A spokesperson from IREM's headquarters in Chicago reports that since Woodmont had the first Certified Sustainability Property in the US more than a year ago, 94 US properties have earned the certification, with 47 being apartment communities. Jeff Bosshard, president of Woodmont's multifamily division, says pursuing IREM's Certified Sustainable Property designation is good for business on many levels.

“Foremost, sustainability is good for the environment and our clients consider it advantageous that their portfolios have sustainable features in them,” Bosshard tells GlobeSt.com. “Yet by far, it's the residents that really like living in sustainable communities. They tell us when they look for a place to live that conserving energy, water and using recycled materials is important to them. So for a property management company, it becomes another marketing tool.”

To earn the certification, a property must first meet key baseline requirements, and then earn necessary points across energy, water, health, recycling and purchasing categories. Tenants and residents increasingly associate environmental performance with quality, so the certification presents a prime opportunity to showcase responsible real estate management.