Latest Trends in Synthetic Grass for 2025: What to Expect

Latest Trends in Synthetic Grass for 2025: What to Expect

Las Vegas Synthetic Grass For Restaurants

Advancements in Synthetic Grass Materials


Well, when it comes to the Latest Trends in Synthetic Grass for 2025, lets talk about Advancements in Synthetic Grass Materials! Quality Artificial Grass Vegas Nevada. You might think its just another year of the same old stuff, but oh no, youd be wrong! Las Vegas Artificial Grass Warranty The folks in the industry are cooking up some exciting new developments that are set to transform the game!


First off, imagine materials that not only look like the real deal but also feel more natural underfoot. Some manufacturers are working on innovative blends that mimic the texture and even the bounce of real grass. Its not just about aesthetics anymore; its about creating an experience thats as close to nature as possible!


And forget about the traditional plastic fibers! Scientists are experimenting with new materials that are not only more durable but also more environmentally friendly. Think about it, synthetic grass has a huge impact on the environment, and if these advancements come through, we might see a significant reduction in waste and pollution!


But wait, theres more! Researchers are looking into ways to make synthetic grass that can actually help the environment. How about grass that can absorb rainwater or even filter pollutants? Thats right, its not just about beauty; its about sustainability too!


Now, some might argue that these advancements are too good to be true, but believe me, the industry is pushing boundaries like never before. Theyre not just playing around; theyre investing heavily in R&D to make these innovations a reality. So, if youre thinking about upgrading your outdoor space, or if youre just curious about whats coming next, keep an eye on these developments! Theyre going to shake things up in a big way!

Environmental Impact and Sustainability Practices


Environmental Impact and Sustainability Practices


Okay, so lets chat about synthetic grass and, like, saving the planet, yeah? For 2025, its not just about having a perfect, always-green lawn. People (and, importantly, companies) are getting really serious about the environmental impact of everything, including their fake grass!


We cant ignore that traditional synthetic turf, you know, the old stuff, wasnt exactly eco-friendly. Its often made from plastics that dont break down easily. Think about it – it just sits there, potentially leeching stuff into the soil! And when its old, disposing of it isnt always easy, is it?


But hey, theres good news! The latest trends are all about sustainability. Were seeing more and more manufacturers using recycled materials, which is awesome. Some are even exploring bio-based plastics that are actually biodegradable (or at least, more biodegradable!). Its not perfect, but its a definite step in the right direction.


Plus, consider the other benefits. You arent watering it! (Think about all the water youll save!) And, you dont need to use fertilizers or pesticides. So, youre not contributing to runoff pollution. Thats a huge win.


However, we mustnt pretend its all sunshine and daisies. Theres still work to be done. We need better recycling programs for old turf. And we gotta make sure these "eco-friendly" options are truly as green as they claim to be. Independent certifications are crucial to avoid greenwashing.


So, yeah, the future of synthetic grass isnt just about looking good. Its about doing good, too. Its about minimizing our footprint and making choices that are sustainable for future generations. Its an ongoing process, but its one we need to take seriously! Wow!

Innovations in Installation Techniques


As we look ahead to 2025, the world of synthetic grass is rapidly evolving, and one of the most exciting aspects is the innovations in installation techniques. It's not just about laying down some turf anymore; it's turning into a complex art form that combines technology, efficiency, and sustainability!


Firstly, we can't ignore the advancements in tools and machinery. There are new gadgets (some might even call them toys) that make the installation process quicker and more precise. For example, automated turf laying machines are becoming more common. They can level surfaces and roll out grass with incredible accuracy, which means we won't have to worry about those pesky wrinkles or uneven patches that used to plague homeowners.


Moreover, theres a noticeable shift toward eco-friendly installation methods. Gone are the days when synthetic grass was installed with harmful adhesives and chemicals. Now, many installers are opting for water-based adhesives and other green alternatives that are better for the environment. This change not only benefits our planet but also gives homeowners peace of mind knowing they're making a responsible choice.


Then theres the rise of DIY installation kits. Believe it or not, more people are choosing to take on the challenge themselves. Companies are creating user-friendly kits that come with everything you need for a successful installation, from the turf to the tools. It's a great way for homeowners to save some cash (and have a little fun) while still achieving professional-looking results.


Lastly, we cant overlook the importance of education in this space. With the rise of online tutorials and workshops, even those who've never touched turf before are able to learn the ropes. This means that the knowledge around synthetic grass installation is spreading, and more people are getting involved, which is super exciting!


In conclusion, 2025 is shaping up to be a transformative year for synthetic grass installation techniques. With new technologies, eco-friendly practices, and accessible DIY options, there's no doubt that the industry is moving forward. So, if you're thinking about upgrading your lawn, you might just be in for a treat!

Future Applications and Market Growth Predictions


Okay, so, like, lets talk about where synthetic grass is headin, right? (Specifically, for 2025, duh). Child Safe Turf Installation Las Vegas Its not just about perfectly manicured lawns anymore, ya know? Were lookin at some seriously cool applications! Think rooftop gardens that dont need constant waterin, playgrounds that are way safer for the kiddos (less scraped knees, hooray!), and even indoor spaces gettin a touch of green.


Market growth? Oh boy, its gonna be huge! We aint seein a slowdown anytime soon.

Latest Trends in Synthetic Grass for 2025: What to Expect - Las Vegas Artificial Grass Warranty

  • Las Vegas Synthetic Grass For Restaurants
  • Las Vegas Artificial Grass Warranty
  • Child Safe Turf Installation Las Vegas
Why? Well, people are realizin it doesnt need much maintenance, so they do not have to deal with the hassle of mowing every week. Plus, with water restrictions gettin tighter, its a pretty smart alternative to natural turf. (It is expensive, though, lets not pretend like its not).


Businesses, theyre jumpin on the bandwagon too! Imagine restaurants with outdoor patios that look lush year-round, or sports fields that can withstand intense use without turnin into a muddy mess. The possibilities are endless, I tell ya! I didnt think it would get this big, but hey, here we are!


Dont discount the impact of technology either. We are not at a stand still. Were talkin about synthetic grass thats more durable, more realistic-looking, and even environmentally friendly (some are made from recycled materials!). Its not your grandmas AstroTurf anymore, thats for sure! Wow!

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Central Park in Manhattan, the first landscaped urban park in the United States

Landscape design is an independent profession and a design and art tradition, practiced by landscape designers, combining nature and culture. In contemporary practice, landscape design bridges the space between landscape architecture and garden design.[1]

Design scope

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Landscape design focuses on both the integrated master landscape planning of a property and the specific garden design of landscape elements and plants within it. The practical, aesthetic, horticultural, and environmental sustainability are also components of landscape design, which is often divided into hardscape design and softscape design. Landscape designers often collaborate with related disciplines such as architecture, civil engineering, surveying, landscape contracting, and artisan specialties.

Design projects may involve two different professional roles: landscape design and landscape architecture.

  • Landscape design typically involves artistic composition and artisanship, horticultural finesse and expertise, and emphasis on detailed site involvement from conceptual stages through to final construction.
  • Landscape architecture focuses more on urban planning, city and regional parks, civic and corporate landscapes, large scale interdisciplinary projects, and delegation to contractors after completing designs.

There can be a significant overlap of talent and skill between the two roles, depending on the education, licensing, and experience of the professional. Both landscape designers and landscape architects practice landscape design.[2]

Design approach

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Autumn colours at Stourhead gardens

The landscape design phase consists of research, gathering ideas, and setting a plan. Design factors include objective qualities such as: climate and microclimates; topography and orientation, site drainage and groundwater recharge; municipal and resource building codes; soils and irrigation; human and vehicular access and circulation; recreational amenities (i.e., sports and water); furnishings and lighting; native plant habitat botany when present; property safety and security; construction detailing; and other measurable considerations.

