Recycling. Sustainability. Energy efficiency. Reducing your carbon footprint. The idea of “going green” has been around for decades, in one form or another. In recent years, it has proven to be more than just a fleeting trend and has developed into a recognized practice for multifamily managers and builders. More than a third — thirty-six percent — of multifamily builders are currently implementing “green” practices into more than sixty percent of their building projects, according to a study by the National Association of Home Builders and the National Multifamily Housing Council. California and Texas lead the country with the most LEED-Certified units.
Whether you aim to have a positive effect on the environment through water conservation and decreased pollution, to benefit the health of residents and on-site staff, to reduce operating costs, or all of the above, there are more ways than ever for multifamily to “go green” in 2020.
Green Certifications
New construction apartments are being designed with the environment and cost savings in mind. Green building certifications can assure your community is operating energy-efficiently and illustrate your commitment to going green. Various mandatory and voluntary certifications can be held.
“Setting sustainability goals at the outset of a new construction project is critical to developing a structure that is resource-efficient, healthy for occupants, and environmentally sound,” explains Shaina Weinstein of the Green Building Initiative.
Energy Efficiency
There are endless changes existing multifamily communities can make to improve their carbon footprint. Advancing energy efficiency is one of the most meaningful and impactful steps communities can take to go green.
Frequently property owners are reluctant to spend large sums of money on structural changes to improve energy efficiency, such as changing out appliances because the community doesn’t directly benefit from the cost savings; instead, the resident does. The result is known as a “split incentive,” when the cost falls on one party — the property owner or manager — and the benefit falls to another party — the resident. That has become something numerous multifamily properties have grappled with when making substantial investments in energy efficiency.
The poll by the National Association of Home Builders and the National Multifamily Housing Council showed fifty-seven percent of multifamily builders and remodelers believe their customers are willing to pay more for green features. The survey also showed that fifty-four percent of multifamily builders find green homes easier to market, implying higher rents will offset the initial cost for making energy-efficient upgrades.
Implementing small green changes throughout the community, like installing smart thermostats and LED lightbulbs, is an excellent place to start because they can be completed gradually and with relative ease. More extensive changes, such as upgrading the property’s irrigation system to conserve water, come at a much higher cost and may take longer to initiate since they have to be coordinated through various levels of management. Most utility companies will provide property managers with an energy audit that analyzes the community’s energy use and identifies areas of troublesome consumption.
Property managers can use smart technology products to impact the environment while improving their operational efficiency positively, said Sean Miller, President of PointCentral, which offers thermostats, lighting, leak detection, and other products that help property managers monitor energy use and detect problems early.
“We’re a partner to the property manager or asset owner, and we want to help them deploy this technology and help them manage it as a way to be more efficient and profitable,” Miller said. PointCentral integrates its products with property management software, to allow property managers to monitor and control energy use.
For example, the property manager can set the temperature in an unoccupied unit, or set a temperature limit in occupied units to control the amount of energy wasted. The products can detect problems in individual units or across the property as they happen, to lessen expensive HVAC bills and repairs. Many residents welcome the ease of having these smart products in their homes.
Miller said that once a unit becomes occupied, the resident has control of the products, but property managers can still protect the asset by monitoring things remotely.
“Any property manager is a steward of someone else’s asset, so the property manager can show to that asset owner, ‘Hey I’m doing a good job of not only maximizing the return you get from this asset but also minimizing catastrophic costs and expenses,’” Miller said.
HydroPoint is a smart water management company that uses technology to monitor water usage and irrigation throughout a community. The water management system can detect leaks, prevent overwatering, and help sustain a healthy landscape.
HydroPoint offers WeatherTRAK Smart Irrigation, which uses local weather data to determine how much water to use throughout the property, based on the expected rainfall and evaporation rates each day.
“We use an automated scheduling engine to determine just the right amount of water to irrigate that site based on its location and the weather,” said Meg Mason, senior director of growth marketing at HydroPoint.
Other factors, such as plant types, soil type, and the slope of the ground, are also taken into account to ascertain the appropriate amount of water to keep the plants healthy. This helps prevent over- or under-watering of the landscape cuts down on costs for labor and plant replacement, and helps prevent mold and other harmful side effects of overwatering.
Smart irrigation controllers are managed from a mobile device or any laptop and allow the property manager to make any changes to the irrigation or shut off the water flow entirely if a sprinkler burst or emergency occurs. Alerts and notifications are sent to the device if any suspicious water activity is happening so property managers can solve the problem quickly.
HydroPoint also offers WaterCompass leak detection and flow monitoring to quickly identify any irregular water activity on-site through a non-invasive, clamp-on flow monitor.
“We’ve been able to catch a lot of different plumbing issues that they didn’t even know existed because it was underground, or those sorts of things,” Mason said. “So, it’s a lot of just visibility of how much water is being used.”
Recycling
Structural design, lack of incentive, and high turnover rates can present challenges with recycling in multifamily housing. But property management companies can reach out to their valet trash company and ask for assistance. National Doorstep will provide handouts, trash cans, and training tools to help managers organize a thriving and mandate-compliant program in their community.
Because residents move regularly, it can be not very easy to educate them on the significance of recycling and how to do it properly. Often residents will have good intentions but aren’t aware of what items actually can and cannot be recycled.
Management staff plays a significant role in the effectiveness of a community’s recycling program. While some are proactive, various times, local administration can be somewhat remiss around educating residents. Education is the most crucial factor in a robust recycling program, so posting a list with pictures of what items can and cannot be recycled on community social media can help residents. Repetition for emphasis is vital for increased participation.
Earth Day is on April 22, 2020. Hosting a “swap shop” event where residents can exchange materials such as clothing or picture frames, setting a community recycling goal, or throwing an Earth Day community event can inspire residents to recycle and educate them on new ways to be environmentally conscious. Greystar has been a longtime leader in celebrating Earth Day at the community level.
Amenities
Amenities can be a huge draw for prospective residents who are often willing to pay more to live in a community that fits their lifestyle and represents their values.
Green amenities, such as a community garden, are the perfect way to demonstrate your eco-consciousness to current and prospective residents. A balcony or urban rooftop herb or vegetable garden prompts resident involvement and interaction, while also contributing to sustainability efforts by providing food residents can bring home and eat.
Moreover, as the use of electric and hybrid cars rises, so does the demand for car charging stations. For residents who own one of these fuel-efficient cars, whether or not a community has a car charging station can be a deal-breaker. Installing these stations creates an eco-conscious culture in the community and provides some residents with a unique but necessary service.
Another way many communities are helping residents slash transportation costs and their environmental impact is through bike programs. Communities can partner with ‘twist and go’ last-mile scooter companies like Lime or Bird or purchase community bicycles of their own for residents to use.
CONCLUSION
From energy efficiency to recycling programs to amenities, apartment communities across the country are finding that it can be comfortable being green. In 2020, make it a priority to start small, and then you’re your “green” initiatives from there.