Green
Landlords Seek and Green Tenants – and Vice-Versa
Green
Apartment Network asks sustainable rental property owners: “What have you been
doing that works? What has been effective in fulfilling your intention to
operate sustainable apartments?”
This
week’s answer: boldly highlighting sustainable features in advertisements, and seeking
renters who value environmental benefits with their apartment
One green Madison rental
property owner shared a strategy for reaching out to potential tenants who will
appreciate his sustainable, eco-friendly apartment houses. He only uses two
avenues for communication: Craigslist, and his website. As you might expect, both
trumpet the environmentally sustainable benefits of the apartment house, such
as deep energy efficiency for electricity and gas, as well as water efficiency.
More innovative is
that the ads include some of “house rules” prominently – which quite possibly
not all potential tenants will love. One example – these are not just
non-smoking apartments, but rather, his policy is “no burning of anything, ever”. This means, for example, no incense. A strict
approach? Maybe for some people, but for those looking for clean and healthy
indoor air quality where they live, a truly exceptional benefit.
This direct and
transparent approach allows potential renters to self-select a green apartment,
or to choose to keep looking if this take on sustainable living isn’t for them.
