Celebrate Earth Day this April 22 by making some environmentally friendly updates to the properties you manage. Not only can these ideas make them better for the planet, but they also increase your properties’ efficiency to save you money over time.
1. Update Your Plumbing
Traditional plumbing features use a lot of water, and much goes to waste without benefiting you. For a more eco-friendly building, consider these easy plumbing updates:
- Replace toilets with low-flow models that use less water when flushed
- Switch shower heads to reduce the number of gallons of water flow per minute
- Add aerated sink faucet heads that pressurize the water and use overall consumption
- Use soaker and weeping hoses instead of traditional sprinklers for lawns and landscapes
2. Switch to LED Lights
LED lights are incredibly energy-efficient and much brighter than conventional incandescent, halogen, or CFL bulbs. LEDs also provide around 50,000 hours of light (or approximately 14 years of use), so you’ll need to replace them far less often. This provides even more eco-friendly environments, as conventional bulbs often have dangerous chemicals that shouldn’t be introduced to the ground in landfills.
3. Use Green Cleaning Products
Traditional cleaning products use harsh chemicals to provide their cleaning power. Not only can they have potentially toxic chemical reactions and decrease indoor air quality, but they also go down the drain and enter the municipal water drainage system. Municipal water treatment facilities aren’t always equipped to remove these cleaners fully, and they can strain the system. Drainage also enters groundwater tables and can make downstream soils toxic.
Switching to green cleaners removes many of these problems. They tend to rely on vinegar, gentler salts, and eco-friendly detergents that are easier on the water table and the environment.
4. Choose Energy-Efficient Appliances
Switching out your properties’ appliances won’t just reduce water consumption. It can also reduce the total amount of energy consumed, something great for the planet and your wallet. ENERGY STAR-rated appliances are rated based on their energy efficiency, and you can see both the energy consumption and the potential energy savings on each one. You can easily find energy-efficient washers, dryers, dishwashers, and other appliances that are rated to provide high-quality utility. Over time, start replacing older appliances with newer and more efficient models.
For a more budget-friendly idea, prioritize maintenance and insulation. For example, you can insulate the pipes near the water heater to mitigate energy loss. Also, replace the air conditioner’s filter more often to preserve the equipment and increase air quality.
5. Use Smart Technologies
Smart home systems can fine-tune how residents and building tenants use energy to optimize for comfort and efficiency. Today’s smart systems can adjust the HVAC throughout the day, let users remotely control lights and appliances, and recommend changes to reduce a building’s footprint.
6. Consider Xeriscaping
Landscaping has a big impact on the planet. Grass lawns and garden beds require a lot of water to stay green, and they often require a lot of toxic chemicals to keep pests and weeds out. Consider changing up your properties’ landscaping to incorporate xeriscaping principles by getting drought-friendly plants, focusing on native varieties of plants, and replacing grass with groundcover or hardscaping. These landscapes are generally much easier to maintain throughout the years.
Create a Year-Round Eco-Friendly Building
Making sustainable changes doesn’t have to be complicated. Celebrate Earth Day every day with these ideas and dozens of other ways to protect the planet and reduce your properties’ energy use. Contact us today to learn how we can help you make your interior facilities a little greener.