Design factors also include subjective qualities such as genius loci (the special site qualities to emphasize); client's needs and preferences; desirable plants and elements to retain on site, modify, or replace, and that may be available for borrowed scenery from beyond; artistic composition from perspectives of both looking upon and observing from within; spatial development and definition – using lines, sense of scale, and balance and symmetry; plant palettes; and artistic focal points for enjoyment. There are innumerable other design factors and considerations brought to the complex process of designing a garden that is beautiful, well-functioning, and that thrives over time.

The up-and-coming practice of online landscape design allows professional landscapers to remotely design and plan sites through manipulation of two-dimensional images without ever physically visiting the location. Due to the frequent lack of non-visual, supplementary data such as soil assessments and pH tests, online landscaping necessarily must focus on incorporating only plants which are tolerant across many diverse soil conditions.

Training

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André Le Nôtre

Historically, landscape designers trained by apprenticing—such as André Le Nôtre, who apprenticed with his father before designing the Gardens of Versailles—to accomplished masters in the field, with the titular name varying and reputation paramount for a career. The professional section of garden designers in Europe and the Americas went by the name "Landscape Gardener". In the 1890s, the distinct classification of landscape architect was created, with educational and licensing test requirements for using the title legally. Beatrix Farrand, the sole woman in the founding group, refused the title preferring Landscape Gardener. Matching the client and technical needs of a project, and the appropriate practitioner with talent, legal qualifications, and experienced skills, surmounts title nomenclature.[citation needed]

Institutional education in landscape design appeared in the early 20th century. Over time it became available at various levels. Ornamental horticulture programs with design components are offered at community college and universities within schools of agriculture or horticulture, with some beginning to offer garden or landscape design certificates and degrees. Departments of landscape architecture are located within university schools of architecture or environmental design, with undergraduate and graduate degrees offered. Specialties and minors are available in horticultural botany, horticulture, natural resources, landscape engineering, construction management, fine and applied arts, and landscape design history. Traditionally, hand-drawn drawings documented the design and position of features for construction, but Landscape design software is frequently used now.[citation needed]

Other routes of training are through informal apprenticeships with practicing landscape designers, landscape architects, landscape contractors, gardeners, nurseries and garden centers, and docent programs at botanical and public gardens. Since the landscape designer title does not have a college degree or licensing requirements to be used, there is a very wide range of sophistication, aesthetic talent, technical expertise, and specialty strengths to be responsibly matched with specific client and project requirements.[citation needed]

Gardening

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Many landscape designers have an interest and involvement with gardening, personally or professionally. Gardens are dynamic and not static after construction and planting are completed, and so in some ways are "never done". Involvement with landscape management and direction of the ongoing garden direction, evolution, and care depend on the professional's and client's needs and inclinations. As with the other interrelated landscape disciplines, there can be an overlap of services offered under the titles of landscape designer or professional gardener.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "When is a garden designer a landscape designer? Indeed, when is a garden a landscape – or vice-versa?". Bowles & Wyer. 2012-04-11. Archived from the original on 2016-06-17. Retrieved 2016-05-17.
  2. ^ a b "Question & Answer". ASLA. Retrieved 2016-05-17.

 

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Energy-efficient landscaping is a type of landscaping designed for the purpose of conserving energy. There is a distinction between the embedded energy of materials and constructing the landscape, and the energy consumed by the maintenance and operations of a landscape.

Terminology and definition

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Landscaping often refers to the practice of landscape design and gardening, which traditionally concern with designing sites with vegetation and craft for aesthetic, cultural, social, and religious purposes.

Landscape architecture and landscape engineering, on the other hand, are multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary professions that integrate technical considerations, such as geography, ecology, biology, and engineering, into the design of landscape and the actualization of it.

Energy-efficient landscaping falls into the categories of the latter, and it stresses the energy conservation in site operation or the creation of the site. Among its various term usage, energy-efficient landscaping can refer to the reduction of energy usage in maintenance and operation of the landscape narrowly for the user/owner of the site,[1][2] or broadly for the energy conservation of the global environment, such as mitigating urban heat island effect with reflective surface (increase albedo) or reducing the need of water treatment and sewage by using pervious pavement. Common methods of energy-efficient landscaping include reducing heat or cooling load of a building through shade, wind-blocking, and insulation; management of water; and using plants or construction material that cost less energy.

Methods and techniques

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Design techniques include:

Shade with trees

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Planting trees for the purpose of providing shade, which reduces cooling costs. The mature height of the trees and their canopy shape need to be well studied. The locations of the trees should be chosen based on their height and the height of the building. Also, when trees are planted closer to the windows or walls, they will provide shade for a greater portion of the day as the Sun keep changing its relative position to the window and the trees. Planting the trees too close to the building, however, is also not desirable, as it might create the danger of touching above-ground or underground utility lines.[2]

The type of leaves of the trees is also important. Broad-leaf evergreens like Southern magnolia can be used to provide dense year-round shade. However, needle-leaf evergreens like pines and cedars can provide more air circulation though their shade is sparser and more open.[2]

Not only can tree shade be used to reduce the cooling load in building, it can also be used in parking lot, driveways, and playgrounds.[3]

Windbreak

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Planting or building windbreaks to slow winds near buildings, which reduces heat loss. Homes loses heat through infiltration in the Winter. Windbreaks should be designed to intercept and redirect the Winter winds before they reach the house and outdoor areas with playgrounds or sensitive plants. The windbreak in the Winter should also be designed so that they would not block the sunlight in the Winter or block the wind in the Summer.[3]

Wall sheltering with shrubbery or vines

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Planting shrubs near the wall creates an insulating air space around the wall. This is a similar idea to the use of a tree windbreak. Shrubs should be planted at least 2 feet (0.61 m) from the wall to prevent moisture and insect problems.[2]

Taking advantage of natural landform

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Earth sheltering is an example of using natural landform and geological condition to save energy in building a structure. It is believed to save energy in multiple ways: by using the rock or strong

An Earth house by Peter Vetsch

soil as wall and ground as the floor, construction cost is greatly reduced, because the structure will need less load bearing material and there is no need for excavation and foundation construction; the wall and the floor made of natural material likely will have better insulation than artificial wall and floors; Natural walls and floors can also reduce fire hazard, because they are hard to be ignited thus reduce the need for flame retardants.[4]

In a study of simulating a structure with varying depth submerged in the ground to understand the insulating effect of natural wall and ground in cold climate,[5] it was found that the thermal transmittance of the earth-sheltered walls and floor is 16% - 45% lower than that of the structure totally above ground.

Other than Earth Sheltering, a simpler way of taking advantage of natural landform is using geology, such as mountains, for shade.

Green roofs

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Often, landscape design and architecture refers to the design in ground surface; in many contexts, specifically, the design guidance and topics are for a typical residential landscape in suburban housing, where there is a yard (garden), a driveway, and a house. In the crowded urban area, however, there is not abundant ground surface for landscape design. Green roofs, then, become an appealing option to add some aesthetics and green to the crowded cities. Not limited to the cities, green roofs can be applied to wherever it will fit. Most of times, actually, the decision to build Green roofs is based on local climate and policy. It is because other than its aesthetics, green roofs are used often for their ability to conserve energy, such as increasing insulation of the building roof, retaining and infiltrating rainwater, and potentially reducing urban heat island effect when it was installed to a certain scale. In Germany, for example, partly because of EU's regulation, 17% of the new roof construction are green roofs. In Washington DC, green roofs are used as an alternative storm-water retention technique.[6]

Chicago City Hall Green Roof

Benefits

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Reducing building energy consumption by increasing the roof insulation: In total energy consumption reduction, green roof would have the best performance relative to a bare roof in a colder climate, which require nighttime heating. The reduction in heating load of the building increase as the soil depth of the green roof increase, though an increased soil depth would mean heavier roof. On the other hand, if a building is cooling-dominated, leaf area index is more important. In peak energy consumption reduction, green roof also has a notable effect, and the leaf area index and soil depth are both positively related to its performance.[7]

Rainwater retention and evapotranspiration: 3-4 inches of soil can retain about 1 inch of rainwater. That is about 75% of precipitation in most areas in United States.[8] By retaining the rainwater in soil, the water would not become runoff, instead they would result in evapotranspiration.

