Taking actionable steps toward sustainable living

Elme is committed to investing in the sustainable development and operations of our communities—building healthy, efficient homes for our residents.

Investing in eco-friendly communities

At Elme, we continuously search for innovative ways to make eco-friendly upgrades within our communities. In our efforts to foster healthy, sustainable living spaces for our residents, we installed ENERGY STAR-rated appliances, efficient water and irrigation systems, LED lighting, recycling systems, and other upgrades across our portfolio. As of 2021, roughly one-third of our communities are Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) certified, the first multi-family properties in the U.S. to achieve the standard.

We set ambitious goals over the next 10 years

20%
Reduction in energy intensity use.
50%
Reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions.
15%
Reduction in water usage.

Both small changes and big initiatives leads to lasting environmental impact

100%
Of home renovations have Energy Star and WaterSense appliances and fixtures.

 

67%
Of communities rated as “bikeable” to support sustainable commutes.

 

86%
Of communities have double pane windows to preserve energy.

22%
Of common area electricity at communities is renewable energy purchased from local and regional sources

 

71%
Of communities eliminated or reduced the use of irrigation systems.

 

72%
Of communities have at least one sustainability certification.

Our current green initiatives

Green bond

In 2021, Elme completed the allocation of a $350 million Green Bond to finance green building projects, helping to mitigate the risks of climate change. View the report.

GRESB

Elme is a proud participant in the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB), increasing our ranking from 60 to 77 in six years.

Solar projects

In 2021/2022, we installed solar panels across two properties, providing around 20% of the buildings’ electricity and offsetting 474,000 kg of carbon emissions.

Building certifications

Over 70% of our portfolio has at least one sustainability certification—a stat we want to increase by 10% over the next five years.