Environmentally conscious folks tend to bring certain values to all areas of their lives—particularly their living spaces. Greenies aren’t perfect, but they are generally more mindful of their impact on resources regardless of whether they pay for access and use (gas for heating, for example) or own the mechanism to create heat (i.e., a furnace).
Marc Courtenay’s article articulates the “greenie” profile and benefits of attracting this type of tenant. If you want to attract greenies, take these campaigns for a spin.
We Choose Zero (VOC) for You: It’s no longer just a matter of lead-based versus lead-free paints (for older properties, of course). Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are found in most household paint. Unfortunately these paints continue to off-gas harmful compounds months after application. Since freshening up paint for new tenants is standard industry practice, why not opt for low or even zero VOC paints? You’ll appeal to potential tenants because it shows you care about their health as much as they do.
You’ll Love Our Green Potties: This one is sure to attract attention. A friend of mine has an apartment in San Francisco’s Mission District. In five years, she’s had only one complaint—a constantly running toilet. Even though she’s not responsible for the water bill, wasted water irks her. That’s how greenies are. If your property has an antiquated toilet, consider replacing it with a low-flow number.
Keeping You and the Planet Clean: Because water conservation is a big deal to greenies, consider adding low-flow showerheads to your green arsenal. Water conservation technology has come a long way in recent years. In fact, you can even outfit your property with a showerhead that slows to a trickle when the water is heated up and ready to go. Now that’s innovation!
We’ve Got Bright Ideas: Replace old-school light bulbs in property fixtures with more energy- and cost-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs). CFLs generally use 75% less energy and last roughly 10 times longer than their incandescent cousins. Many cities now provide free recycling for CFLs, which must be handled with care because they contain mercury. Down the road, you might consider opting for light emitting diode bulbs, or LEDs, which use anywhere from 20 to 50 times less energy than incandescent bulbs and last up to two decades.
Trail Heads, Not Paper Trails: Sure, some documents are best left to paper—marriage licenses and Mother’s Day cards immediately come to mind. But recurring property management transactions, like billing and rent payments, don’t carry the same sentimental significance. Provide a paperless option and even ‘pay it forward’ by planting a tree or adopting sections of bike or walking trails in your area.
Earth stewards make for excellent tenants because they’re invested in reducing impact and consumption, as well as creating a healthy personal environment for themselves. With these campaigns, you’ll be attracting greenies in no time.
Looking to green up current tenants? Read 7 Easy Tips for Greening Tenants (& Your Bottom Line).
