Home Depot Backyard

Atlanta, GA – Merit Award, Comm & Public Works – LG

CONSULTANT

Bob Scott, Irrigation Consultant Services, Inc.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

• The Home Depot Backyard is a 15-acre activity venue located in the heart of downtown Atlanta, one of the centerpieces of the Atlanta Sports Entertainment District.
• The site was installed on the top of the imploded Georgia Dome with 30 feet of rock and rubble included.

PROJECT NARRATIVE

• The design developed a highly efficient and highly reliable irrigation system, using a non-potable water supply and with deep-rock well water as a last resort.
• The irrigation system was installed in a crushed-rock base over concrete rubble.
• Pipe was embedded in pea gravel that was added as a top layer.
• Rainwater from the Stadium roof was implemented as the primary irrigation water source, supplemented with a cistern.

ROLE OF THE IRRIGATION CONSULTANT

• Project services included: landscape irrigation planning, concept and installation team coordination for the development for the irrigation system, cistern pumping system including inlet and discharge filtration, cistern level controls, cistern piping system for irrigation well replenishment.
• Coordinated with project electrical, mechanical and civil engineers to determine appropriate mechanical and electrical controls for the deep groundwater cistern replenishment on the existing Mercedes Benz Stadium water harvesting cistern system.
• Worked with the project general contractor lead to field identify location, size and configuration for the HDBY pumping systems enclosure, well supply pipe routing with electrical communication.
• Provided bid and construction documents, construction documents, and monthly field reports during construction and acted as lead for the irrigation well water development.
• Specified moisture sensing for target area hydro-zones.
• Oversight of project to make sure construction was done according to plan, discussed budgetary plan variances and analyzed changes.

SPECIAL FACTORS

• The project had to be completed before the first Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC season opening games, requiring strict adherence to the timeline. Staying on schedule required ongoing communication with experts to verify decisions and rapid responses to any inquiries about the project from all sources.
• Irrigation well testing the wells produced the minimum yield for cistern replenishment, so the irrigation wells had to be enhanced.
• Irrigation wells development had to interface with irrigation water management controls which feeds back information back to the Mercedes Benz Stadium energy management system.

HOME DEPOT BACKYARD

Home Depot Backyard is a 15-acre activity venue located in the heart of downtown Atlanta, one of the centerpieces of the Atlanta Sports Entertainment District.

ROCK CONDITIONS

This irrigation system was installed in a crushed-rock base over concrete rubble. Pipe was embedded in pea gravel that was added as a top layer.

IRRIGATION WATER WELLS

The wells provided the minimum requirement for cistern replenishment so irrigation wells had to be enhanced.

CISTERN PUMPING SYSTEM INSTALLATION

Separate Home Depot Backyard cistern pumping system installation after cistern installation.

IRRIGATION SYSTEM RAIN HARVESTING

Rainwater from the Mercedes Benz Stadium roof was implemented as the primary irrigation water source, supplemented with a cistern.

IRRIGATION WATER HARVESTING COORDINATION MEETING

The IC maintained close collaboration between the project’s ownership, architects, landscape architects and engineers with project general contractor.

IRRIGATION SYSTEM CONSTRUCTION

The IC provided bid construction documents, approved field RFI’s with submittals, and monthly field reports.

IRRIGATION SYSTEM COVERAGE

The IC provided oversight of the project to make sure construction was according to plans, discussed budget plan variances and analyzed field changes.