On November 10th at 1 p.m. central, join multifamily sustainability expert Mary Nitschke to hear an in-depth discussion with award-winning firm American Realty Advisors (ARA) — showcasing the solution that took the 2022 Utility Management Advisory (UMA) Sustainability and Innovation prize and exploring the “why” behind it with ARA’s Dominique Hargreaves, Director, Sustainability and Corporate…
Tag: multifamily
What “Green Features” actually matter to residents?
Our industry typically has a lot of discussion surrounding what type of “green features” residents want in their homes, and more specifically, how much they are willing to pay for these features. While the verdict may still somewhat be out on how much renters will actually pay for any given “green feature”, there are some…
Have You Switched to LED Yet?
LED technology has improved to the point where you should take another look. The prices have come down and the quality has gone up, so it is really in the “sweet spot” for an investment. And it really is a quality investment with significant value-add for your community, and not just on energy savings which…
Have You Been Paying Attention to the Price of Water
The average monthly cost of water for U.S. consumers went up 6% in 2015 and has risen 41% since 2010, according to Circle of Blue, an industry research group. “We expect water rates to continue to grow above inflation for some time. We don’t see an ends in sight” says Andrew Ward, Director of U.S….
How to Run the Best Energy Management Program EMP
Rate and Tariff review is an important part of any EMP. Believe it or not utilities companies all make mistakes. Some are small and no one ever really notices them like the billing dates overlap by a day to two that would just mean a small overpayment depending on the type of utility being paid….
Wow! Check out West Village
Although I indicated that I would discuss the characteristics of my Icon buildings this entry, I am going to switch gears and talk about an existing project that I just had the great fortune to tour last week. West Village, in Davis California, is the largest NZE Multifamily project in the Nation. It has over…
Off The Grid: Understanding Ohio’s Recent Electric Regulations
I don’t know about you, but I’m a fan of the free market system. If a company has a good product and efficient operations, people purchase from them and they make money. That’s an overs simplification, of course, but you get the point. That being said, I’m not a fan of any industry that tries…
The Future of Nuclear Power is Still Up for Grabs
You might not want to believe this but nuclear power is the United State’s largest source of clean carbon-free electricity. That’s why the nuclear industry was upset that the Supreme Court stayed the Clean Power Plan. They felt that nuclear power was going to be a larger part of the solution based on the carbon…
Multifamily Property Landscaping – Friend or Foe?
As an environmental and sustainability enthusiast and operator of multifamily assets, you probably have a good pulse on efforts you can make at your communities to increase efficiency and make them more “green.” However, have you paid much attention lately to your landscaping company? Are they truly your partner in running the most efficient and…