Controversies

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Water runoff quality: When green roof is not able to hold the amount of the precipitation, the excessive rainwater will become runoff. In a field experiment where contaminated water is dripped into a green roof section to mimic rainfall in the green roof, the exfiltrate water was studied and analyzed. It was found that since the average level of suspended solid, nitrogen, and phosphorus concentrations in Green roof water outflow is significantly higher than that in conventional roof outflow, extensive green roofs will become a source of nutrient contamination in urban water environment.[9]

Fire Hazard: Green roofs can be more easily ignited than conventional roofs; it is a concern that when the green roof caught fire, the high temperature would damage the roof structure itself. Not only the idea of damaging the roof is contradictory to energy conservation and sustainability, the fire and the roof damage could cause safety issue to the residents. It remains a matter of debate as to whether a green roof will exacerbate or mitigate the effects of a fire. Some argue that, because vegetation is about 95% water, the green roof actually reduces chances of a fire. On the other hand, some argue that during autumn and winter, when the vegetation is dry, fire hazard is increased. A recent study has found, through mathematical modelling, that [10] when the vegetation itself caught fire, heat does penetrate downward (rather slowly as the thermal conductivity of soil is low), eventually damaging the roof itself. Thus the key to whether ignited vegetation will damage the roof or not depends on the thickness of the soil. The study also found that by installing a gypsum layer beneath the soil layer, the possibility of damaging the roof can be greatly reduced.

Additional structural load: Most old buildings were not designed for the extra roof dead load of the green roofs. If more energy is consumed in building the additional load bearing structure for the green roofs than the energy saved through insulation enhancement and water retention, it would be contradictory to the idea of energy conservation. By study, common green roofs types in the market would increase the load on the rood by 1.2 to 2.43 kilo-newton per square meter.[11]

Pervious (porous/permeable) paving

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A lot pavement in urban and suburban areas is impervious, this likely would result the contaminated stormwater runoff. In pre-development area, averagely 50% of storm-water would result in evapotranspiration, 5% in runoff, and 45% in infiltration, whereas in post-development area, only 35% storm-water result in evapotranspiration, and 50% in runoff, and 15% in infiltration. This change has caused various problem, such as flooding, infrastructural damage due to rapid movement of water, and water contamination.[12]

By using pervious paving, however, the amount of infiltrated storm-water will be increased in post-development area, and the pollutants in the filtrated water can be reduced; thus the problem can be mitigated. In Low Impact Development 2008 Conference, ASCE performed two bench-scale study to examine the effectiveness of permeable interlocking concrete pavement in terms of water flow rate and the role of microbial colonies in pollutant removal in the micro-environment of porous pavement.[13] The experiment shows 84% relative total suspended solids (TSS) removal on average, yet the increased relative removal over time suggests there is potentially solid buildup, and that may result system clogging and system failure. The evidence in pollutant removal proved the conclusion of the previous study that the annual pollutant runoff from the driveways was 86% lower for pervious driveways than impervious driveways.

Types of Pervious pavement include:[12]

Porous asphalt

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Advantage: Relatively low cost; Easy access to the material; Workers are experienced with it

Disadvantage: Susceptible to water damage; Usually used for short-term only; Low relative strength

Pervious concrete

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Advantage: High structural strength; Easy access to the material

Disadvantage: Slow construction process; High initial cost

Permeable interlocking concrete paver

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Advantage: Ease of Construction, Aesthetics, Ease of maintenance and repair

Disadvantage: High Cost; Only can be used for low speed road way

Grid Pavement

Grid pavement

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Advantage: Wide variety of products; Relatively inexpensive; Ease of maintenance and repair

Disadvantage: Typically limited to parking areas

The decision among different permeable pavement types depends on the need of the project, available material and equipment, and budget.

Effective and smart lighting

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Site lighting with full cut off fixtures, light level sensors, and high efficiency fixtures.

Structure orientation

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The sun rises from the East, moves South, and sets in the West. Thus, a rule of thumb for design is to avoid south-facing windows when trying to decrease cooling load of the building and increase south-facing windows when trying to decrease heating load of the building. The reality, however, is more complicated. The sun rises from East and sets in West perfectly only on the autumnal and vernal equinoxes, and during the vast majority of the year, Sun travels slightly southward and eastward depending on whether it is summer or winter and on whether the observer is in the Northern Hemisphere or the Southern Hemisphere.[14]

To design for the best performance of the site, the designer needs to well understand the local climate and the site's location relative to equator.

More to include

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Energy-efficient landscaping techniques include using local materials, on-site composting and chipping to reduce green waste hauling, hand tools instead of gasoline-powered, and also may involve using drought-resistant plantings in arid areas, buying stock from local growers to avoid energy in transportation, and similar techniques.

Example

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In agreement with the city to build a resilient and sustainable landscape, Massachusetts Institute of Technology has initiated several energy efficiency upgrade projects, these projects include:

  • Planting trees and using the tree canopy to provide shade for pedestrians, which also would give students more incentive to walk
  • Landscape filters are added to (partly) treat rain water
  • Storm-water storage are installed to mitigate flood
  • Lighter color pavement for reducing heat island effect

See also

[edit]
[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Mansfield, Robyn (1996). "Energy efficient landscaping". Soft Technology: Alternative Technology in Australia (56): 24–25. ISSN 0810-1434.
  2. ^ a b c d DelValle, Terry B.; Bradshaw, Joan; Larson, Barbra; Ruppert, Kathleen C. (2008-07-09). "Energy Efficient Homes: Landscaping: FCS3281/FY1050, 6/2008". EDIS. 2008 (5). doi:10.32473/edis-fy1050-2008. ISSN 2576-0009. S2CID 245098464.
  3. ^ a b Hoeven, Gustaaf A. van der (November 1982). "Energy efficient landscaping". cite journal: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. ^ "Earth-sheltered houses". Lowimpact.org. Retrieved 2021-12-15.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ Berezin, D V (2019-12-01). "Earth-sheltering effect on dwelling in cold climate: simulation-based and theoretical approaches". IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering. 687 (5): 055042. Bibcode:2019MS&E..687e5042B. doi:10.1088/1757-899x/687/5/055042. ISSN 1757-8981. S2CID 213946214.
  6. ^ Celik, Serdar; Morgan, Susan; Retzlaff, William A. (April 2010). "Energy Conservation Analysis of Various Green Roof Systems". 2010 IEEE Green Technologies Conference. pp. 1–4. doi:10.1109/GREEN.2010.5453802. ISBN 978-1-4244-5274-3. S2CID 23090814.
  7. ^ Sailor, David J.; Elley, Timothy B.; Gibson, Max (2011-09-13). "Exploring the building energy impacts of green roof design decisions – a modeling study of buildings in four distinct climates". Journal of Building Physics. 35 (4): 372–391. doi:10.1177/1744259111420076. ISSN 1744-2591. S2CID 108512300.
  8. ^ Johnson, Peter (Sep 2008). "Green Roof Performance Measures" (PDF).
  9. ^ Liu, Wen; Wei, Wei; Chen, Weiping; Deo, Ravinesh C.; Si, Jianhua; Xi, Haiyang; Li, Baofeng; Feng, Qi (September 2019). "The impacts of substrate and vegetation on stormwater runoff quality from extensive green roofs". Journal of Hydrology. 576: 575–582. Bibcode:2019JHyd..576..575L. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2019.06.061. ISSN 0022-1694. S2CID 197576248.
  10. ^ Gerzhova; Blanchet; Dagenais; Côté; Ménard (2019-09-19). "Heat Transfer Behavior of Green Roof Systems Under Fire Condition: A Numerical Study". Buildings. 9 (9): 206. doi:10.3390/buildings9090206. hdl:20.500.11794/66393. ISSN 2075-5309.
  11. ^ Cascone, Stefano; Catania, Federico; Gagliano, Antonio; Sciuto, Gaetano (May 2018). "A comprehensive study on green roof performance for retrofitting existing buildings". Building and Environment. 136: 227–239. Bibcode:2018BuEnv.136..227C. doi:10.1016/j.buildenv.2018.03.052. ISSN 0360-1323.
  12. ^ a b "Permeable Pavements" (PDF). Pervious Pavement.
  13. ^ Rowe, Amy A.; Borst, Michael; O'Connor, Thomas P. (2012-04-26). "Pervious Pavement System Evaluation". Low Impact Development for Urban Ecosystem and Habitat Protection. pp. 1–9. doi:10.1061/41009(333)25. ISBN 9780784410097.
  14. ^ "Building Orientation for Optimum Energy". www.nachi.org. Retrieved 2021-12-16.

