Energy Summit February 24-25, 2021: Getting Control of Apartment Utilities

Up until a decade ago, getting a word in edgewise about apartment utilities at major multifamily conferences was difficult. Education sessions would hardly touch on what has now become apartment management’s third-largest expense. And there was no real place where utility and energy managers could gather and exchange ideas. After all, multifamily utility management lacks the glamour of subjects such as industry trends, revenue management and the latest amenities. But all that has changed. Now that there’s more focus on sustainability and green operations that save money and attract residents, apartment utilities are no longer the red-headed stepchild of multifamily housing. They are seen as opportunities for property managers to create a better overall living experience through technology by saving water, natural gas and electricity, all of which trickles to the bottom line. These days, utility management innovation doesn’t rest. Wheels are constantly in motion to develop new ways for apartments to save, even when it comes to taking out the trash. Cameras inside garbage and recycling bins that monitor fullness and detect garbage mixed in with recyclables are among the latest innovations. The changing approach to managing apartment utilities Mary Nitschke, a respected leader in multifamily sustainability and energy, touts the camera- monitored trash flow as the greatest thing since the arrival of the modern trash compactor in the 1970s. She will be among a host of industry professionals who will discuss the changing culture of multifamily utility management at RealPage’s Energy Summit 2021, which is online Feb. 24-25. The virtual conference is open to portfolio managers/owners and their staffs. Nitschke, who serves as Vice President of Sustainability at RealPage, says a big reason that apartment utilities are increasingly part of apartment management conversations is an improved ability for stakeholders to collaborate about the subject...