Technology helps Renters Go Green

Now apartment-dwellers have an even easier time of going green. Not only can you continue to care about the environment, but you can do it more effectively. You can know exactly what impact your are having and you can be proud of your (not-so) hard work.

Start Smart

We all know there are a variety of rentals available on the market. Choose to rent from people who care about the environment. You should ask to know what kind of insulation has been installed and what kind of utilities are offered. Ask about the recycling facilities. Find out if there are conservation efforts in effect.

One technological advancement that makes going green easier for owners and operators of multifamily dwellings is known as a submeter. This small device can be installed in each unit. Then, the data that is recorded can be analyzed. The information gives all parties involved valuable insight.

Because the resident will only pay for the actual water they use, apartment-dwellers are usually thrilled to have the device. The residents are rewarded for conservation in that they can save money, and they can actually see where the money savings is created. Also, it has been found that residents who have submeters tend to use 20-35% less water than residents who aren’t lucky enough to have submeters.

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Submeters also give managers and owners a look at where water is being used. If the information suggests that there is a leak, that can be quickly fixed. That way, damage is controlled and that means a huge financial savings. Water isn’t wasted from constantly-running toilets and leaky faucets. The owners and operator save money; renters save money, too. We all come out winners because water is conserved.

Stay Smart

Technology helps renters out here, too. Compact Fluorescent bulbs were recently introduced to the market and are a boon to energy conservation. When you replace incandescent bulbs with CF bulbs, you save about 66% of your energy. And, those CF bulbs can last up to 10 times longer than the old kind. You get to conserve your energy by not replacing them as often.

Power strips may not seem like amazing technology, but they can save you a ton of money that would have been wasted on electricity costs. When your electrical devices are off, how much electricity are they using?  If they are in standby mode, they are still using power. In fact, the average household uses over 1,000 kilowatts of electricity in standby mode in a year. That’s enough to run an average home for over two months. To conserve the most power, and save the most money, your best bet is to plug your electrical devices into a power strip and turn the power strip off when you are done using it.