What if you could reduce operating costs, boost resident satisfaction, and transform your property into a model of sustainability — all while increasing its value? As building owners or managers, you deserve solutions that are good for both the community and for business. These practices can be a community builder and reap benefits if you install and manage them correctly.
The Benefits of Sustainable Property Management
Sustainability property management is a fancy term for minor improvements that come together to revamp your residents' experiences. Take, for instance, the following examples:
- Recycling and waste reduction
- Extra EV charging outlets for residents
- Renewable energy solutions like solar panels
- Water conservation through regular maintenance and repair
- Energy efficiency in systems like HVAC, appliances and water heaters
- Resident education
While these may challenge the status quo and require adaptation, the benefits reaped far outweigh the effort.
Cost Reduction
Sustainability in property management can reduce your costs overall. When systems are well-maintained and efficient, energy costs are lower and break down less often. Cost reduction is as simple as that. Sustainable buildings also have higher property values, increased occupancy rates and lower operating costs.
Enhanced Resident Satisfaction
Investing in sustainable practices like recycling and EV charging stations shows an investment in the community, making residents likely to sign longer leases to reduce vacancy rates. residents benefit from lower water and energy bills, access to easy trash removal and the convenience of electric vehicles while at home.
Regulatory Compliance & Incentives
Your building must meet specific government standards to provide a safe, compliant place for people to live. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development oversees regulatory regulations in rental spaces. These rules are increasingly eco-conscious, and you may benefit from tax incentives when upgrading to sustainable practices.
Community Impact
Investing in a sustainable future through water conservation, energy upgrades, waste reduction programs and green roof installations are all tactics that benefit the community. Your investment in these tactics opens avenues of communication about eco-friendly practices and improves community health.
Practical Approaches to Sustainable Property Management
When it comes down to it, sustainable property management is most valuable to property managers when done in practical, applicable ways that don't disrupt your entire process. As you invest in a better path forward, reducing the inconvenience of the present is paramount.
Implement Energy-Efficient Practices
Implementing energy-efficient practices for your property is easier than it seems. Here are a few ideas:
- Install smart thermostats
- Install EV charging centers
- Invest in Energy Star appliances
- Install high-efficiency HVAC systems
- Produce energy with solar panels
- Rely on LED lighting
It's also important to educate residents on energy-efficient practices like using natural light, washing clothes in cold water, adjusting the thermostat and turning off lights. Encourage residents to invest in eco-friendly electric vehicles. Install equipment that allows you to distribute, monitor and manage additional electrical vehicle energy demands efficiently while still saving money with the Orange Charger EV solution.
Water Conservation Strategies
Water is one of those things you don't fully appreciate until it's gone, and the urgency of the problem is hard to see right away. The reality is that only 3% of Earth's water is freshwater and suitable for agriculture and human consumption. This finite number becomes more unstable as urbanization accelerates and populations grow. Two industries that consume large amounts of water are construction and real estate.
Fortunately, you can implement water conservation strategies immediately and have a lasting impact:
- Install high-efficiency fixtures to reduce indoor water consumption.
- Install smart leak detection systems.
- Use meters and sensors to track and monitor water usage.
- Harvest rainwater for things like cooling systems, toilet flushing and landscape irrigation.
- Opt for native landscaping or xeriscaping to reduce overall water usage.
- Complete regular maintenance on all water-related systems.
To highlight how greatly you can decrease water consumption with a few changes, consider that a standard toilet prior to 1992 used up to 7 gallons per flush. A low-flow toilet model only uses around 1.6 gallons per flush, and recent improvements have high-efficiency toilets using 1.28 gallons or fewer.
Waste Management & Recycling Initiatives
Every year, the United States produces 268 million tons of waste, with 140 million tons going to landfills. The average American produces almost five pounds of garbage every day. Food makes up just over 21% of garbage, while plastic runs a close second. Space is finite — eventually, the planet will run out of space to contain trash. Here's what you can do in the meantime to reduce waste management and encourage recycling:
- Educate residents on best recycling and waste practices.
- Create composting programs with yard waste and food scraps.
- Offer residents separate bins for all recycling types (plastics, metals, glass and paper).
- Analyze the types and amounts of waste to identify what affects your property and residents.
- Collaborate with local waste management experts to ensure property and optimized collection.
Green Building Materials & Sustainable Landscaping
Landscape irrigation is estimated to use up almost one-third of residential water. The average American family devotes 30% of their daily water usage outdoors and uses 320 gallons of water per day. Multiply that by the total number of residents in your property, and just implementing sustainable landscaping practices can make a big difference.
When building or replacing, use green materials like tiles, recycled glass, stone, and bamboo. When landscaping, use native plants as often as possible. Use natural fertilizers and avoid pesticides. Conserve water with drip irrigation systems and use ground cover plants to stop erosion.
Tracking and Measuring Sustainability Efforts
A large part of understanding where you can optimize your sustainability efforts is in tracking and measuring them. If you don't know where you're wasting energy, you can't fix it. The right software program makes tracking waste, water and energy metrics easy. Usage reports on multifamily EV charging determine exactly how much you should invest.
Start Building a Sustainable Property With Orange Charger
At Orange, we're committed to building sustainable properties everywhere through smart energy usage and consumption. One of the most critical components of sustainable property management is the availability of EV charging for your residents. Encourage them to invest in higher-efficiency vehicles by making it easier to charge them at home. Reach out today to see how you can save with Orange EV charging solutions for your property.
Reliable EV charger that’s even easier to manage.
