The Credential for Green Property Management

The deepening economic crisis has made it impossible for property managers to ignore the impact of static rent prices and rising costs on their budgets.

As a result property managers are exploring new ways to curtail expenses, says Kris Cook, executive director, National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA) in Alexandria, Va.

For many property managers, green practices are the most feasible way to produce long-term cost savings. But with so much information available, it can be tricky to identify the most effective and current practices. Fortunately, the recently launched Credential for Green Property Management can help property managers and their staff stay current on best practices. The credential is 100 percent education based, which means no organizational or operational changes are required.

In addition to its educational value, the credential signifies to property owners and tenants that a property manager has been educated on ways to save money through conservation efforts. In Cook’s estimation, about 90 percent of the training involved in the certification can lead to reduced operating costs.

Meeting the Requirements
Targeted toward on site managers, supervisors and maintenance staff, initial certification requires 16 hours of training and then four hours per year to maintain the credential, Cook says. During the initial certification process, staff members take eight hours of classes on mandatory subject matter including energy efficiency, green building principles and practices, water efficiency, pest management, indoor air quality, and operations and maintenance. The remaining eight hours can be used for elective courses such as alternative energy sources or landscaping. In all, there are 12 topics to choose from, which are offered through a variety of venues including online, classroom settings and seminars.

The credential was launched through a partnership between NAHMA and the National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI). However, the majority of courses are offered by other approved organizations such as the American Institute of Architects, Association for Energy Affordability and the Building Performance Institute.

A Team Approach
One of the primary objectives of certification is to generate organizational awareness of green practices, so that green practices don’t rely on the efforts of one person, says Maureen Lambe, executive vice president of NAAEI in Arlington, Va. Having group buy-in makes the property less vulnerable to reverting back to non-green practices should a key staff member leave.

Teaching staffers and supervisors about green practices also creates a more efficient organizational model because everyone has the same level of understanding. “The team needs to be on the same page and to work together,” Lambe says. If, for example, an employee purchases a water and energy efficient dishwasher that is more expensive up front, he won’t need to convince others why it is a good long-term financial decision.

Benefits for Affordable Housing Managers
Property managers across the board can reap the educational and marketing benefits of certification, but Green Initiative participants have some additional incentives. The certification was originally developed to meet the requirements set forth by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Affordable Housing Preservation’s (OAHP) Green Initiative program for multifamily affordable housing properties.

When restructuring under Mark-to-Market, participants can choose to take part in the Green Initiative. HUD’s Mark-to-Market program helps affordable multihousing properties to rehab and restructure debt as a way to repeg rents at current market conditions, says Cook.

HUD Green Initiative participants can be reimbursed for expenses related to training their staff for certification within certain OAHP guidelines, Lambe says.

Whether you are a participant of HUD’s Green Initiative program or not, the Credential for Green Property Management is a valuable tool to educate your staff, reduce operating costs and attract new tenants. To learn more about the program, visit the NAHMA’s Web site.