Kimberly Madrigal – Green Landlady

Author Archives: Kimberly Madrigal

Opportunities Abound for Sustainable Operations

November 3, 2010 – 9:25 am

Multifamily building operators need to concentrate their sustainability efforts on these five areas.

Posted in Business | Tagged bike-sharing, closed loop manufacturing, community gardens, cradle to cradle, Drought Tolerant Landscaping, Energy Star appliances, gray water reuse, Princeton Properties, rain water harvesting, renewable energy, Solaire, sub-metering, wastewater treatment, water budget | Comments (0)

VOTE Is a Four Letter Word

November 2, 2010 – 7:44 am

As politics metamorphasizes into an incendiary activity, it’s important to keep in mind the larger picture. As property owners, managers and residents, it is important to remember that we are all in this together and that our fates are intertwined.

Posted in Business | Tagged funding public services, Global warming, infrastructure investment, public transportation, school funding, transit funding, vote | Comments (0)

If You Lived Here. . .

October 18, 2010 – 8:04 am

Every gallon of gas consumed releases 19.4lbs. of CO2 into the atmosphere. For renters, their cars represent a significant investment and ongoing cost that is rarely considered when apartment hunting. Should leasing agents and apartment managers highlight their transit options?

Posted in Business | Tagged apartment acquisitions, bicycle commuters, bicycle racks, foreclosures, housing and transportation index, marketing green apartments, public transportation options foor renters, renter loyalty, walkability, WalkScore | Comments (2)

9 Steps to Reducing Energy Consumption

October 14, 2010 – 8:46 am

Reducing energy consumption can save you money, but more importantly it can decrease the amount of carbon in the atmosphere, help our nation become less reliant on foreign oil and spur the local economy.

Posted in Energy | Tagged CFLs, Energy Conservation, Energy Star appliances, installing fans, LEDs, lower thermostats on water heaters, power strips as move-in gifts, programmable thermostats in apartments, resident newsletter, solar panels, solar thermal, trees reduce energy, vampire load, water conservation | Comments (0)

A 5-Step Plan for Water Conservation

October 13, 2010 – 8:22 am

Whether or not you decide to sub-meter your property, here are the top 5 steps green property managers to take with regard to water conservation.

Posted in Water | Tagged dual flush retrofit kits, faucet aerators, feedback for residents, finding leaks, front-loading washing machine, Green Property Managers, high efficiency showerheads, high efficiency toilets, ratio utility billing, recharging the aquifer, Smart Faucet, water audit, water conservation in apartment buildings, water conserving landscaping, Water sub-metering, WaterSense labels | Comments (0)

Home Appliance Efficiency Hits and Misses

October 12, 2010 – 7:30 am

In 1937, when being green had more to do with envy than the environment, a group of engineers at Bendix Home Appliances invented the first automatic front loading washing machine. Unlike the top loading basin and wringer washers of the time, the new Bendix used significantly less water and utilized a high speed water-extracting [...]

Posted in Energy | Tagged Bendix Home Appliances, energy efficiency data home appliances, Energy Star appliances, Energy Star testing requirements, front loading vs. horizontal washing machines, Michael Lee, reduced energy consumption for appliances, Thor Appliances | Comments (0)

A Few Words to the Wise from Alex Wilson & Peter Yost

October 11, 2010 – 8:32 am

The connection between water and energy is inextricable and by saving one we save the other. Alex Wislon and Peter Yost of BuildingGreen.com offer their suggestions for a couple of products to help you save both.

Posted in Water | Tagged Alex Wilson, BuildingGreen.com, Consumptive Water Use for U.S. Power Production, Delta H2O Kinetic showerhead, Delta showerhead, National Renewable Enrgy Lab, Niagra showerhead, Niagra Stealth line, Peter Yost, water and energy connection, water conservation, WaterSense Products, West Coast Green | Comments (0)

A New Kind of Give & Take for Green Property Management

September 28, 2010 – 7:30 am

As of August 21, 2010, we have overshot nature’s budget for the year, meaning we have consumed more than the earth can produce, its ‘biocapacity’ and we are now ’spending’ our future reserves. By actively advocating the borrowing, re-using, sharing and swapping, green property management professionals help to ensure their communities stay vibrant and assist green renters in their efforts to draw down consumption.

Posted in Business | Tagged ancillary income, bartering, biocapacity, borrowing, car sharing, collaborative consumption, Freecycle, green property management, green renters, lending, nature' budget, NeighborGoods, Rachel Botsman, resident education programs, ReUseIt Network, Roo Rogers, sharing, swapping, SwapStyle, Zipcar | Comments (1)

Recession Weary Renters Become Bargain Hunters

September 27, 2010 – 7:30 am

The recession may be over as far as economists are concerned but the realty for most Americans is hardly rosy. By taking these basic energy efficiency and water conservation steps, you can improve your bottom line and make your units more affordable in the long run.

Posted in Business | Tagged caulking and sealing apartments, compact flurescent lamps (CFLs), continued unemployment, Energy Star appliances, Green Property Managers, Paul Krugman, rebates and tax incentives, recession budgets, Refrigerator Savings Calculator, Trends in Dollar Stores, Walmart Moms, WaterSense Products, weatherizing apartment units | Comments (0)

Property Managers: Sustainability Naturals

September 16, 2010 – 7:30 am

Have you benchmarked your portfolio? Implemented energy and water saving measures? Curious where to start? Catch one of Green Landlady’s free lectures!

Posted in Business | Tagged benchmarking apartment buildings, energy efficiency in apartment buildings, Energy Star Portfolio Manager, green leases, green property management, green property mangers, multifamily water conservation, ratio utility billing, RUBS, sub-metering water, sustainable operations and management | Comments (0)