RVP Corner: Greening your properties.(what's up?)(Interview)

In RVP Corner, JPM shares the thoughts and opinions of an IREM Regional Vice President on a single topic covered in the current issue.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Joseph Greenblatt, CPM[R], of San Diego, Calif, serves as the 2007 and 2008 Regional Vice President (RVP) for Region It. During his two-year term, he has had oversight for the activities of the nine IREM chapters in California and Hawaii. Greenblatt is president and CEO of Sunrise Management, headquartered in San Diego. He is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the company, its portfolio of more than 9,000 residential units, and its 300 employees in San Diego and Mesa, Ariz. He has long been active in IREM's San Diego Chapter No. 18, and has served in numerous chapter leadership positions, including that of president.

How has the push toward environmentally sound practices affected your properties in the last few years?

We've seen rising expenses associated with providing recycling resources to residents and outlays for energy-saving technology offset by savings in water and sewer costs, electricity and gas expenses.

When did you notice this trend emerging? Did residents demand it?

Many environmentally sound practices are at root here, especially energy- and resource-conserving practices. Against a backdrop of sharply increasing energy, water and sewer costs, we've seen the emergence of an array of conservation strategies and technologies over the last 15 years. For investors and managers, embracing these has represented prudent expense control. At the same time, residents are increasingly expressing preference for housing choices that reflect their environmentally conscious values. This will become a point of consumer differentiation.

You're from California where the energy crises are well known. What has been the most difficult challenge in dealing with this? How have you addressed it?

One of our greatest concerns remains escalating energy costs. Keeping energy costs in check as a percentage of revenue requires aggressive energy-management strategies. This approach is woven into the fabric of our management practices.

What are some of the green steps you have taken in your practices and what feedback have you received about them?

We stay abreast of trends in energy conservation measures and are early adopters of new technologies. At the same time, we closely monitor and take advantage of federal, state and local incentives to assist property owners with implementation.

Our "Dream Green" initiative carries green campaigns to our properties and our residents on a continuous basis. Internal contests, webinars and communications assure that we're walking the talk internally. Specific steps have included:

* Iterative adoption of increasingly energy efficient lighting technologies and controls.

* Demand control systems for domestic hot water heating and for swimming pool/spa heating and management.

* Efficient domestic HVAC replacements.

* Transition to Energy Star appliances.

* Retrofitting water-saving fixtures and devices including low-flow toilets, faucets and shower heads.

* Where landscape irrigation is required, smart, microclimate-specific controllers, updated daily via cellular technology.

* Provision for on-site recycling, even where not mandated.

* Internal paper and print reduction programs.

* Digital residential lease execution.

For more energy conservation tips you can incorporate at your properties, read "Coming Up Green" on page 22.

Print Get the Mag Weekly Updates