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.
We set ambitious goals over the next 10 years
Both small changes and big initiatives leads to lasting environmental impact
100%
Of home renovations have ENERGY STAR and WaterSense appliances and fixtures.
>70%
Of our portfolio is in locations rated as “walkable”.
91%
Of our portfolio is classified as having access to transit.
90%
Of our properties have LED exterior lighting with photocells.
63%
Of communities eliminated or reduced the use of irrigation systems.
69%
Of the portfolio has 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 GRESB Real Estate Assessment, receiving a score of 76 in our latest submission.
Solar projects
In 2023, new solar panel systems were connected at two of our multifamily communities in DC. These systems supplied residents with approximately 600,000 kWh of clean energy while selling excess to the local grid.
Building certifications
69% of our portfolio square footage has at least one sustainability and/or wellness certification- a stat that we want to increase by 15% by 2026.