As an apartment manager or a landlord, you know that energy costs account for a very large portion your operating expenses, particularly if the tenants’ utilities are included in the rent. If tenants pay their own utility bills, you still may have to pay for energy supplied to common areas, such as pools, laundry rooms and parking lots.

This file contains proven suggestions that will reduce your energy costs in and around your rental property.
By following these tips, you will lower your utility bills and related expences.

Heating/Cooling

Install ceiling fans.
Change or clean filters on air-handling systems regularly.  Dirty filters will cause excessive wear and load on your heating and cooling system and increase the amount of energy needed to heat or cool the units.
Add exterior shading to decrease heat gain through windows and doors. This will allow the air conditioner compressors to run more efficiently.
If your Heat and Air system is on the East, West, or South side of your facility insure that “direct sunlight does not strike the unit”.  If it does protect it by installing a sunshade device.  This will improve the efficiency of your system.

Equipment

Install restricted flow shower heads to save water. Low-flow shower heads reduce water flow from about 7 to 8 gallons per minute to 2 or 3 depending on make and model. The packaging will state what the Max flow rate is.
When updating water heaters, invest in energy-saving water heaters, place them as close to the greatest use of hot water as possible, (kitchen,laundry,main bathroom). When buying new water heaters invest in “on-demand” or “Flash heaters”.
Set the temperature at 120 to ’30 degrees F, or medium, and suggest that the tenants leave it there.
Install an aerator in kitchen sink faucets.   An aerator reduces the amount of water flow.
Repair ALL water leaks immediately! The smallest leak will cost you money!
Consider installing heat pumps if your source of energy for heating is electricity.   They use about half as much energy as electric resistance healing.

Painting

Paint the exterior of the rental units according to climate. For example, painting a building white helps reflect more of the sun’s radiant heat. Note: There is a paint additive that will increase the ability of ANY paint to reflect heat.
Choose light colors when painting the interior of the units. Light-colored walls reflect light so that less artificial light is needed.

Appliances

Be energy conscious when buying appliances for a rental unit. Compare energy-use Information and operating costs of similar models.
Note: When comparing ensure that you are comparing like units.
Although more efficient appliances may cost more initially, it will cost less to operate.
Keep in mind when shopping for ranges that an electric range uses on the average 1 kilowatt-hour per meal, about $.08 (depending on utility rate) where a gas range uses about $.06 (depending on season)worth of gas per meal.
Install the refrigerator away from heat sources, such as the stove, dishwasher or direct sunlight.
Keep appliances in good working order.  They will last longer, operate more efficiently and use less energy.
Choose a gas range that has an electric ignition.  A pilot light uses about $.13 worth of gas every day.
Consider purchasing automatic dishwashers.

An efficient automatic dishwasher can consume less energy than washing by hand.

Lighting

Replace incandescent lights with fluorescent lights in kitchens, bathrooms produce nearly four times as much light per watt as typical incandescent lights and last 9 to 12 times as long. Plus you save on replacement labor costs per bulb.
Install lighting timers or motion sensing units on outside lights.  Timers turn lights on and off automatically at preset times, or dusk to dawn as needed.  If you have older light sockets you can buy a photo cell switch (wafer) that fits in the fixture to ensure that during daylight hours the light will turn off and back on at dusk, the same way that most street lamps are wired.  This is inexpensive and will save on wasted energy costs.

Washer/Dryer/Laundry Room

If you have central laundry rooms in a rental complex, be sure to keep the dryers lint traps clean. A dirty lint trap slows the flow of air in the dryer so it takes longer and uses more energy to dry the laundry and may cause the dryer to overheat.
If there are washer/dryer connections inside the units, dryers should be vented outside to avoid adding excess moisture and heat to the inside air.  NOTE:  Gas dryers are required to be vented to the outside!
Consider installing a motion sensing switch for the lighting in the laundry room.  This will ensure that lights are off when the facility is not in use.

Swimming Pools

Clean the skimmer and pump-strainer baskets frequently.
Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for servicing the filter/s.
Keep the pool thermostats at 80 to 82 degrees F or below, and operate the pool heater only when the pool is being used.
If allowed consider changing from chlorine to either a salt system or ultraviolet sanitation system.  Both will reduce chemical costs and hazards of having chlorine on site.
If allowed by your location set the pump timer so that it only runs long enough to maintain the pool.  Usually this can be about 4 hours per day depending on usage.