How to Make Your Multi-Family Building More Eco-Friendly
Are you looking for ways to make your apartment buildings more eco-friendly? If so, you're in luck! There are a number of things you can do to reduce the environmental impact of your multi-family residential, but very few in the real estate industry are aware of them. In this post, we'll discuss some of the most effective strategies.
Use Zero or Low VOC Paint
Most standard paints contain high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can negatively impact both indoor air quality and the environment. When painting your multifamily building, be sure to use zero or low VOC paint to help reduce harmful emissions. You may also want to consider using eco-friendly paint made with natural ingredients like clay, milk casein, and citrus-based solvents.
Invest in Solar Panels
Solar panels are a great eco-friendly investment for any type of building, but they’re especially beneficial for multi-family dwellings. Solar panels can help reduce your building’s reliance on fossil fuels, lower your energy bills, and make your building more sustainable.
Use Energy-Efficient Lighting
Replacing old, inefficient lighting fixtures with new, energy-efficient ones is a great way to reduce your building's energy consumption. Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) and light-emitting diode bulbs (LEDs) use far less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs, and they last much longer, too. Making the switch to energy-efficient lighting can help you save money on your energy bills and do your part to protect the environment.
Regular Maintenance of Boilers and Water Heaters
One of the best ways to make your multi-family building more eco-friendly is to regularly maintain your boilers and water heaters. By keeping these systems well-maintained, you can reduce your building’s energy consumption and wasted water. You can also save money on repairs and replacements down the line.
Install Low-Flow Showerheads
Water conservation is important for both environmental and financial reasons. Installing low-flow showerheads in your multifamily building can help reduce water usage without sacrificing water pressure or quality.
Low-flow showerheads typically use less than 2 gallons of water per minute, compared to the standard 3-5 gallons per minute. Replacing all of the showerheads in your building with low-flow models can make a big difference in your water usage and help you save money on your water bills.
Natural Gas or Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
Finally, you can also make your multi-family dwelling more eco-friendly by installing natural gas or electric vehicle charging stations. This will encourage residents to use more environmentally-friendly transportation options and can even help you save money on your energy bills.
Multi-Family Residential In New York City
While there are many things you can do to make your multi-family building more environmentally friendly, we’ve highlighted some of the most important and easiest ones. If every property owner makes a concerted effort to be more sustainable, we can all do our bit to reduce our environmental impact.
Have you made any changes at your property to make it environmentally friendly? We’d love to hear about it! Contact Milbrook Properties for information on our property maintenance services.