WeatherTRAK Controllers Help Habitat for Humanity Build
Green
Homeowners Reduce Monthly Water Bills, Enjoy Beautiful
Landscapes
West Coast Green Conference & Expo, San Francisco, CA, September
27, 2006 - HydroPoint Data Systems, Inc. (www.weathertrak.com),
the proven leader in smart irrigation management, announced
today that the company has contributed WeatherTRAK® ET plus
controllers to Habitat for Humanity of Sonoma County's Kali
development in Santa Rosa, California. The gift helps Habitat
for Humanity strengthen its commitment to green building, using
products and practices that are environmentally sound and enable
homeowners to reduce monthly expenses.
All homes built by Habitat for Humanity of Sonoma County are
certified green to conserve natural resources and save money. "WeatherTRAK
is one of the most cost-effective green products," said
Christine Dahl Silva, Habitat for Humanity Green Team Project
Coordinator. "But not only does WeatherTRAK hold down water
bills for Habitat homeowners, it also keeps their landscapes
looking great and enhances the beauty of our community."
In 2004, the first two Kali homes built earned the first 'Green
Build Certificate' awarded to a nonprofit from the City of Santa
Rosa. Today, the development provides permanent housing for nine
adults and fifteen children.
Habitat for Humanity volunteers installed the controllers with
supervision from the WeatherTRAK Professional Services team.
HydroPoint's contribution also included ten years of WeatherTRAK
ET Everywhere service. Applying a network of more than 17,000
weather stations, the ET Everywhere service wirelessly transmits
personalized watering instructions to each WeatherTRAK
controller daily, triggering automatic adjustments based on
weather conditions. These adjustments eliminate unnecessary
over-watering and guarantee that plants and landscapes get only
the water they need.
Habitat for Humanity of Sonoma County is building many more
environmentally friendly homes throughout the county. "We look
forward to a continued partnership with Habitat for Humanity to
help further their green building goals," said Mr. Spain. "We
applaud Habitat for Humanity's leadership role in demonstrating
that green building is cost-effective, not a luxury."
Nearly 60 percent of non-agricultural water is applied to
landscapes, and most landscapes are overwatered by 30 to 300
percent. Thus, irrigation presents the most significant water
conservation opportunity for many households. WeatherTRAK is
proven in more than 20 independent public agency studies
including the EPA to cut outdoor water use by 59% and reduce
water runoff by 71%.
About Habitat for Humanity Sonoma County Habitat for Humanity of
Sonoma County is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity
International. The affiliate was formed in 1984 by a group of
Sonoma County residents who wanted to end poverty housing. Homes
are sold with no profit made. Homeowners contribute "Sweat
Equity" and house payments are recycled to build additional
homes. Habitat for Humanity of Sonoma County promotes home
ownership with volunteers building houses in partnership with
Sonoma County residents in need of adequate housing.
About HydroPoint Data Systems, Inc. HydroPoint and its partners,
including The Toro Company, Irritrol and others, provide
WeatherTRAK smart irrigation management solutions for
residential and commercial landscapes. Proven WeatherTRAK
technology calculates customized irrigation schedules and then
automatically adjusts irrigation as local weather changes. By
using WeatherTRAK controllers to apply the right amount of water
at the right time, customers improve landscape health, conserve
water, decrease water usage costs and protect the environment.
Based on its track record of successes in more than 20
independent public agency studies, WeatherTRAK is eligible for
all smart controller rebate and voucher programs. Headquartered
in Petaluma, California, HydroPoint is privately owned and
operated. For more information, visit www.weathertrak.com.