors

politicians public servant private owners / companies citizens

users

economy environment culture / history

urban green

resource

management

construction

design

aspects

social

planning

How do we organize grass maintenance? - and where do the sustainable issues occur?

Resources Activities Results Effects

Fuel Environmental goals Competences Knowledge Quality systems (ISO)

Use Recreation Protection Biodiversity ESS

Norwegian Standards: Texts for buildings, constructions and installations - maintenance

(2009)

Quality descriptions of grounds maintenance

(Juul et al. 1998)

Maintenance guide (Movium, 1998)

What is maintenance quality descriptions?

’ ’ w u m, , w . I u primarily in gardens, parks and on cemeteries where tear and wear is m . ’ ’ w qu u m u w species which tolerates drought, shade and dense cutting. Maintenance is carried out in order to the even surface and the precise form.

Descriptions of elements Descriptions of conditions Mowing: Height must be between 40 – 80 mm Height must be between 50 – 120 mm Descriptions of performance Mowing: Grass along houses, basements, flag posts etc. must always have same height as the surrounding lawns. ….should be cut 28 times during the growing season

Descriptions of appearence Nutrient balance: The lawn must be even and healthy trough out the growing season The grass should always be in growth Must appear fresh, green, even, free from major weeds and be without any damages

Value = Quality Price Value is based on the relationship between the delivered quality and the price

Quality is defined by the Standard Quality Descriptions. Price is defined by the market

The lower price – the higher value

How is value perceived within the green sector?

Quality descriptions are focusing on economy

How do we monitor grass maintenance?

Resources Activities Results Effects

Resources can be monitored administratively and documented by certificates.

Activities can be monitored on a running base – and documented by time sheets. Providers control schemes.

Results can be monitored on a running base – but when?

Effects are difficult to monitor –

Kvalitet

Tid

Min

Önskad

Max

Verklig skötselkvalitet

Skötselkvalitet före

skötselinsats (k4)

Skötselkvalitet efter

skötselinisats (k3)

Skötselintervall (k2) a a a a

Monitoring is dependent of timing

Quality

Time

Real maintenance quality

Quality before maintenance

Quality after maintenance

Wanted quality

Maint. frequency

Quality

Local conditions

Low High

High

Accept level

Max.

Min.

Use Soil Conditions

Design

Descriptions of effects (functions) will always be context dependent

Monitoring is often done by feel

Sustainable Management by use of Maintenence Descriptions

• Focus on costs (economy)

• Focus on activities and results (conditions and performance)

• Monitoring by feelings is often used. R ’ u ’ ’ u ’; ” ” - ” / ”

• Description of appearance / function / effects may include social and cultural aspects.

• The quantitative descriptions tends to dominate over functional descriptions – when both are used in the descriptions.

• The Economic factor is dominating

• The Environmental factor is in place – described by appearance, condition, performance

– or by functions

• The Society and the Cultural factors may be described as a resource and / or in relation to the effects

- but is generally missing as an integrated part of the system

Need for an integrated approach

• Economy – is central • Users – can they be involved?

monitoring / judging / satisfaction rates • Employees – can they be (further) involved through own

control, formal influence on what needs to be done, where and when?

• Grass is often described as a static element. Is it always so? • Monitoring / control should generate added value, and

should primarily be related to documentation of own performances.

• Addition of functionality description for the entire area (not just the individual element), will leave the provider to define time and methodology in order to deliver – and thus overall ambitions related to sustainability may be described as a gained effect for each element.