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Landscaping And Snow Removal Blog

4 Commercial Landscaping Technology Trends We’re Tracking at Schill

Posted by Jerry Schill on Jan 21, 2025 9:30:36 AM
Jerry Schill
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Autonomous lawn mower

At Schill Grounds Management, we’re always looking to level up our commercial landscaping knowledge and training. After all, it’s part of our C.A.R.E. program (our commitment to Consistency, Accessibility, Reliability and Expertise). With technology rapidly advancing, it’s clear that innovation is reshaping how commercial landscapes are managed. From drones and battery-powered equipment to autonomous mowers and AI-driven tools, technology is enabling landscaping providers to deliver higher-quality results with greater efficiency.

Exploring the Future of Landscaping at Industry Events

Staying on top of our game means being involved in industry associations and seeking educational opportunities.

The end of the year brings two major landscape industry conferences: Elevate & Equip Exposition.

Elevate is the National Association of Landscape Professionals’ annual conference and trade show. This year it was held in Charlotte, North Carolina from Nov. 3-6.

Equip Expo, held annually in Louisville, Ky., is the international landscape, outdoor living and equipment exposition, owned by the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute. With more than 1.2 million square feet of indoor and outdoor exhibit space, Equip is one of the largest trade shows in the U.S. This year’s event attracted a record-breaking 28,500 people.

The takeaways from these industry events? In short: technology.

“What I’m going to take away most from this year’s event is the amount of technology, whether that is coming into the business, whether that’s autonomous (equipment), whether that’s battery-powered, whether those are software packages that will let landscape contractors and lawn care professionals do their jobs better, faster, more efficiently,” says Scott Hollister, editor-in-chief of Landscape Management magazine, referring to Equip. Reports from Elevate echo the same sentiments.

Let’s take a look at some of the landscaping industry technologies that may benefit commercial property managers in the near future. 

1. Drones

Equip Expo had an entire section of its 30-acre outdoor demonstration area dedicated to drones and how they’re being used by landscape contractors to be more efficient in water management, imaging, analytics, mapping and more.

The Schill team is excited to track this technology and the opportunities it may present us to make your properties safer, more environmentally friendly and more beautiful. 

2. Battery-powered equipment

Options continue to grow in the battery-powered and electric equipment arena for both handheld equipment and mowers, as runtimes improve and costs become more comparable to gas-powered units.

Sometimes driven by regulations, sometimes driven by customer preference — battery-powered equipment is a trend with staying power that we’re closely monitoring.   

3. Autonomous mowers

Likewise, robotic and autonomous mowers are here to stay in the landscape industry. What’s clear is manufacturers from inside the industry and outside the industry (i.e, Segway) are coming out with autonomous mowers in all shapes and sizes. Small Roomba-style units and large, ride-on or stand-on mowers were everywhere at this fall’s trade shows.

How quickly the technology advances will be interesting to see, and we’re keeping our eye on it at Schill. 

4. Artificial Intelligence (AI) & automation

AI is perhaps the buzzword of the year. You can’t open your email, a smartphone app or an internet browser without seeing the sparkle icon indicating an AI-enabled feature. The commercial landscaping and property management industries are no different; in fact, one of Elevate’s keynote presentations was “The Future of AI” by AI expert Noelle Russell.

As landscape software companies roll out AI functionality, the team at Schill is excited to experiment with it in practical ways that will ultimately benefit our clients.

Are you looking for a cutting-edge commercial landscape and snow management company to take your property to the next level? Don’t hesitate to get in touch with the experts at Schill Grounds Management. 

Topics: Commercial Landscaping, Commercial Grounds Care

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