Think Locally, Act Sustainably.

We love what we do for our city. Yet growth is not our primary goal. We’d rather focus on smart growth that sustains the quality resources we have.

To that effort, we have distinct initiatives we’ve purposely aligned to compliment our city’s limited resources including: Energy with a Green Cap, Housing, Greenspace, Recycling and Waste Reduction, Social Equity, Transportation, and Water.

Seal & Insulate

Heating and cooling costs account for 45 percent of the average home's energy tab. To save energy at home, we seal gaps and cracks in the attic and basement and around windows and doors, and make sure our home insulation levels exceed local codes.
 

Leaf Burrito

Tarps are not sustainable. That’s why we stopped using heavy, bulky, petroleum- based giant-tarp methods of collecting & hauling yard debris, and moved to a much more efficient and safer component-oriented method using multiple burritos. No more replacing tarps annually by our maintenance team. Instead, they grab their backpack blower and a few burritos and fill multiple, manageable burritos that stack perfectly on our trailer for city disposal.

Phyn Water Leak Detection*

• The connected, whole home leak detection monitor with an automatic water shutoff that works 24/7 detecting and notifying us of leaks. Phyn Plus protects our homes from leaks, diagnosing issues in real time and gives us powerful insights into how to best conserve this valuable resource:
  Proactive alerts to leaks
• Pressure checks daily for micro leaks
• Prevents frozen pipe bursts
• Smart water usage reports

Energy Efficient Appliances

We look for the Energy Star label when shopping for home items. More than 40 products in each house feature the label, including major appliances, thermostats, and light fixtures. When something breaks down and it’s time to replace, we don’t just replace it with the same. We look to upgrade to the more efficient option on the market.

Landscape to Save Energy

When you think of energy efficiency, most don’t realize you can save energy at home with landscaping. We plant deciduous trees on the south and west sides of house when possible. In summer, the leaves will shade your house; in winter, the bare branches will let the sun through for added warmth. Zero scaping, using only local plant species, and low water usage grasses is always top priority.

Add a Ceiling Fan

Ceiling fans are a great way to conserve electricity year-round. They are economical and efficient, and they use about the same amount of energy as a 100-watt light bulb. In summer, our fans are set to spin counterclockwise, then our smart thermostats set the temperature a few degrees higher to save as much as 40 percent on cooling resources. In winter, we switch fan blades to spin clockwise and save up to 10 percent on your heating resources.

Smart Lights Lighting Your Way Home

Let’s paint the picture. You come home at night, it’s dark, you pull up in the driveway and your environmentally conscious room mate turns off the porch light. You have the joy of walking in the dark to your door. OR….

If you’re a part of our Community, you pull in the drive, grab your smartphone and turn on the front light as well as the living room light so you have safe and easy access to your home. Even better, it works with Siri on IOS as well as Amazon Alexa. 

*Not available in all homes