 

 

Artificial turf with rubber crumb infill
Side view of artificial turf
Diagram of the structure of modern artificial turf
Artificial turf square mats

Artificial turf is a surface of synthetic fibers made to look like natural grass, used in sports arenas, residential lawns and commercial applications that traditionally use grass. It is much more durable than grass and easily maintained without irrigation or trimming, although periodic cleaning is required. Stadiums that are substantially covered and/or at high latitudes often use artificial turf, as they typically lack enough sunlight for photosynthesis and substitutes for solar radiation are prohibitively expensive and energy-intensive. Disadvantages include increased risk of injury especially when used in athletic competition, as well as health and environmental concerns about the petroleum and toxic chemicals used in its manufacture.

Artificial turf first gained substantial attention in 1966, when ChemGrass was installed in the year-old Astrodome, developed by Monsanto and rebranded as AstroTurf, now a generic trademark (registered to a new owner) for any artificial turf.

The first-generation system of shortpile fibers without infill of the 1960s has largely been replaced by two more. The second features longer fibers and sand infill and the third adds recycled crumb rubber to the sand. Compared to earlier systems, modern artificial turf more closely resembles grass in appearance and is also considered safer for athletic competition. However, it is still not widely considered to be equal to grass. Sports clubs, leagues, unions and individual athletes have frequently spoken out and campaigned against it, while local governments have enacted and enforced laws restricting and/or banning its use.

History

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David Chaney, who moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1960 and later served as Dean of the North Carolina State University College of Textiles, headed the team of Research Triangle Park researchers who created the first notable artificial turf. That accomplishment led Sports Illustrated to declare Chaney as the man "responsible for indoor major league baseball and millions of welcome mats."

Artificial turf was first installed in 1964 on a recreation area at the Moses Brown School in Providence, Rhode Island.[1] The material came to public prominence in 1966, when AstroTurf was installed in the Astrodome in Houston, Texas.[1] The state-of-the-art indoor stadium had attempted to use natural grass during its initial season in 1965, but this failed miserably and the field conditions were grossly inadequate during the second half of the season, with the dead grass painted green. Due to a limited supply of the new artificial grass, only the infield was installed before the Houston Astros' home opener in April 1966; the outfield was installed in early summer during an extended Astros road trip and first used after the All-Star Break in July.

The use of AstroTurf and similar surfaces became widespread in the U.S. and Canada in the early 1970s, installed in both indoor and outdoor stadiums used for baseball and football. More than 11,000 artificial turf playing fields have been installed nationally.[2] More than 1,200 were installed in the U.S. in 2013 alone, according to the industry group the Synthetic Turf Council.[2]

Sports applications

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Baseball

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Tropicana Field with its artificial turf field.
An artificial-turf field at a high school in Oregon.

Artificial turf was first used in Major League Baseball in the Houston Astrodome in 1966, replacing the grass field used when the stadium opened a year earlier. Even though the grass was specifically bred for indoor use, the dome's semi-transparent Lucite ceiling panels, which had been painted white to cut down on glare that bothered the players, did not pass enough sunlight to support the grass. For most of the 1965 season, the Astros played on green-painted dirt and dead grass.

The solution was to install a new type of artificial grass on the field, ChemGrass, which became known as AstroTurf. Given its early use, the term astroturf has since been genericized as a term for any artificial turf.[3] Because the supply of AstroTurf was still low, only a limited amount was available for the first home game. There was not enough for the entire outfield, but there was enough to cover the traditional grass portion of the infield. The outfield remained painted dirt until after the All-Star Break. The team was sent on an extended road trip before the break, and on July 19, 1966, the installation of the outfield portion of AstroTurf was completed.

The Chicago White Sox became the first team to install artificial turf in an outdoor stadium, as they used it only in the infield and adjacent foul territory at Comiskey Park from 1969 through 1975.[4] Artificial turf was later installed in other new multi-purpose stadiums such as Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Stadium, Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium, and Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium. Early AstroTurf baseball fields used the traditional all-dirt path, but starting in 1970 with Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium,[5] teams began using the "base cutout" layout on the diamond, with the only dirt being on the pitcher's mound, batter's circle, and in a five-sided diamond-shaped "sliding box" around each base. With this layout, a painted arc would indicate where the edge of the outfield grass would normally be, to assist fielders in positioning themselves properly. The last stadium in MLB to use this configuration was Rogers Centre in Toronto, when they switched to an all-dirt infield (but keeping the artificial turf) for the 2016 season.[6][7]

Artificial turf being installed on a baseball field in Queens, New York City.

The biggest difference in play on artificial turf was that the ball bounced higher than on real grass and also traveled faster, causing infielders to play farther back than they would normally so that they would have sufficient time to react. The ball also had a truer bounce than on grass so that on long throws fielders could deliberately bounce the ball in front of the player they were throwing to, with the certainty that it would travel in a straight line and not be deflected to the right or left. The biggest impact on the game of "turf", as it came to be called, was on the bodies of the players. The artificial surface, which was generally placed over a concrete base, had much less give to it than a traditional dirt and grass field did, which caused more wear-and-tear on knees, ankles, feet, and the lower back, possibly even shortening the careers of those players who played a significant portion of their games on artificial surfaces. Players also complained that the turf was much hotter than grass, sometimes causing the metal spikes to burn their feet or plastic ones to melt. These factors eventually provoked a number of stadiums, such as the Kansas City Royals' Kauffman Stadium, to switch from artificial turf back to natural grass.

In 2000, St. Petersburg's Tropicana Field became the first MLB field to use a third-generation artificial surface, FieldTurf. All other remaining artificial turf stadiums were either converted to third-generation surfaces or were replaced entirely by new natural grass stadiums. In a span of 13 years, between 1992 and 2005, the National League went from having half of its teams using artificial turf to all of them playing on natural grass. With the replacement of Minneapolis's Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome by Target Field in 2010, only two MLB stadiums used artificial turf from 2010 through 2018: Tropicana Field and Toronto's Rogers Centre. This number grew to three when the Arizona Diamondbacks switched Chase Field to artificial turf for the 2019 season; the stadium had grass from its opening in 1998 until 2018, but the difficulty of maintaining the grass in the stadium, which has a retractable roof and is located in a desert city, was cited as the reason for the switch.[8] In 2020, Miami's Marlins Park (now loanDepot Park) also switched to artificial turf for similar reasons, while the Texas Rangers' new Globe Life Field was opened with an artificial surface, as it is also a retractable roof ballpark in a hot weather city; this puts the number of teams using synthetic turf in MLB at five as of 2023.

