Skip to main content

Five ways to make your rental more sustainable

With the cost of living escalating and the environment playing on many people’s minds, sustainability can be a real drawcard for a rental property.

But what areas should you focus on and how can you introduce sustainability without breaking the bank?

Here are five ways to make your rental more sustainable…

Energy efficiency

It’s no secret the cost of electricity has skyrocketed in recent years, and that makes properties that minimise this outlay highly attractive.

If you’re looking to improve the energy efficiency of a rental, there are a range of measures which can be introduced, including:

Solar panels

Solar panels not only offset electricity costs, in some instances they can actually earn an income by feeding back into the grid. While they do require a significant initial outlay, in some states there are incentives available for their installation.

Appliances

Even something as simple as opting for energy efficient appliances can help lower those electricity costs. This is particularly the case when it comes to big ticket items such as hot water heaters, and heating and cooling systems.

Lighting

It’s surprising how much power older lighting, such as halogen downlights, can consume. Where possible replace older globes with more efficient LED options.

Insulation

A property’s insulation, shade coverage and even orientation makes a big difference to how much power is required to keep the home warm or cool.

Simple measures to lessen the need for heating and cooling include shade planting around the property, insulation in ceilings and walls, and the installation of blinds and curtains to minimise heat loss or gain.

Building materials

Even the building materials used in a property can impact how sustainable or non-sustainable it is.

Options for improving the sustainability of the materials used in your rental include:

  • Using paints with low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, which release fewer toxins and are less harmful to the environment.
  • Opting for recycled materials, rather than new products.
  • Sourcing options like sustainable timber for decking, flooring, cabinetry and other areas.

Water conservation

Whether the property is on tank water or connected to the mains, water conservation is one of the most easy to implement strategies in a rental property, with a range of options available when it comes to saving water.

These include:

  • Installing water efficient fixtures such as dual flush toilets, water efficient shower heads, and water efficient tapwear
  • Adding rainwater tanks for garden watering
  • Using smart irrigation systems to align garden watering with the weather and rainfall.

Smart tech

On that note, smart technology can help in reducing electricity costs and water usage by automating things like lighting, heating and cooling, appliance usage and irrigation.

Together these can add up to make a property more energy efficient.

Sustainable landscaping

Meanwhile, sustainability also extends beyond the four walls of the home to the gardens beyond.

For example, the selection of native plants helps minimise the amount of watering that is required, while shade planting can reduce the need for cooling in summer.

And even simple measures like regularly mulching the garden helps with natural weed suppression and allows the gardens to retain moisture.

The benefits of sustainability

Small sustainable improvements have the potential to make the property more appealing to renters for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, sustainable features allow occupants to minimise their outgoings, such as electricity or water costs.

But it’s not just money that makes a sustainable rental attractive. Efficiency and environmental friendliness also create that ‘feel good’ factor where the property owner and the renter feel they’re doing good and contributing to an environmental solution rather than the problem.

How we can help

Our experienced property managers pride themselves on establishing great relationships with both rental occupiers and owners.

We manage every property as if it were our own and you can learn more about our property management services here.

Alternatively, if you are looking to rent a property, you can view the properties we currently have available here.