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It’s not just water pipes that matter here. HVAC is the single most expensive energy cost, and these leaks can be hard to detect. They’re also infamously difficult to access, making repairs expensive in their own right. In short, HVAC leak detection can prevent an enormous financial headache.
WI-FI CONTROLS FOR IMPROVED LEAK DETECTION
Some leak detection systems offer app-based monitoring that you can use on your smartphone, tablet or desktop. If a leak is detected, the app can send a notification. You can even shut off the water in specific areas, preventing further waste of water or energy.
SMART THERMOSTATS
Smart thermostats offer an easy way to save energy. They can help by shutting off the A/C or heat when staff or residents are at work. They also track energy use, so you and your tenants can see how much energy they’re using each day. The most advanced thermostats save even more energy by auto-adjusting to the weather, humidity, building temperature, foot traffic (for commercial) and more. If your residents use these devices to their maximum potential, you can expect to use 15% to 20% less energy per rental unit.
Most likely, your residents have smartphones. Many smart thermostats come with a mobile app and connect to Wi-Fi. That means your tenants can use a simple app to control things like temperature and lighting away from home. Multiple thermostats let residents control settings throughout the unit. Increasingly, smart thermostats are made to be compatible with voice assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home. This makes it even easier for residents to control settings and save energy at your properties.
To be effective, at least one smart thermostat needs to be installed in every multifamily unit and single family home. Commercial and industrial buildings will require more as appropriate for the space.
SMART WASTE MANAGEMENT
Here’s a not-so-fun fact: By 2050, global waste could increase by 70%. That’s approximately 3.4 billion tons (compared to 2 billion tons in 2016). This obviously means more trash, plastic, debris and pollutants in our air, on our land and in our seas.
But it’s not all doom and gloom!
Recent innovations in waste management, sometimes called smart waste management systems, are on the rise. They make trash collection easier, more cost-efficient and better for the environment.
Smart bins can use cameras and other detection methods to move recyclables and trash into separate compartments, eliminating human error and forgetfulness. They can also monitor when bins are full. All of this drastically reduces the cost of waste management and improves recycling efforts. On a global scale, this could make a huge difference in global waste management efforts. A few of these smart bins can increase property value by showing tenants that you’re eco-friendly as well as cost- conscious. Many residents want their property to be environmentally conscious, making waste management a great way to increase property value.
GO MOBILE
As with other items on this list, mobile apps are key helpers in the effort to save water and energy. Recycle Nation and iRecycle make it easy to find recycling stations, compare rates and identify which items can be recycled.
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