My excellent colleague Natasha Selhi passed along some interesting information from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this morning.
The EPA wants renters to know that, much like single family homeowners, they do have control over how green their apartment homes are; in fact, they can express their dissatisfaction with a current apartment community by moving to another.
According to EPA, “A common misconception is that renters have little control over the environmental impacts of their homes. The truth is that renters can influence many environmental aspects of their housing, from choosing where they live to adopting everyday practices that save energy and water.”
EPA has devised a checklist to help select a greener rental house or apartment, as well as to reduce bills and have a healthier and more comfortable indoor environment.
EPA suggests that “before you sign a lease, investigate its green features and quality of its indoor environment. Discuss the considerations [on the checklist] as well as any of your own, with your landlord. If the unit does not meet some of the criteria, use your bargaining power and inquire with the landlord about making some updates.”
How is your apartment community doing with green? And will this EPA checklist help—or hurt—your leasing effort?
It’s graduation season, and last weekend my sister-in-law threw a well-deserved party for our niece Monica who has completed high school. So, as planned, less than 24 hours (!) after I got home from NAA in New Orleans, I packed my overnight bag and we drove the five or so hours up to the Syracuse, NY area.
A highlight of my socializing with friends and family was the discovery that just 30 minutes away from my sister-in-law is a working wind farm. MHN reports on renewable energy trends, but here was an opportunity to see a real wind farm up close and personal… or at least from the viewing area outside. Located in Madison County, the Fenner Wind Farm produces electricity equivalent to the annual consumption of over 7,800 homes. The farm is owned by Enel North America and comprises 20 GE 1.5 MW wind turbines. It has been in operation since 2001 according to Community Energy whose page I landed on when Googling “Fenner Wind
Farm.” Community Energy “leads the development and availability of fuel-free renewable energy with wind and solar power.” Its customers are utilities, businesses, institutions and individuals.
Unfortunately the graduation festivities went on longer than expected and my family vetoed the detour to the Fenner Wind Farm. But here’s a (not very flattering) stock art picture I found.
Even though this isn’t a great picture, I don’t agree that the turbines are ugly; in fact, I think they look quite graceful. What do you think about their appearance, and about NIMBYism in response to windfarms?
I just got back from the NAA conference in New Orleans. Attended lots of great sessions with my MHN colleague Anu Kher (including Social Media Marketing Fact and Fiction and How Good Is Your Property’s Crisis Management Plan) enjoyed catching up with industry folks, shot lots of videos for MHN TV which we’ll begin posting this week, and saw some interesting products which we’ll cover in the August issue of MHN magazine.
On the flight back I came across some notes scribbled in April during the Apartment Internet Marketing Conference. I meant to turn them into something longer, but got busy with other projects. It’s time to clean house and move on, so I share them here. Let me know if they resonate. As always, I can be reached at dmosher@multi-housingnews.com.
• Real time information overload? Does social media dominate your time? You can remove yourself from the scene by committing “social media suicide.”
• Mass mingling = impromptu meetings being fostered by social media + mobile
• Is social media reputation management or a way to increase sales? No right or wrong answer. Use it as a proactive brand-driven sales discussion.
• The current information overload situation will result in much of the social commentary going ignored. We will only pay attention to known people.
• Geofencing: this time next year we will all be talking about this next step in mobile marketing
• Bar codes will be big. We’re ten years behind the times in the U.S.
• Now’s the time to explore 3D marketing software tools.
• Hire people to post online videos which will include the user. Trend will develop with prospect put into picture of community.
• Don’t ignore the power of live video chat customer service. Engagement helps to address concerns, answer questions for residents and prospects.
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) has put forth its plan to end homelessness.
The USICH was mandated by the HEARTH Act, enacted by Congress in May 2009, to present a “national strategic plan” to end homelessness to Congress and the President.
The plan puts forward strategies to end homelessness among veterans and the chronic homeless by 2015, and homelessness among children, family and youth by 2020.
Sheila Crowley, president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, said that her organization looked forward to working with the Administration this year to “identify funding sources” to help communities provide homes and needed services to the homeless.
Yes, in light of the recent defeat in Congress of plans to extend unemployment benefits to Americans due to federal deficit “concerns” on the part of Republicans and Democrat “centrists,” the availability of money is often one of the issues.
