Just when you think the whole world is going green, you have
an experience like I did this past week. Meeting with 15 landlords, inhaling
strong fumes in my potential new places to live and inquiring, “Is this low or
zero VOC paint?” And encountering a
blank stare 15 out of 15 times: “What is VOC paint?”
[In case you don't know, VOCs are Volatile Organic Compounds
which can be toxic and irritating to breathe and cause that new paint and new car smell.]
These real estate agents weren't being an evil shade of brown; they had no idea. They seemed caught off guard. It was a first. This was surprising for me.
It seems that my apartment hunting in San Francisco has uncovered an untapped
market for greening: the rental renovation market. A tenant moves out, and the
fixer-upper crews move right in. Paint, new carpets, tile that kitchen and make
it granite, paint some more, sand and varnish those hardwood floors, and how
about a new dishwasher? Done in record
time. Ready for showing. Oh, and open those windows please because it really
stinks in here.
From what I could see, almost none of this flurry of
activity was being done in a green way. Everyone was focused on the superficials. “Look at this new tile!” No one mentioned a single thing about the
underlying health of the apartment for its tenants and the planet. And not a
single apartment had a green composting bin system yet. The off-gassing was incredible in these 15 apartments from the new
paint and either the new carpets or the "fresh" hardwood floors.
Peruse the number of apartments for rent right now on
Craigslist. Imagine the work crews for
each one, and you get a Manhattan-sized amount of un-green renovation occurring
at lightening speed.
This seems outdated in one of the greenest cities in the
nation, San Francisco,
at one of the greenest times in history, now. Clearly the green renaissance has
left the apartment building property owners and managers behind for now. And
the rental agents judging by their inquisitive responses. Some
of them dismissed my questions; others seemed genuinely interested and got back
to me with answers.
This is a huge opportunity. So if you are looking for a new
apartment, ask the tough green questions. Apparently, the first thing most
landlords do is paint, so try to head any high-VOC painting off at the pass. Ask
if appliances are Energy Star rated. Ask for non-toxic hardwood
floor lacquers. Ask where the recycling and composting facilities are. Verbalize
your preference for green design to increase awareness.
And if you own condos or an apartment building and are renting
out units, consider renovating with a green thumb and advertising the eco
features. In hyper-aware places like San Francisco, LA and
NYC, I suspect you will be pleased with the tenant glee that ensues, and you
might even be able to charge a premium.
I did find one ray of green light in this apartment-hunting
jungle: a building with solar panels on the roof for water heating, a
low-flow toilet, CFLs in the garage, and an emphasis on ventilation. It's a
promising start and might become my new home, the perfect canvas
for creating a humble abode showcase of sustainable green design.
is one of my favorites of
all time. And you can read it while sitting in a swimming pool because it is
not printed on paper. Splash.