American football

[edit]

The first professional American football team to play on artificial turf was the Houston Oilers, then part of the American Football League, who moved into the Astrodome in 1968, which had installed AstroTurf two years prior. In 1969, the University of Pennsylvania's Franklin Field in Philadelphia, at the time also home field of the Philadelphia Eagles, switched from grass to AstroTurf, making it the first National Football League stadium to use artificial turf.

In 2002, CenturyLink Field, originally planned to have a natural grass field, was instead surfaced with FieldTurf upon positive reaction from the Seattle Seahawks when they played on the surface at their temporary home of Husky Stadium during the 2000 and 2001 seasons. This would be the first of a leaguewide trend taking place over the next several seasons that would not only result in teams already using artificial surfaces for their fields switching to the new FieldTurf or other similar surfaces but would also see several teams playing on grass adopt a new surface. (The Indianapolis Colts' RCA Dome and the St. Louis Rams' Edward Jones Dome were the last two stadiums in the NFL to replace their first-generation AstroTurf surfaces for next-generation ones after the 2004 season). For example, after a three-year experiment with a natural surface, Giants Stadium went to FieldTurf for 2003, while M&T Bank Stadium added its own artificial surface the same year (it has since been removed and replaced with a natural surface, which the stadium had before installing the turf). Later examples include Paul Brown Stadium (now Paycor Stadium), which went from grass to turf in 2004; Gillette Stadium, which made the switch in 2006;[9] and NRG Stadium, which did so in 2015. As of 2021, 14 NFL fields out of 30 are artificial. NFL players overwhelmingly prefer natural grass over synthetic surfaces, according to a league survey conducted in 2010. When asked, "Which surface do you think is more likely to shorten your career?", 90% responded artificial turf.[10] When players were asked "Is the Turf versus Grass debate overblown or a real concern"[11] in an anonymous player survey, 83% believe it is a real concern while 12.3% believe it is overblown.

Following receiver Odell Beckham Jr.'s injury during Super Bowl LVI, other NFL players started calling for turf to be banned since the site of the game, SoFi Stadium, was a turf field.[12]

Arena football is played indoors on the older short-pile artificial turf.

Canadian football

[edit]

The first professional Canadian football stadium to use artificial turf was Empire Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, then home of the Canadian Football League's BC Lions, which installed 3M TartanTurf in 1970. Today, eight of the nine stadiums in the CFL currently use artificial turf, largely because of the harsh weather conditions in the latter-half of the season. The only one that does not is BMO Field in Toronto, which initially had an artificial pitch and has been shared by the CFL's Toronto Argonauts since 2016 (part of the endzones at that stadium are covered with artificial turf).[13] The first stadium to use the next-generation surface was Ottawa's Frank Clair Stadium (now TD Place Stadium), which the Ottawa Renegades used when they began play in 2002. The Saskatchewan Roughriders' Taylor Field was the only major professional sports venue in North America to use a second-generation artificial playing surface, Omniturf, which was used from 1988 to 2000, followed by AstroTurf from 2000 to 2007 and FieldTurf from 2007 to its 2016 closure.[14]

Cricket

[edit]

Some cricket pitches are made of synthetic grass[15] or of a hybrid of mostly natural and some artificial grass, with these "hybrid pitches" having been implemented across several parts of the United Kingdom[16] and Australia.[17] The first synthetic turf cricket field in the USA was opened in Fremont, California in 2016.[18]

Field hockey

[edit]

The introduction of synthetic surfaces has significantly changed the sport of field hockey. Since being introduced in the 1970s, competitions in western countries are now mostly played on artificial surfaces. This has increased the speed of the game considerably and changed the shape of hockey sticks to allow for different techniques, such as reverse stick trapping and hitting.

Field hockey artificial turf differs from artificial turf for other sports, in that it does not try to reproduce a grass feel, being made of shorter fibers. This allows the improvement in speed brought by earlier artificial turfs to be retained. This development is problematic for areas which cannot afford to build an extra artificial field for hockey alone. The International Hockey Federation and manufacturers are driving research in order to produce new fields that will be suitable for a variety of sports.

The use of artificial turf in conjunction with changes in the game's rules (e.g., the removal of offside, introduction of rolling substitutes and the self-pass, and to the interpretation of obstruction) have contributed significantly to change the nature of the game, greatly increasing the speed and intensity of play as well as placing far greater demands on the conditioning of the players.

Association football

[edit]
Aspmyra, Norway: home of the football club FK Bodø/Glimt
A slide tackle driving up crumbed rubber in the playing surface

The use of artificial turf, and whether they are not allowed or not, varies between different tournaments and time periods. Though grass is preferred in general in association football, artificial turf is found in areas where it is seen as impractical to maintain natural grass season-long, with causes including very cold climates (For instance Norway's Eliteserien) or multi-purpose stadiums (Seattle's Lumen Field).

Use permitted

[edit]

Use prohibited

[edit]

History in United Kingdom

[edit]

Some association football clubs in Europe installed synthetic surfaces in the 1980s, which were called "plastic pitches" (often derisively) in countries such as England. There, four professional club venues had adopted them; Queens Park Rangers's Loftus Road (1981–1988), Luton Town's Kenilworth Road (1985–1991), Oldham Athletic's Boundary Park (1986–1991) and Preston North End's Deepdale (1986–1994). QPR had been the first team to install an artificial pitch at their stadium in 1981, but were the first to remove it when they did so in 1988.

Artificial pitches were banned from top-flight (then First Division) football in 1991, forcing Oldham Athletic to remove their artificial pitch after their promotion to the First Division in 1991, while then top-flight Luton Town also removed their artificial pitch at the same time. The last Football League team to have an artificial pitch in England was Preston North End, who removed their pitch in 1994 after eight years in use. Artificial pitches were banned from the top four divisions from 1995.

Artificial turf gained a bad reputation[neutrality is disputed] globally, with fans and especially with players. The first-generation artificial turf surfaces were carpet-like in their look and feel, and thus, a far harder surface than grass and soon became known[by whom?] as an unforgiving playing surface that was prone to cause more injuries, and in particular, more serious joint injuries, than would comparatively be suffered on a grass surface. This turf was also regarded as aesthetically unappealing to many fans.

In 1981, London football club Queens Park Rangers dug up its grass pitch and installed an artificial one. Others followed, and by the mid-1980s there were four artificial surfaces in operation in the English league. They soon became a national joke: the ball pinged round like it was made of rubber, the players kept losing their footing, and anyone who fell over risked carpet burns. Unsurprisingly, fans complained that the football was awful to watch and, one by one, the clubs returned to natural grass.[21]

In November 2011, it was reported that a number of English football clubs were interested in using artificial pitches again on economic grounds.[22] As of January 2020, artificial pitches are not permitted in the Premier League or Football League but are permitted in the National League and lower divisions. Bromley are an example of an English football club who currently use a third-generation artificial pitch.[23] In 2018, Sutton United were close to achieving promotion to the Football League and the debate in England about artificial pitches resurfaced again. It was reported that, if Sutton won promotion, they would subsequently be demoted two leagues if they refused to replace their pitch with natural grass.[24] After Harrogate Town's promotion to the Football League in 2020, the club was obliged to install a natural grass pitch at Wetherby Road;[25] and after winning promotion in 2021 Sutton Utd were also obliged to tear up their artificial pitch and replace it with grass, at a cost of more than £500,000.[26] Artificial pitches are permitted in all rounds of the FA Cup competition.