Kevin Henry
Today…
The laws of nature will be broken.
Matter as we know it will be altered.
Time will have no relevance.
The past is hot.
The future is COOL!”
Not since our ancestors squatted around an open fire, cooking the catch of the day of the day on a stick over an open flame has there been such a leap in cooking technology. With today’s modern kitchen consuming as much as 30 percent to 40 percent of household energy, the magnetic induction cook-top uses 90 percent less energy than that of a conventional gas or electric cook top, making it the most energy efficient form of cooking on the market today.
"Nothing is too wonderful to be true."- Michael Faraday 1831
The principle of magnetic induction was discovered in 1831 by Michael Faraday, a British physicist who laid the foundation to many of today’s common technologies. Faraday found that the electromotive force produced around a closed path is proportional to the rate of change of the magnetic flux through any surface bounded by that path. In other words, a magnetic induction cook-top uses electromagnetic energy to heat the cooking vessel itself, without generating heat on the surface of the cook top. Compared to a traditional gas or electric cooking surface, magnetic induction is faster, safer, cooler and a more efficient form of cooking.
“Nothing is too wonderful to be true.” Michael Faraday 1831
The first patent for an induction cooker was filed in 1900, but the idea was never fully realized until Frigidaire created a prototype for a traveling road show showcasing the kitchen of the future.
The first real production induction cook-top was launched by Westinghouse in the 1970’s, but production ceased when the company was sold in 1975.
From here, development of induction cooking moved from the U.S. to Europe, where induction cooking was developed for the commercial market. Induction cooking was first introduced to the great kitchens of Europe’s leading hotels and restaurants as a way to reduce energy consumption and extreme temperatures, while at the same time allowing for the quick and safe preparation of food without the need for open flames and time consuming pre-heating of pots and pans.
"Nothing is too wonderful to be true."-Michael Faraday 1831
Today, adapted for residential use, the magnetic induction cook-top uses electromagnetic energy to heat the cooking utensil itself. When the unit is turned on, the induction coils produce a high frequency, alternating magnetic field, much like a radio wave, which flows through the cookware quickly and evenly, stimulating the iron molecules in the cookware to move back and forth rapidly, causing the molecules to collide, thus creating friction, which in turn creates heat to cook. Unlike traditional cooking surfaces that heat up and stay hot long after the meal has been prepared, the black glass-ceramic surface of the Induction-Top stays cool to the touch as it is unaffected by the magnetic field.
As with any new technology, the question of health and safety always comes up in regard to the effect that magnetic induction has on the human body. The answer is simple…none! The energy transmitted from a magnetic induction cook top is not considered a safety hazard according to most scientists and engineers. The radiofrequency radiation that is transmitted from an induction cook-top is less than those encountered during every day interaction with common household appliances.
The magnetic fields that are created during use are safer than electric fields. Electric fields interact with the water in a person’s body, which magnetic fields do not do.
The reason is simple; the water molecule is a polar molecule with an electrically positive end and an electrically negative end.
A water molecule within an electric field will tend to align with the field and when the field is oscillated, the water molecule will oscillate as well. This is how a microwave oven pops popcorn. Magnetic fields, on the other hand, go relatively unnoticed by water molecules or any other molecule in a body. So not only is induction cooking the most energy efficient form of cooking, I would have to say that it is the safest as well.
In closing, magnetic induction cooking is safe to use, easy to clean, quick to heat up as well as to cool down and most important, and energy efficient. It would be safe to say that in any other culture, this technology would be mistaken for magic.
The Benefits of Induction Cooking:
- Because energy is directly transferred within the pan, induction cooking is extremely fast …even faster than gas.
- Induction is much safer than gas or other electric cooking surfaces since there is no open flame, red-hot coil or other radiant heat source to burn or scorch if left unattended. No contact…No heat.
- With no grates or grease catch to worry about, clean up is a breeze. Just use a damp cloth and wipe over the easy-to-clean surface.
- Almost no ambient heat is produced since all the heat is being generated in the pan itself. This means a much cooler kitchen to work within.
