Investors and buyers alike are becoming increasingly interested in properties that are both sustainable and innovative; mostly brought on by society’s changing attitudes towards the world that we live in and the importance of planning for tomorrow rather than just living in the today.
Not only are green properties better for the environment, but they also offer better returns on investment due to the higher rental income potential and the savings made by being more energy-efficient.
A win for the planet and for investors!
So, how do you get started building a sustainable portfolio of properties?
1. Implement renewable energy solutions
This is possibly the easiest and most cost-effective way to introduce sustainability to your property portfolio. In fact, you can carry out this step with no upfront costs at all; simply find a different energy service for your buildings that uses cleaner energy sources, in turn reducing your carbon emissions and becoming more environmentally friendly.
2. Embrace sustainable construction methods
If you are looking to build or project manage the construction of a new property or even renovate an existing one in your portfolio, then you should think about how you can construct, design, and operate the project in a sustainable way. To learn more about how to do this and about further benefits of sustainable construction, consider taking a masters in construction management.
3. Hire green facility management companies
It’s not just about how you work but also who you choose to work with. There is little point embracing sustainability yourself but at the same time overlooking the commitment of the companies that you pay to care for your commercial properties.
Make a conscious effort to commit to only hiring the services of those who are strongly invested in sustainable resources. This includes everyone from your landscape gardeners to your grounds maintenance staff, and of course, to the people that take away your waste.
4. Strive to obtain green building certifications
Not only are these certificates a great way to help you as a real estate developer to stand out from the competition, but they also show the local community that you care about the impact your portfolio has on the environment as well as the welfare of your tenants.
There are many certification bodies available, all of which will list their requirements online so that you can see what you need to do to be awarded their green certificate.
Areas they may mention include;
- Energy efficiency
- Water efficiency
- Using environmentally friendly cleaning products
- Investing in high-quality filtration systems
- Utilizing renewable and recyclable materials for construction
5. Invest in smart building systems
Modern technologies and digitalization have had a massive impact on how efficient a building’s systems can be, but not all property owners will take the time (or spend the initial outlay) on these.
However, this is a false economy as by digitally collecting energy data on your buildings, you could reduce their energy consumption by as much as 10%.
How does this work?
Imagine if you had one system that connected and looked after your property’s heating, air conditioning, and lighting. This system could adjust the temperature of your home based on how many people are currently residing there. It could also use smart technology to switch your lights on and off at optimal times and even analyze whether your smart windows should open to let in sunlight or if it would be more energy efficient to darken the windows and turn up the lights.
The possibilities of smart technology are endless!
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