Going Green

For real estate investors, developers, architects and consumers, there is an importance and benefit of following certain construction standards that meet the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s generations of renters. While green multifamily projects are on an upward spiral across the country, renters are still quite reluctant to spend more money on green-certified apartments. A…

Energy efficiency in residential apartments is different than in commercial, industrial or other types of structures or facilities. Differences can include the way in which upgrades and retrofits are done and the financing structures supporting these changes. The motivation of ownership and tenants to implement technology to cut energy may not be as clear cut as…

The energy use in Denver’s commercial and multi-family buildings accounts for more than half of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions. In an effort to do something about that, the city soon could require property owners to publicly report how energy efficient — or not — their buildings are. It’s like Energy Star ratings for appliances…

The U.S. apartment market is hotter, more competitive and more popular than ever. With increasing interest in sustainable living, the newest and trendiest urban apartment buildings are also green. An analysis by U.S. apartment search website RENTCafé shows that there are now 13 times more LEED-certified apartments being built per year than 8 years ago,…

Dallas boasts more apartment rentals approved for “green” living than some of the country’s most environmentally conscious cities, including Denver, Austin and San Francisco, according to a study this month from RENTCafe. The study analyzed over 14 million apartment units located in rental buildings of 50 units or more, in 123 U.S. metros from Yardi…

Being kind to Mother Earth is priceless. But, if you insist, real estate can put a price on it-around $880/month in San Francisco these days. Or so says the apartment site RENTCafe, which conducted a survey of apartments in 123 US cities and found that you’ll pay a premium of 24 percent to rent in…

For the first time, a Freddie Mac survey included questions about renter perceptions and concerns about utility costs. McLean, Va.—In a recent survey, Freddie Mac found that U.S. renters are more worried about rising utility bills than rising rents, and that nearly half of renters surveyed say they’re willing to pay more for rentals with…

Energy use sneaks up on you. One day, you think you’re being responsible—flipping off lights, not running the AC excessively, turning the TV off after “Game of Thrones”—and the next day, you’re standing slack-jawed by the mailbox, staring at a power bill that must have been racked up by gnomes living in your closet. Pretty much everyone has accidentally…

Whether they’re environmentalists or not, today’s home buyers appreciate hearing about a home’s geothermal system, solar panels, Energy Star-rated appliances or LEED certification. Home builders and sellers of upgraded homes with “green” features want their prospective buyers to know about these features because they likely spent a good amount of money on them. But do…

It may not be surprising that renters are revealing more of a preference for apartment buildings with sustainable design features, from energy-saving appliances to bike rooms. The real news—according to a new survey from the National Multifamily Housing Council—is that they’re willing to pay extra for them. Renters told NMHC researchers that they’re willing to pay…