The University of Southern California began integrating battery powered equipment into their landscaping in 2009 and in 2021 the school became the first Green Zone certified university in the country for using 100% battery powered equipment. The school's journey started with a noise complaint from a professor who suggested the gas-powered leaf blowers disrupted the lectures. At that point the landscapers looked to battery powered alternatives for blowers. From there, they continued to adapt to more electric equipment alternatives until they became 100% battery powered.

 

Erik Diaz, landscape supervisor for USC, leads a maintenance team of over 40 professionals on the 300-acre, Los Angeles Campus. He has been with the USC for the past 13 years, the last 7 as the supervisor, and has experienced every step in the shift from gas powered equipment. Diaz will be leading a seminar at The Landscape Expo ???,??EURoe Anaheim titled: Battery Powered Equipment at USC, in which he will discuss the school's transition away from gas with his experiences, challenges, successes, and continued advancements.

In his seminar, Diaz will discuss the various pros and cons of operating electric landscaping equipment. He will also go over the ways that working will be impacted by the switch, since in places like California it will be a mandatory change many landscapers will need to make and adapt to. Many people are unsure about the switch to electric as it brings a host of new challenges to deal with, but Diaz has lived it making this the perfect seminar for anyone who wants to learn more about electric landscaping equipment and how to effectively switch over from gas powered gear.