Calsense wins Irrigation Association’s New Product award for Irrigation Management as a Service innovation
December 12, 2022
IMaaS allows customers to benefit from a full smart irrigation control system without the need for often prohibitive capital investment
LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Irrigation Management as a Service™ (IMaaS™), the innovative subscription-style smart irrigation system deployment option from industry pioneer Calsense, has won the Silver Award in the Irrigation Association’s 2022 New Product Contest.
The prestigious award, in the competition’s Landscape Irrigation category, was announced on Thursday, Dec. 8 at the Irrigation Show and Education Week in Las Vegas, Nevada. This year was the 20th edition of the renowned New Product Contest.
IMaaS is a means for Calsense customers to purchase an entire smart irrigation control system, including state of the art controllers, related peripherals, software and any required up-front and ongoing services, without the need for large-scale capital investment. Instead, customers pay a fixed yearly fee (typically over 10 years) and get the full set of benefits of the system from day one.
“Climate change is happening faster than even recently predicted, and the megadrought in the western United States is severe,” he said. “Water is running out. We wanted to find a way to get the technology that is needed for smart irrigation to our customers in as timely a fashion as possible.
“In addition, our customers all across the country are struggling to find and retain labor. We felt that being able to complement any labor gaps that may exist on the side of the customer would be helpful to them, and we’ve made that a part of our solution if needed.
“The third reason has to do with technology and the rate at which it evolves, making it a challenge for customers to keep up. It’s hard for them to budget technology changes when there are so many unknowns. This is called technology risk. IMaaS allows us to shift that risk from the customer to Calsense, since we upgrade their system’s technology as it’s required.”
Calsense’s President and CEO, A.J. van de Ven said: “It’s been my dream to bring an ‘as a service’ offering to our industry for several years. It’s great to see that dream recognized as uniquely innovative and beneficial to our customers.”
Products in the contest were evaluated by a panel of judges based on innovative and/or “changed-for-the-better” qualities; increased or improved irrigation, water or energy efficiency; ease of use; cost benefits; time savings and design quality. After submitting an award entry and being shortlisted as a finalist, Calsense provided an 8-minute prerecorded video presenting IMaaS and detailing its technical aspects, as well as its economic and environmental impact. This was followed by a public question and answer session with judges over Zoom.
Calsense was established in Carlsbad, California, in response to drought conditions decades ago. The company’s vision is to contribute to a sustainable future by saving the world’s most precious resource: water. It creates sophisticated smart irrigation solutions built on a foundation of technology, education, and partnership.
Find out more about Irrigation Management as a Service at www.calsense.com/imaas
About Calsense
Calsense is a partner with the Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense® program in promoting water efficient products and services. For 35 years, the company has contributed to providing a sustainable future by developing water resource management tools and strategies, directly incorporating input from its customers. Calsense helps its customers conserve water, manage labor and ultimately save money through smart irrigation. The company’s industry-leading technology and support bridge the gap between irrigation designer, installer, landscape maintainer and water manager to provide the support needed at each phase of a project. Customers partner with Calsense for a reliable system that provides long-term value. For more information, visit www.calsense.com.
