Our ODISI innovation for green spaces
Ensure the resilience of grassed surfaces:
gardens, lawns, tramways...
- How can we ensure the resilience of lawn surfaces?
Forecasts of water shortages and high temperatures for longer periods of the year herald difficult times for vegetation. Climate change is leading to more frequent and prolonged droughts. Plant growth is compromised, soils dry out and ecosystems suffer.
To face this threat, water conservation, sparing use and resilient vegetation practices are essential. Urgent action is needed to protect vegetation and preserve our precious ecosystems. Cities are mainly impacted by urban heat islands. They have an impact on the health and quality of life of 82% of the French population.
This lack of water threatens the vitality of green spaces, whether in residential or communal gardens, on tramways or in parks... This shortage has aesthetic, environmental and economic consequences.
With this in mind, we have developed a patented innovation, ODISI, to ensure the resilience of lawns with controlled water consumption.
- What's the point of ODISI, enabling drainage and irrigation for your grassed areas?
Lawn drainage
Drainage evacuates excess water to prevent root rot caused by asphyxiation and other problems associated with excessive humidity. Drainage is necessary on gently sloping land to avoid water accumulation during heavy rainfall.
It improves soil aeration, which promotes root growth and plant development.
Drainage reduces the risk of flooding by rapidly evacuating surface water. This water can be stored for reuse during dry periods.
The drains in the ODISI nappe are spaced every 50 cm to ensure this function. Contact us for details of their hydraulic characteristics.
A filtration layer to secure drainage
ODISI's top layer is essential to its operation: it filters the water and separates it from the substrate (soil, compost, etc.). Positioned under the substrate, it prevents clogging of the drainage and drip irrigation systems.
The filtration layer and drainage are essential to the proper operation and longevity of the system.
Optimum watering for a healthy lawn
How much water do you need for lawns ?
Water is essential for plant survival. The average amount of water needed to maintain a lawn depends on a number of factors, including the varieties used, climatic conditions, soil type and irrigation practices. However, it is generally estimated that to maintain a healthy lawn , you need between 2.5 cm and 4 cm of water per week, including natural rainfall. That's around 25 mm to 40 mm of water.
How does vegetation cool the air outside?
The supply of water enables vegetation to fulfill its ecosystem services, such as combating the urban heat island: 95% of plant water is evaporated by the leaves. It is this potential evapotranspiration (ETP) or evaporation potential of a soil that enables it to cool, depending on light radiation, T°C, hygrometry and wind. Soil without water means water-stressed plants, with little or no evapotranspiration and hence no cooling. On the other hand, we are also aware that water is precious and that its use must be as sparing as possible, while respecting the quantities available.
What are the advantages of underground drip irrigation?
Underground drip irrigation, as in the ODISI sheet, offers several advantages over sprinkler irrigation:
- Water savings: it enables more efficient use of water by targeting plant roots directly, reducing evaporation losses and wastage.
- Weed reduction: by limiting the moisture available to weeds, it contributes to their reduction without the need for herbicides.
- Keep leaves dry: unlike sprinkling, it keeps plant leaves dry, minimizing the risk of fungal diseases.
- Precise humidity control: thanks to automation, water is supplied according to plant need, optimizing plant growth without excess humidity.
- Time and energy savings: once installed, it requires less maintenance and can operate automatically, saving you time and energy.
Why water your lawn?
Careful watering of vegetation will ensure its good health and survival in the event of drought. It is advisable to install a weather station to optimize watering, taking rainfall into account and evaluating potential evapotranspiration (ETP) to be corrected by crop needs (Kc cultural coefficient).
Watering, when necessary, balances rainfall inputs and evapotranspiration losses to:
- better plant recovery or emergence during planting
- ensure the long-term resilience of the vegetation planted
- less maintenance work in terms of weeding, reseeding, etc.
ODISI: optimized underground drip irrigation
The drip irrigation network in the ODISI sheet is positioned every 50cm, providing watering with a dripper every 30cm and a flow rate of 1l/h. Watering must be sized according to the needs of the plants and the local climate. It is advisable to divide the watering up and automate it. ODISI's integrated water retention layer ensures proper water distribution between two watering cycles.
