Condo World

Cash is Green

“There's no sadder sight than a young pessimist.”

• Mark Twain

Politics aside, there is a movement afoot to make Condo World a bit more environmentally friendly. This movement can be considered perfect for condominium associations as it can address the concerns and beliefs of those who are personally very environmentally conscious as well as those who are not so inclined, but are fiscally conservative since some Green changes can save Associations a lot of money over time.

Here are some things being done at associations around the nation.

Swapping out incandescent lights for LED lights. Simply put, LED (“Light Emitting Diode”) lights last longer (saving on not only the cost of bulbs, but also on the maintenance cost for someone who charges an association to replace them) and are less expensive over the long run as the electricity costs are much lower. The initial cost can be a bit much. By way of example, one association just swapped all of their lights out noting the initial cost will easily be recovered within a year or two by the money saved on electric and maintenance bills.

Clotheslines - The first thought may be, “Ughh. I can just imagine what it will look like with a dozen clotheslines in the back of the units. And just think what will be on them.” Well, keep in mind they are in the back of units, so none should ever be seen by someone entering an association.

Also, since boards of directors control the Common Area, Boards can dictate where clotheslines can be placed, such as limiting them to a back deck or within a designated area. Some associations even have a community clothesline. Also, boards can set a time frame during which clothes can be hung. Another option is to require the use of collapsible clotheslines, so nothing is left on the Common Area after a certain time.

Rainwater Catchers. Few things can be as unassuming as a barrel, plastic or wooden (with a liner) near a downspout. Done right, it can add to the character of an association. Then, it's an easy step to have owners dip a bucket into it to get free, fresh water to water their garden. Particularly useful for those with gardens. And it can be built into landscaping contracts that vendors are to use water from the barrels when on site in order to take care of the flowers and bushes they have planted. Cuts down on an association's water bill as well.

Gardens and Composting. Remember. The duty of a board is not only to take care of the Common Area, but also to allow some individuality in an association. One of the easiest ways to do so is either to set aside an area for a communal garden (which leads to a lot of swapping of vegetables and a more close knit community association) or to allow owners and tenants to have a small vegetable garden behind their unit in an area designated by the Board.

And for those associations with green space, an area can be set aside for communal composting of the garden debris to be used the following spring for good, nutritious garden soil.

Low Flush Toilets. - For associations that pay the water as a common expense, this can create huge long-term savings. Keep in mind you cannot force owners to pay for swapping out toilets as the toilet is not owned by the Association, but an association can pay for the swaps, and this can be phased over a few years, depending upon the number of units, or done all at once.

All kidding aside, since the whole purpose of boards is to maintain and increase the value of units in an association, then some would argue and have argued that boards have an actual, fiduciary duty to owners if not to implement more environmentally friendly practices at an association, then to at least explore such practices and allow association members to have some independence with personal choices.

Finally, such steps by an association can leave boards and individual owners with a clear conscience when managing both finances and the environment. Of course, as the comedian Steven Wright once wryly noted, “A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.”