Many HOA communities are looking to “go green” to promote a healthier lifestyle for residents, conserve energy, and lower operation costs. Fortunately, going green doesn’t mean that your HOA community needs to jump off a cliff and take on a completely different way of living.
Our association management company in Florida offers several energy saving tips to help save money and give you the peace of mind that you’re doing your part for the good of your community:
- Practice water efficiency.
Periodic watering of common areas is necessary in order to maintain a healthy landscape. In our Florida climate, it’s best to water grass, plants, and shrubs early in the morning to prevent the water from evaporating too quickly. Choose plants native to the Florida landscape that can thrive without requiring a lot of water.
- Invest in energy efficient products.
When the time comes to replace appliances in your community clubhouse, opt for ENERGY STAR certified products. Appliances that receive this certification use 20 to 30 percent less energy on average than required by federal standards. In addition, many of these products offer money-saving rebates that your HOA community can take advantage of to keep costs down.
- Use solar pool heating.
Why pay to heat your pool when you can install a solar heating system. Solar pool heating is cost-competitive with both gas and heat pump pool heaters, and it also offers low annual operating costs. When you’re living in the sunshine state, solar energy is an effective way to heat a pool.
- Establish rules for heating and cooling the community clubhouse.
Many HOA communities offer a clubhouse that residents can use or rent for special events. When the clubhouse is not being used, set your thermostat to a temperature that is several degrees higher or lower than normal (depending on the time of year) to conserve energy and save on your utility bill. For example, your HOA community may decide to set the thermostat to 78 degrees when vacant in the summer and 62 degrees when vacant in the winter. Installing a wireless programmable thermostat can help your association management team control the temperature of the clubhouse remotely to help keep costs and energy usage at bay.
- Conduct an energy audit and identify areas for improvement.
Looking for opportunities to make your HOA more energy efficient? You can conduct your own energy audit of your community clubhouse by locating air leaks, checking insulation, inspecting HVAC equipment, and considering lighting. Energy.gov offers a useful DIY energy audit checklist to help you identify areas that need improvement.
By making a commitment to “go green,” you’ll be able to reduce energy costs and usage as well as make your HOA community a more enjoyable place to live.
Please contact our Florida association management company for more ways to make your HOA community more energy efficient.