History elsewhere

[edit]

In the 1990s, many North American soccer clubs also removed their artificial surfaces and re-installed grass, while others moved to new stadiums with state-of-the-art grass surfaces that were designed to withstand cold temperatures where the climate demanded it. The use of artificial turf was later banned by FIFA, UEFA and by many domestic football associations, but FIFA and UEFA allowed it again from the mid-2000's (UEFA from the 2005–06 season onwards), provided that the turfs are FIFA Recommended. UEFA has now been heavily involved in programs to test artificial turf, with tests made in several grounds meeting with FIFA approval. A team of UEFA, FIFA and German company Polytan conducted tests in the Stadion Salzburg Wals-Siezenheim in Salzburg, Austria which had matches played on it in UEFA Euro 2008. It is the second FIFA 2 Star approved artificial turf in a European domestic top flight, after Dutch club Heracles Almelo received the FIFA certificate in August 2005.[27] The tests were approved.[28]

FIFA originally launched its FIFA Quality Concept in February 2001.

A full international fixture for the 2008 European Championships was played on October 17, 2007, between England and Russia on an artificial surface, which was installed to counteract adverse weather conditions, at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.[29][30] It was one of the first full international games to be played on such a surface approved by FIFA and UEFA. The latter ordered the 2008 European Champions League final hosted in the same stadium in May 2008 to place on grass, so a temporary natural grass field was installed just for the final.

In 2007, UEFA stressed that artificial turf should only be considered an option where climatic conditions necessitate.[31] One Desso "hybrid grass" product incorporates both natural grass and artificial elements.[32]

In June 2009, following a match played at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa in Costa Rica, American national team manager Bob Bradley called on FIFA to "have some courage" and ban artificial surfaces.[33]

FIFA designated a star system for artificial turf fields that have undergone a series of tests that examine quality and performance based on a two star system.[34] Recommended one-star fields are mainly intended for recreational use, while Recommended two-star fields closely follows the standards of professional foodball may be used for FIFA Final Round Competitions as well as for UEFA Europa League and Champions League matches.[35] As of 29 October 2008, there were 104 FIFA Recommended 2-Star installations in the world.[36]

In 2009, FIFA launched the Preferred Producer Initiative to improve the quality of artificial football turf at each stage of the life cycle (manufacturing, installation and maintenance).[37] Currently, there are five manufacturers that were selected by FIFA: Act Global, Limonta, Desso, GreenFields, and Edel Grass. These firms have made quality guarantees directly to FIFA and have agreed to increased research and development.

In 2010, Estadio Omnilife with an artificial turf opened in Guadalajara to be the new home of Chivas, one of the most popular teams in Mexico. The owner of Chivas, Jorge Vergara, defended the reasoning behind using artificial turf because the stadium was designed to be "environment friendly and as such, having grass would result [in] using too much water."[38] Some players criticized the field, saying its harder surface caused many injuries. When Johan Cruyff became the adviser of the team, he recommended the switch to natural grass, which the team did in 2012.[39]

The 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup took place entirely on artificial surfaces, as the event was played in Canada, where almost all of the country's stadiums use artificial turf due to climate issues. This plan garnered criticism from players and fans, some believing the artificial surfaces make players more susceptible to injuries. Over fifty of the female athletes protested against the use of artificial turf on the basis of gender discrimination.[40][41] Australia winger Caitlin Foord said that after playing 90 minutes there was no difference to her post-match recovery – a view shared by the rest of the squad. The squad spent much time preparing on the surface and had no problems with its use in Winnipeg. "We've been training on [artificial] turf pretty much all year so I think we're kind of used to it in that way ... I think grass or turf you can still pull up sore after a game so it's definitely about getting the recovery in and getting it right", Foord said.[42] A lawsuit was filed on October 1, 2014, in an Ontario tribunal court by a group of women's international soccer players against FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association and specifically points out that in 1994 FIFA spent $2 million to plant natural grass over artificial turf in New Jersey and Detroit.[43] Various celebrities showed their support for the women soccer players in defense of their lawsuit, including actor Tom Hanks, NBA player Kobe Bryant and U.S. men's soccer team keeper Tim Howard. Even with the possibility of boycotts, FIFA's head of women's competitions, Tatjana Haenni, made it clear that "we play on artificial turf and there's no Plan B."[44][45]

The first stadium to use artificial turf in Brazil was Atlético Paranaense's Arena da Baixada in 2016. In 2020, the administration of Allianz Parque, home of Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras, started the implementation of the second artificial pitch in the country.[46]

In 2024, the Eredivisie banned artificial turfs, meaning hybrid grass and natural grass became mandatory, starting from the 2025-26 season.[47]

In UEFA tournaments, teams who are used to playing on artificial turf are seen as having a large home advantage against teams who don't, as was the case for Bodø/Glimt's semi-final campaign in the 2024–25 UEFA Europa League.[48]

Rugby union

[edit]

Rugby union also uses artificial surfaces at a professional level. Infill fields are used by English Premiership Rugby teams Gloucester, Newcastle Falcons, Saracens F.C. and the now defunct Worcester Warriors, as well as United Rugby Championship teams Cardiff, Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors. Some fields, including Twickenham Stadium, have incorporated a hybrid field, with grass and synthetic fibers used on the surface. This allows for the field to be much more hard wearing, making it less susceptible to weather conditions and frequent use.

Tennis

[edit]

Carpet has been used as a surface for indoor tennis courts for decades, though the first carpets used were more similar to home carpets than a synthetic grass. After the introduction of AstroTurf, it came to be used for tennis courts, both indoor and outdoor, though only a small minority of courts use the surface.[49][50] Both infill and non-infill versions are used, and are typically considered medium-fast to fast surfaces under the International Tennis Federation's classification scheme.[49] A distinct form found in tennis is an "artificial clay" surface,[49] which seeks to simulate a clay court by using a very short pile carpet with an infill of the same loose aggregate used for clay courts that rises above the carpet fibers.[49]

Tennis courts such as Wimbledon are considering using an artificial hybrid grass to replace their natural lawn courts. Such systems incorporate synthetic fibers into natural grass to create a more durable surface on which to play.[51] Such hybrid surfaces are currently used for some association football stadiums, including Wembley Stadium.

Golf

[edit]

Synthetic turf can also be used in the golf industry, such as on driving ranges, putting greens and even in some circumstances tee boxes. For low budget courses, particularly those catering to casual golfers, synthetic putting greens offer the advantage of being a relatively cheap alternative to installing and maintaining grass greens, but are much more similar to real grass in appearance and feel compared to sand greens which are the traditional alternative surface. Because of the vast areas of golf courses and the damage from clubs during shots, it is not feasible to surface fairways with artificial turf.

Pesäpallo

[edit]
The surface on Veikkolan pesäpallostadion in Lappajärvi.

Though all pesäpallo teams in the higher leagues (including Superpesis) play on clay courts, several teams' stadiums use carpet-type artificial grass below the clay.

Motor racing

[edit]

Artificial grass is used to line the perimeter of some sections of some motor circuits, and offers less grip than some other surfaces.[52] It can pose an obstacle to drivers if it gets caught on their car.[53]

Other applications

[edit]

Landscaping

[edit]
A home's yard with artificial grass.

Since the early 1990s, the use of synthetic grass in the more arid western states of the United States has moved beyond athletic fields to residential and commercial landscaping.[54] New water saving programs, as of 2019, which grant rebates for turf removal, do not accept artificial turf as replacement and require a minimum of plants.[55][56]

The use of artificial grass for convenience sometimes faces opposition: Legislation frequently seeks to preserve natural gardens and fully water permeable surfaces, therefore restricting the use of hardscape and plantless areas, including artificial turf. In several locations in different countries, homeowners have been fined, ordered to remove artificial turf and/or had to defend themselves in courts. Many of these restrictions can be found in local bylaws and ordinances. These not always applied in a consistent manner,[57][58][59] especially in municipalities that utilize a complaint-based model for enforcing local laws.