- Induction cooking is far more energy-efficient than gas or traditional electric cooking. The induction Cook-Top delivers 90 percent of the energy that it uses to the pan! Gas on the other hand delivers only 55 percent to the pan and traditional electric about 65 percent. In addition, when you remove the vessel from the induction-cooking surface, the cooktop immediately goes into standby mode, which uses almost no energy whatsoever.
- Unlike a gas burner or electrical stove, the induction cooktop is incapable of producing heat on its own; only until a pan is placed on top of it does it generate a magnetic field that excites the magnetic molecules in the pan which creates instant, precise and very controllable heat.
(Kevin Henry is a designer, writer and speaker with over 25 years of experience in the kitchen industry. Henry has been behind the success of such brands as Snaidero, Poliform/Varenna, Küppersbusch, ALNO in North America and Bazzeo Earth Friendly Kitchens. Currently, he is the president and creative director at Group42, a design + marketing collective dedicated to redefining the boundaries of the modern kitchen. He can be reached at kmhenry@group42.net)
There is plenty of private funds seeking below-market properties to scoop up. Recently, GoldOller Real Estate Investments formed a new real estate investment fund to invest in opportunistic and value added opportunities east of the Mississippi.
Already, the fund has acquired three apartment complexes consisting of more than 600 units, in Indianapolis, Greenville, N. C. and Greenville, N. C.
Richard Oller and affordable housing veteran Jeffrey Goldstein are principals of the new firm, an affiliate of their firm, Multifamily Management Services. The combined companies own and manage apartment communities consisting of more than 30,000 units ranging from affordable housing to high-end residential buildings and premier condominiums.
Together with its affiliate companies, GoldOller offers the full breadth of real estate services from acquisition and development to leasing and asset management.
GoldOller says its relationship with its investors provides it with access to capital and resources to act on appropriate opportunities very quickly, giving it a competitive edge.
Whether you are for or against it, would anyone be really surprised if President Obama tries to privatize social security, or impose regressive VAT taxation, down the road?
For now, President Obama wants to privatize public housing. That is one interpretation of his Preservation, Enhancement and Transformation of Rental Assistance Act (PETRA). PETRA proposes to convert public housing—on a voluntary basis, it is emphasized—to project-based Section 8. This may be a boon to private multifamily owners and developers. Bankers also stand to benefit under the Act. Think of the immense, publicly owned, housing stock that is at stake.
As they say, some things that President George W. Bush never dared try to do are being completed by his successor, President Obama. In light of the current Gulf oil spill, an example is the president’s earlier proposal to open parts of the U.S. coastline to offshore drilling for the first time ever, as a part of an energy conservation packet. Such is the Audacity, Change and boldness that we can believe in.
Almost 35 years ago, while still living a post-hippie lifestyle, I attended my first Earth Day in Los Angeles. I was working at one of the first 24 hour gas stations in California, where gas was 25 cents a gallon. A couple of bucks would fill the tank of my, mint condition, 1955 VW Bug, almost to the brim.
I was invited to attend the day in the park by a young woman who wrote for an ecological magazine, a “commie rag”, as my father would say. She would come in late at night to get gas and we would talk about movies, politics and the world around us. Her passion and main train of thought was about the environment and her involvement in the upcoming Earth Day festival. At the time, Earth Day had the overtones of a “love-in” of the sixties with music and speeches, but instead of the war in Vietnam, the direction had shifted to the environment.
The focus of Earth Day in 1974 was about the quality of our air and water as well as the use of pesticides in farming and toxic waste being dumped in the ocean. And on that sunny spring Saturday in the park, with the sun shining down, out of a clear blue sky, global warming or the thought of climate change was far from the minds of this eclectic group of people, holding hands and singing along with Joni Mitchell’s, 70’s hit and anthem of the fledgling environmentalist movement, Big Yellow Taxi, one of the most prophetic songs ever to be written.
During the day’s event of music and speeches, my friend invited me to the podium to say a few words during an open “mic” period in between sets. I remember my stomach feeling like it was tied in a knot, as I had never spoken in front of a large group before. A light breeze blew through my shoulder length hair and I can still feel the way the sun played upon my face. I don’t remember much of what I said that day, a blessing of time I think, other than these few words, “the future is deeply rooted in the actions we take today”, and from that moment forward I become an environmentalist.
