Leaders in the building community recognize the importance of making their building more eco-friendly where possible.  To help builders and developers who are aiming for a greener future, the National Multi Housing Council (NMHC) and the National Apartment Association (NAA) produced a new report titled, "Strategies and Costs to Exceed ASHRAE 90.1-2004 Requirements in a Multifamily Apartment Building."

Newport performed extensive energy modeling of a typical apartment property in three U.S. climates to determine what would be needed to exceed existing requirements by 15 percent, 30 percent and 50 percent as well as the payback for those investments.  Unfortunately, according to the Newport Partners research, meeting just the 15-percent goal in some cases would necessitate extraordinary and expensive technology-for example, it could cost up to $8,000 per apartment for a property in Atlanta and would require a 16- to 25-year payback.  In addition, most apartment complex owners would not be able to recover these costs through higher rents, because they'd against less expensive apartments (which are also older and less efficient). 

On a positive note, research shows that apartment owners can significantly improve the energy efficiency of their properties by making different water-heating and lighting choices or incorporating onsite renewable energy generation.  Fortunately, apartments are already one of the most efficient and sustainable form of housing; they are higher density, use less material per housing unit, and have lower utility costs per housing unit. They are also critical in meeting our nation's affordable housing needs and battling homelessness.

Copies of the full Newport Partners report are available from Paula Cino, NMHC/NAA Director of Energy and Environment, by e-mailing her at pcino@nmhc.org or phoning (202) 974-2345.