Sunlight reflections from nearby windows can cause artificial turf to melt. This can be avoided by adding perforated vinyl privacy window film adhesive to the outside of the window causing the reflection.

Airports

[edit]

Artificial turf has been used at airports.[60] Here it provides several advantages over natural turf – it does not support wildlife, it has high visual contrast with runways in all seasons, it reduces foreign object damage (FOD) since the surface has no rocks or clumps, and it drains well.[61]

Some artificial turf systems allow for the integration of fiber-optic fibers into the turf. This would allow for runway lighting to be embedded in artificial landing surfaces for aircraft (or lighting or advertisements to be directly embedded in a playing surface).[62]

Tanks for octopuses

[edit]

Artificial turf is commonly used for tanks containing octopusses, in particular the Giant Pacific octopus since it is a reliable way to prevent the octopusses from escaping their tank, as they prevent the suction cups on the tentacles from getting a tight seal.[63]

Environmental and safety concerns

[edit]

Environmental footprint

[edit]

The first major academic review of the environmental and health risks and benefits of artificial turf was published in 2014;[64] it was followed by extensive research on possible risks to human health, but holistic analyses of the environmental footprint of artificial turf compared with natural turf only began to emerge in the 2020s,[65][66] and frameworks to support informed policymaking were still lacking.[67][68] Evaluating the relative environmental footprints of natural and artificial turf is complex, with outcomes depending on a wide range of factors, including (to give the example of a sports field):[64]

  • what ecosystem services are lost by converting a site to a sports pitch
  • how resource-intensive is the landscaping work and transport of materials to create a pitch
  • whether input materials are recycled and whether these are recycled again at the end of the pitch's life
  • how resource-intensive and damaging maintenance is (whether through water, fertiliser, weed-killer, reapplication of rubber crumb, snow-clearing, etc.)
  • how intensively the facility is used, for how long, and whether surface type can reduce the overall number of pitches required

Artificial turf has been shown to contribute to global warming by absorbing significantly more radiation than living turf and, to a lesser extent, by displacing living plants that could sequester carbon dioxide through photosynthesis;[69] a study at New Mexico State University found that in that environment, water-cooling of artificial turf can demand as much water as natural turf.[70] However, a 2022 study that used real-world data to model a ten-year-life-cycle environmental footprint for a new natural-turf soccer field compared with an artificial-turf field found that the natural-turf field contributed twice as much to global warming as the artificial one (largely due to a more resource-intensive construction phase), while finding that the artificial turf would likely cause more pollution of other kinds. The study promoted improvements to usual practice such as the substitution of cork for rubber in artificial pitches and more drought-resistant grasses and electric mowing in natural ones.[65] In 2021, a Zurich University of Applied Sciences study for the city of Zurich, using local data on extant pitches, found that, per hour of use, natural turf had the lowest environmental footprint, followed by artificial turf with no infill, and then artificial turf using an infill (e.g. granulated rubber). However, because it could tolerate more hours of use, unfilled artificial turf often had the lowest environmental footprint in practice, by reducing the total number of pitches required. The study recommended optimising the use of existing pitches before building new ones, and choosing the best surface for the likely intensity of use.[66] Another suggestion is the introduction of green roofs to offset the conversion of grassland to artificial turf.[71]

Maintenance

[edit]

Contrary to popular belief, artificial turf is not maintenance free. It requires regular maintenance, such as raking and patching, to keep it functional and safe.[72]

Pollution and associated health risks

[edit]

Some artificial turf uses infill such as silica sand, but most uses granulated rubber, referred to as "crumb rubber". Granulated rubber can be made from recycled car tires and may carry heavy metals, PFAS chemicals, and other chemicals of environmental concern. The synthetic fibers of artificial turf are also subject to degradation. Thus chemicals from artificial turfs leach into the environment, and artificial turf is a source of microplastics pollution and rubber pollution in air, fresh-water, sea and soil environments.[73][74][75][76][77][78][64][excessive citations] In Norway, Sweden, and at least some other places, the rubber granulate from artificial turf infill constitutes the second largest source of microplastics in the environment after the tire and road wear particles that make up a large portion of the fine road debris.[79][80][81] In samples of Mediterranean seawater, fibres from artificial turf made up more than 15% of the larger plastic particles.[82] As early as 2007, Environment and Human Health, Inc., a lobby-group, proposed a moratorium on the use of ground-up rubber tires in fields and playgrounds based on health concerns;[83] in September 2022, the European Commission made a draft proposal to restrict the use of microplastic granules as infill in sports fields.[84]

What is less clear is how likely this pollution is in practice to harm humans or other organisms and whether these environmental costs outweigh the benefits of artificial turf, with many scientific papers and government agencies (such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency) calling for more research.[2] A 2018 study published in Water, Air, & Soil Pollution analyzed the chemicals found in samples of tire crumbs, some used to install school athletic fields, and identified 92 chemicals only about half of which had ever been studied for their health effects and some of which are known to be carcinogenic or irritants. It stated "caution would argue against use of these materials where human exposure is likely, and this is especially true for playgrounds and athletic playing fields where young people may be affected".[85] Conversely, a 2017 study in Sports Medicine argued that "regular physical activity during adolescence and early adulthood helps prevent cancer later in life. Restricting the use or availability of all-weather year-round synthetic fields and thereby potentially reducing exercise could, in the long run, actually increase cancer incidence, as well as cardiovascular disease and other chronic illnesses."[86]

The possibility that carcinogenic substances in artificial turf could increase risks of human cancer (the artificial turf–cancer hypothesis) gained a particularly high profile in the first decades of the twenty-first century and attracted extensive study, with scientific reports around 2020 finding cancer-risks in modern artificial turf negligible.[87][88][89][90] But concerns have extended to other human-health risks, such as endocrine disruption that might affect early puberty, obesity, and children's attention spans.[91][92][93][94] Potential harm to fish[75] and earthworm[95] populations has also been shown.

A study for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection analyzed lead and other metals in dust kicked into the air by physical activity on five artificial turf fields. The results suggest that even low levels of activity on the field can cause particulate matter containing these chemicals to get into the air where it can be inhaled and be harmful. The authors state that since no level of lead exposure is considered safe for children, "only a comprehensive mandated testing of fields can provide assurance that no health hazard on these fields exists from lead or other metals used in their construction and maintenance."[96]

Kinesiological health risks

[edit]

A number of health and safety concerns have been raised about artificial turf.[2] Friction between skin and older generations of artificial turf can cause abrasions and/or burns to a much greater extent than natural grass.[97] Artificial turf tends to retain heat from the sun and can be much hotter than natural grass with prolonged exposure to the sun.[98]

There is some evidence that periodic disinfection of artificial turf is required as pathogens are not broken down by natural processes in the same manner as natural grass. Despite this, a 2006 study suggests certain microbial life is less active in artificial turf.[97]

