A recent study showed that more thanĀ 85% of consumersĀ have changed their purchasing habits toward products that are more sustainable. This spending trend will probably apply to commercial property spending as well. Either commercial owners will be eco-conscious themselves or they will wish to appeal to eco-conscious consumers.

Therefore, it’s a good idea to apply someĀ green energy management solutionsĀ to your commercial properties.Ā  If you don’t know about the green solutions commercial real estate can have, read on for some suggestions.

Green Roofs and/or Living Walls

Green roofs are essentially rooftop gardens. Living walls are the same, except they’re on your building’s walls. Beyond looking pretty, there are many other benefits to these eco-friendly management solutions.

Plants absorb the heat that the sun beams down on your building. As a result, the rooms below are cooled. This feature has the double benefit of saving energy and saving you energy costs.

Beyond that, you can also brag to clients that you’re improving the air quality both for the property and the world in general. Plants absorb the dangerous greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, which is responsible for heating the Earth. Also, after plants absorb this toxic chemical, they produce nurturing oxygen.

Eco-Friendly Landscaping

Certain landscaping features waste more water than others. You shouldn’t choose plants that need a lot more water than the natural environment can provide. This will help you conserve water as you won’t need to water the plants as often.

You can also make how you care for the plants more sustainable. Consider installing sprinklers that use less water. In addition, hire landscapers that use environmentally friendly sprays, watering practices, and so on.

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Bathroom Features

Certain plumbing features waste less water and energy than others. Energy efficient toilets, for instance, use a lot less water than older ones. Dual-flush systems use more water to flush solid wastes than liquid wastes.

Installing bidets on your building’s toilets is another option. These can reduce paper waste. Beyond that, they are much more sanitary than using toilet paper.

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However, you may want to still have toilet paper available. Many Americans do not like using bidets. Consider using more sustainable toilet paper options if you’re tasked with stocking the product yourself.

Insulation

Saving energy can be as simple as reinforcing the insulation in your commercial building. Carefully search for every little crack and hole and make sure that it’s sealed perfectly. You’ll find that your clients will turn up the heat a lot less.

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In addition, certain insulation solutions are more eco-friendly than others. Materials such as fiberglass can pollute the environment with toxic chemicals and cause health problems. You may want to switch to safer alternativesĀ like cotton or woolĀ instead.

LED Lighting

It may be up to your tenant to choose the property’s lightbulbs. If it isn’t, consider choosing LED bulbs over others. You can also suggest this option to your tenant if they want to be environmentally friendly.

LED bulbs use far less energy than traditional ones. They also last up to ten times longer than these. Therefore, you can save on both energy and light replacement costs.

In addition, you probably won’t need to replace your existing lighting systems. Most types of lightbulbs have LED equivalents. Thus, going green, in this case, can involve simply purchasing the LED lightbulbs and replacing your older ones.

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Provide Recycling Options

It’s up to your tenants if they want to recycle or not. However, the ones that wish to will appreciate your efforts to help them do so.

This can be as simple as providing separate containers for recycling, composting, and trash. You can also provide tenants with informational sheets on recycling and so on when they move in.

Sustainable and Non-Toxic Building Products

Applying green solutions for property management may involve some remodeling. If you do this, don’t forget to use eco-friendly materials wherever you can.

For example, many paints have toxic chemicals that can harm the environment. Do what you can to find non-toxic alternatives and use these for your remodeling project instead. The same goes for certain types of carpeting.

You also have the option to choose recycled building materials over new ones. Consider using these. You can also let your tenants know that you did so.

Choose Eco-Friendly Cleaners, Pest Control, Etc.

Choose carefully when hiring services for your commercial property. Some cleaning, pest control, and other service companies are more eco-friendly than others. The more eco-conscious ones can use non-toxic chemicals, energy-saving tools, and so on.

Doing so can help your tenants trust you more. They may know which services are environmentally friendly and which aren’t. If you choose the wrong services, they may call you out on it and leave your property.

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Solar Panels

Solar panels are one of the best-known eco-friendly management solutions. Tenants are most likely to conclude your building is eco-friendly when they see solar panels on your building. A solar system can also save you a lot of money on your energy costs.

One downside of this solution, though, is the high upfront cost. Another is that getting the building permits, inspecting your roof, and other installation needs can be complicated.

However, a solar system will eventually pay for itself with the energy costs that it saves you. Beyond that, there are many tax rebate incentives that can reduce the initial costs of your solar panels. You can also choose a lesser-cost system at first and then upgrade when you’re ready.

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For More Green Energy Management Solutions and Other Topics, Read Our Newsletter

If you still feel you need more green energy management solutions, consider asking your tenants. They may have some ideas that you haven’t considered. Taking their suggestions will also make them happier to stay in your building.

Also, if you need more property management advice,Ā contact us with any questions. As the leading online resource for property managers, we’re sure to have the solution that you need. You can also subscribe to our newsletter for tips on how to overcome the daily challenges of property management.

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Property managers can use BidSource to have our team find a commercial contractor ready to assist with your green energy management. Share your eco-friendly needs using the form below and our team will be in touch with a qualified contractor!

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