This subsurface drip irrigation system is ideally positioned at root level to avoid the water losses of sprinkler irrigation.
Positive points:
- Ideally positioned for water efficiency
- Healthy plants
- Air cooling thanks to plants
A retention and distribution layer for optimum water management
This water retention and distribution layer is ODISI's final layer. Combined with the needle-punched filter sheet that maintains the drip and drain network, it ensures even watering of vegetation.
Its water retention capacity, combined with that of the soil and the water stored in the plant, helps to top up water levels into the water line during heavy rainfall.
If the ODISI solution is coupled with a water retention system, this multiplies the impact of the solution by storing more water, which can be reused after filtration during droughts. This allows the vegetation to be managed as autonomously as possible. We can also advise you on how to automate the irrigation of your grassed areas, to save time and ensure the longevity of the installation.
- How to set up ODISI
After removing the topsoil, the ODISI layer is rolled out onto the ground. The drains and drip networks are connected before the topsoil is placed back on ODISI. The drain can then be connected to a storage area. The next step is to install a filtration system and pump to use the water in the integrated drip irrigation circuit. Irrigation automation is recommended to optimize irrigation.
- Ecosystem impact of the ODISI solution
Read our article on the environmental and human impact of revegetation
Greening has many advantages, including:
- Environmental: hosting biodiversity (fauna, flora), water management, reduction of urban heat islands, covered soil less prone to erosion
- Economical: less water, less maintenance (weeding, reseeding, etc.).
- Social/public health: aesthetic pleasure, better air quality, carbon storage
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- faq: the answer to your most frequently asked questions!
For all vegetated surfaces (gardens, lawn, tramway tracks, green roofs, etc.), we recommend the ODISI sheet.
For optimum use, provide a storage area for the water collected during drainage. We are also developing other parallel uses: contact us for more information!
On grassed surfaces, the ODISI sheet is laid on top of the soil after the topsoil has been removed. The topsoil is then placed back on the ODISI sheet (15-20 cm), and can be supplemented with suitable compost and fertilizers. Then the seeds of the chosen varieties can be sown, or the lawn roll can be unrolled.
It is then necessary to water the plants sufficiently and monitor their proper rooting.
Yes, the size of a roll is: 20m long by 2m wide. The weight of the ODISI roll is approximately 33 kg.
The ODISI sheet can be cut to fit smaller spaces in width and length.
Two ODISI sheets can also be overlapped to cover greater widths or lengths.
The ODISI sheets are designed for easy overlapping. You can place a second sheet on top of the first. We recommend an overlap of 10-15cm.
The weight of the soil will hold the two layers in position. In this case, make sure you follow the layout: a drain pipe and then a drip irrigation pipe, alternating every 50cm.
You need at least the width of a drip and a drain (every 50cm). Surfaces must therefore be at least 1.20m wide.
There's no limit to the maximum size: it's the collection, water supply and storage network, the pump... that need to be sized according to the surface area of the product laid.
Contact us for any project over 400m²: we can help you size it.
All sources of water can be used. We recommend collecting drainage water during rainy periods for reuse during dry periods.
The water must be filtered to a minimum of 130 microns to ensure proper operation and durability of the drippers. Take care to ensure sufficient water flow for the entire surface. Remember to winterize the irrigation system to prevent frost damage.
It is essential to ensure that the vegetation gets off to a good start, whether seeded or rolled out (lawn ). To achieve this, the soil must be well watered from the outset. The vegetation must then be watered regularly to ensure good emergence or rooting of lawns.
It's best to install vegetation during a rainy and not too hot period. Irrigation should then be carefully monitored to adjust the automation. We advise against installation in summer.
We recommend limiting plants to those with root systems no larger than 10-15cm.
When laying rolls of lawn, ensure that the rolls are laid edge to edge, but without overlapping.
The precise choice of plants will depend on your climate and location.
Once the ODISI sheet is in place and protected by 15-20cm of soil/substrate, it can be walked on and rolled over without damaging the drainage and drip irrigation pipes.