Now, forty years after the start of Earth Day, the movement is under attack from all sides, challenging and dismissing years of recorded data, attacking the credibility of thought-leaders, scientists and engineers, but the worst part is that the confidence of the American consumer has been shaken and they have begun to question an idea that had touched their lives.
Simple things like recycling their trash or driving a fuel efficient car or purchasing energy star appliances or changing out every light bulb in the house for compact-florescence ones, began feel silly as if they were the butt of a secret joke. It all became very clear for me one evening as I sat at the kitchen table, helping my 7 year old son with his Earth Science home work, when he asked me “what if all these things we do around the house, don’t change anything?” POW!…right between the eyes by one of my own. It was like being asked if I believed in GOD. I sat dumbfounded for a minute or two and looking him straight in the eyes I said…”is it ever wrong to do the right thing?
I explained to him that we, as individuals can make a difference, by the choices we make and the actions we take, we can make a lasting impact on the world around us. So, yes…the things we do around the house to lower our carbon-footprint, like taking shorter showers or changing out light bulbs or compositing or bring our own bags to the market…do make a difference.
So even if climate change or global warming were not an issue, I ask, is it wrong to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and seek alternative energy resource? Is it wrong to want a more energy efficient automobiles or home appliances? Is it wrong to conserve and protect our limited natural resources? Is it wrong to want to make a difference in the world around us? No, it is not wrong to want and expect these things, but we have to take action and we cannot wait for the government or a group or committee for the answers, we, as individuals, hold the power to make a difference and by the choices we make and the actions we take, we can alter the course of life on this planet, now and for generations to come.
(Kevin Henry is a designer, writer and speaker with over 25 years of experience in the kitchen industry. Henry has been behind the success of such brands as Snaidero, Poliform/Varenna, Küppersbusch, ALNO in North America and Bazzeo Earth Friendly Kitchens. Currently, he is the president and creative director at Group42, a design + marketing collective dedicated to redefining the boundaries of the modern kitchen. He can be reached at kmhenry@group42.net)
I was chatting on the phone with a publicist earlier this week. After he got done with his editorial pitch, the conversation turned to other topics. He and his wife are thinking about downsizing and also moving to a warmer climate… maybe Florida, where there are condo bargains waiting to be snatched up.
It was just one consumer talking, but his optimism was contagious.
This anecdotal evidence reinforces the May numbers released by the Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® which now stand at 63.3, up from 57.7 in April. The Present Situation Index increased to 30.2 from 28.2. The Expectations Index improved to 85.3 from 77.4 last month.
According to Lynn Franco, Director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center, consumer confidence posted its third consecutive monthly gain, and although still weak by historical levels, appears to be gaining some traction. “Consumers’ apprehension about current business conditions and the job market continues to slowly dissipate. Consumers’ expectations, on the other hand, have increased sharply over the past three months, propelling the Expectations Index to pre-recession levels (August 2007, 89.2).” Franco added, “The improvement has been fueled primarily by growing optimism about business and labor market conditions. Income expectations, however, remain downbeat.”
So it must have been the perception of a good deal—or getting a lot for their money—that created a stir in Hawaii where dozens of people reportedly camped out for as long as two days outside the sales office of the Pacifica Honolulu condominium project.
They wanted to be among the first to snatch up a good deal. The project is now being developed by San Diego-based OliverMcMillan which has rebranded the condominium and increased the allure of the property.
This is good news since Pacifica Honolulu had stopped construction in the fall of 2008 after the developer lost his construction loan and stopped funding the project with his own equity. The 27th floor of the concrete tower had been poured, and the exterior glass and interior finishes were partially underway.
What good news are you hearing from your consumers?
Everyone thinks Miami is overbuilt, right? But the latest report from Marcus & Millichap shows that Miami apartments may not be doing so badly.
M&M research says that vacancy in Miami-Dade has already been flat for six months. “Some areas where the threat of shadow stock is not as significant continue to record notable results. The average vacancy rate in the Hialeah, North Dade and North Miami/Bayshore submarkets is around 5 percent,” states M&M.
Given such trends, investors are returning in increasing numbers. There is currently about $1.7 billion in distressed apartment properties in Miami-Dade, says M&M. However, opportunities to buy at firesale prices are still very limited. M&M predicts that the Hialeah and Coral Gables submarkets will be the first to see fundamentals rebound this year.
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