There is evidence showing higher rates of player injury on artificial turf. By November 1971, the injury toll on first-generation artificial turf had reached a threshold that resulted in congressional hearings by the House subcommittee on commerce and finance.[99][100][101] In a study performed by the National Football League Injury and Safety Panel, published in the October 2012 issue of the American Journal of Sports Medicine, Elliott B. Hershman et al. reviewed injury data from NFL games played between 2000 and 2009, finding that "the injury rate of knee sprains as a whole was 22% higher on FieldTurf than on natural grass. While MCL sprains did not occur at a rate significantly higher than on grass, rates of ACL sprains were 67% higher on FieldTurf."[102] Metatarsophalangeal joint sprain, known as "turf toe" when the big toe is involved, is named from the injury being associated with playing sports on rigid surfaces such as artificial turf and is a fairly common injury among professional American football players. Artificial turf is a harder surface than grass and does not have much "give" when forces are placed on it.[103]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Dave Brady, "It's All So Artificial: The Uncommon Ground", Petersen's 12th Pro Football Annual, 1972. Los Angeles: Petersen Publishing Co., 1972; pp. 62–65.
  2. ^ a b c d Weeks, Jennifer (2015). "Turf Wars". Distillations Magazine. 1 (3): 34–37. Archived from the original on March 21, 2018. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  3. ^ "Definition of Astroturf – Dictionary.com". dictionary.com. Archived from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023. This sense of the word has come to be frequently used as a generic term for any artificial turf (in the same way that other brand names have been genericized, such as xerox). When used this way, it's often seen in lowercase (astroturf).
  4. ^ "Chicago Tribune – Historical Newspapers". Archives.chicagotribune.com. Archived from the original on November 5, 2016. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  5. ^ Moore, Jack (July 2, 2015). "Throwback Thursday: Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium and the Era of Multipurpose Mistakes". vice.com. Vice. Retrieved April 13, 2023. It was the first stadium to include dirt sliding pits around each base, something that has become standard in every turf baseball field built since.
  6. ^ "Blue Jays adding dirt infield at Rogers Centre". MLB.com. February 10, 2016. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  7. ^ "Blue Jays begin work on all-dirt infield at Rogers Centre". Toronto Star. February 11, 2016.
  8. ^ "Arizona Diamondbacks installing synthetic grass at Chase Field". azcentral.com. October 12, 2018. Retrieved October 13, 2018.
  9. ^ "Pats sign Testaverde; Gillette Stadium's grass field replaced with Field Turf". November 14, 2006. Archived from the original on April 19, 2012. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  10. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 11, 2015. Retrieved May 15, 2015.cite web: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. ^ Staff, The Athletic NFL. "Anonymous NFL player poll 2023: Best player? Biggest trash talker? Most annoying fans?". The New York Times. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  12. ^ "Odell Beckham Jr.'s injury in Super Bowl prompts NFL players to speak out against turf fields". sportingnews.com. February 14, 2022. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  13. ^ "BMO Field: New renovations accommodate TFC, Argos – CBC Sports". Cbc.ca. Archived from the original on January 31, 2017. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  14. ^ "History". Saskatchewan Roughriders. June 12, 2002. Retrieved January 10, 2021. In 1988, the Roughriders replaced the first artificial turf with a new type of system called OmniTurf. Unlike AstroTurf, OmniTurf was an inlay turf system, which relied on 300 tons of sand to hold it in place (rather than the traditional glued-down system). Over the years, a number of problems occurred with this system and it eventually became necessary to replace it prior to its usable age being reached.
  15. ^ "Artificial (pitch) intelligence – all you need to know". Cricket World. June 12, 2015. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  16. ^ Nolan, Grace (April 4, 2019). "SIS Pitches uses hybrid grass technology to transform cricket". British Plastics and Rubber. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  17. ^ "Stitched pitch – SACA adds hybrid wickets". Cricket SA. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  18. ^ "Fremont: First official, fully lighted cricket field opens Aug. 21". The Mercury News. August 11, 2016. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  19. ^ a b Stuart James (October 11, 2024). "Bolivia are thriving at high altitude in their new home at El Alto – 4,150m above sea level". The Athletic. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  20. ^ "Artificial pitches to be banned in Premiership from 2026". BBC. April 30, 2024. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  21. ^ Lawton, Graham (June 4, 2005). "Field battle over artificial grass". New Scientist (2502): 35. Archived from the original on February 17, 2006. Retrieved January 11, 2008.
  22. ^ "Clubs want artificial turf return". BBC News. November 18, 2011.
  23. ^ "Artificial 3G Pitches: Coming to a ground near you?". Football Ground Guide. April 26, 2016. Archived from the original on October 31, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  24. ^ "Plastic liberals vs conservative stick-in-the-muds: The debate around artificial pitches which isn't going away". The Independent. London. February 28, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
  25. ^ "National League promotion final: Harrogate Town beat Notts County 3-1 to secure place in League 2". BBC Sport. August 2, 2020. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
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Reviews for Rock N Block - Turf N Hardscapes


Rock N Block - Turf N Hardscapes

Dawna OgleYohe

(5)

My initial contact was with Ray, whom did an excellent job giving me an estimate on what I wanted done in my small yard and walkway., the guys that came out and did the work were superior. They did an excellent job. I’m very pleased with this company. I will highly recommend them to family and friends, and I will be using them in the near future for other little projects.

Rock N Block - Turf N Hardscapes

Josh Bodell

(5)

Eric and team did an amazing job. They worked with me for months while I got HOA approval for the project. Once they began working they were great, going over everything in detail and making sure things were perfect. This project included wall repair, stucco and paint repair, paver and turf installation. Extremely satisfied with this experience.

Rock N Block - Turf N Hardscapes

John Picard

(5)

Above and beyond. I’ve got 20 years in the construction industry and these guys are top notch. Tell them what you need, they’ll work with you. Communication is clear and they want to make you feel good about the whole process: If I had to do our back yard 100 more times I’d use rock n block every time. The owner is a stand up man, his project managers, even down to his workers. All respectful, hard working people. This is a call you won’t regret making.

Rock N Block - Turf N Hardscapes

Randy Blair

(5)

I had turf and a sidewalk of pavers put down. Wes was amazing and got me all hooked up with a plan and had tons of options for me to choose from. He handled everything. After we got locked in the crew showed up a few weeks later and the went to work like animals. Those guys killed it. Everything looks amazing. I plan to call Wes back when I'm ready for my next project in the front of the yard. Thank you Wes and everyone who killed this project

Rock N Block - Turf N Hardscapes

Rob Foster

(5)

We have been working with Al and the team for many years (8) to be exact. We have had the pleasure of working with many of their clients throughout this time and we absolutely love how their clients are so pleased with the work they do and the outcome of the projects! The sales team and staff have been very supportive and professional and that’s hard to come by. We look forward to many more years of this partnership with a very positive and motivated company that’s always looking out for the best interests of the community!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely! Artificial grass is ideal for Las Vegas due to its extreme heat and water restrictions. It stays green year-round without the need for constant watering or mowing. It also holds up well against UV rays, making it a durable and eco-friendly alternative to natural grass in desert environments

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With proper installation and minimal maintenance, artificial grass in Las Vegas can last 15–20 years. The synthetic turf is designed to withstand high temperatures, intense sun exposure, and heavy foot traffic—making it a long-lasting landscaping investment for homeowners and businesses alike.
 

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Artificial grass can become warm during peak summer heat, but modern turf products often come with cooling technologies or heat-reflective infills to reduce surface temperatures. You can also cool it down quickly with a light spray of water. Most homeowners find it still comfortable enough for pets and kids with some shading or planning.

 

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Yes! Most artificial grass products are non-toxic, lead-free, and soft underfoot, making them safe for children and pets. Many Las Vegas residents choose turf specifically designed for pet areas, which includes effective drainage systems and odor-reducing infill for cleanliness and hygiene.

 

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While artificial grass requires much less upkeep than natural grass, it still benefits from occasional maintenance. Light brushing, removing debris, and rinsing with water can keep your turf clean and looking fresh. For pet areas, routine deodorizing and proper drainage ensure a clean and odor-free space.

 

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Definitely. One of the biggest advantages of installing artificial grass in Las Vegas is the significant reduction in water usage. Since there's no need for irrigation, homeowners often see a noticeable drop in their water bills—plus it supports Las Vegas’ water conservation efforts amid ongoing drought conditions.

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