Multi-Housing News - April 2009 - (Page 20)

property management Greening Your Laundry Rooms Differentiate your properties and reduce operating costs with the latest eco-friendly technology By Keat Foong, Executive Editor Energy and water efficiency in equipment used in common laundry areas is increasingly important to apartment owners and managers, whether the machines are leased or owned. “When it comes to community laundry areas in multi-housing, the prevailing trend is improved efficiency. Developers and owners, like all of us, are seeking to lower water and utility costs,” agrees Dick Casey, director of multihousing sales at Alliance Laundry Systems (ALS), a commercial laundry equipment specialist that manufactures Speed Queen. Laundry route operators are getting more questions from apartment owners about the green aspects of their machines, according to David Feild, executive director of the Multi-housing Laundry Association (MLA). Apartment renters, he says, are also becoming more interested in efficient washers and dryers, although the savings do not accrue directly to them. Manufacturers have been incorporating energy and water efficiency into coin/card-operated equipment. Indeed, it can certainly help route operators or suppliers get more business from apartment companies when they can say “yes, we do use water- and energy-efficient equipment,” says Feild. MHN research of some of the leading laundry manufacturers shows innovations in this area. Energy- or water-saving trends in machines include options for different types of loads, Energy Star compliance and front-loading washers. Among manufacturers, Maytag has more energy-saving laundry solutions than any other commercial laundry brand, asserts Randy Karn, national sales manager for Maytag and Whirlpool Commercial Laundry. Maytag has a line of coin/card-operated equipment called Commercial Laundry Energy Advantage, which offers the customer a choice of top-load washers, multiload soft-mount coin washers, front-load washers, and single- and stack-dryers. According to Maytag, its most efficient, best-cleaning top loaded washer is the Energy Advantage Top Load Washer, which can reduce water usage by 2 to 5 percent compared to Maytag’s top-load washers manufactured before 2005. The company also says these models exceed Department of Energy standards. In another example, Whirlpool’s Commercial Laundry Top-Load Washer meets Department of Energy standards. The laundry can be done in less time, and a thermistor on the water valve regulates water temperature to help lower utility costs. Users also have the option of a small-load setting. Using less water While top-load washers are designed today to be more green, apartment owners are advised that frontload washers use less water than the more traditional top-load machines. Among front-load washers, Speed Queen offers its EcoWatersaver model, which reduces water consumption by 13.5 percent, from 14.8 gallons to just 12.8 gallons per cycle, compared to prior models. The product is Energy Star-qualified and has CEE Tier 3 status for water conservation, says the company. “The new system enables residents to select premium vend options for their laundry loans, which enhances revenue for owners,” says ALS’s Casey. Harvesting Rain Water For the Laundry Room Going beyond using green washer/dryer equipment, Jonathan Rose Companies LLC demonstrates some cutting-edge methods to further conserve water and/or electricity in laundry rooms. • At its $20 million 50-unit Metro Green Apartments in Stamford, Conn., the company is diverting rainwater for use in its laundry rooms, according to Paul Freitag, director of real estate development. The rain water is harvested from the roof and stored in 10,000 gallon storage tanks and used also for irrigation. For laundry purposes, the water is filtered and treated with ultraviolet light. The project is earning the development three LEED points: 1) for stormwater runoff quantity, 2) stormwater quality, and 3) landscaping. Other equipment needs for the project include water pumps, solenoid valves for backup to domestic water, UV filter, and rainwater filters. • At another Rose development, the 185-unit, 12-story mixed-income Tapestry in New York City’s Harlem, the company is using smart technology to regulate the air fan that powers the dryer vents, adds Freitag. Because the dryers are located far from the outer wall, the fans are needed to push the air out, he explains. Normally, such fans run continuously. But a smarttech sensor will activate the fan only when dryers are running. Additionally, Freitag notes, the technology saves on the loss of air-conditioned air from the interior space. 20 April 2009 | Multi-Housing News | Official Publication of Multi-Housing World

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Multi-Housing News - April 2009

Multi-Housing News - April 2009
Contents
From the Editor
Executive Insight: Sue Ansel
Finance: Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac
Quote of the Month
Market Forecast: Texas
Profile: Affordable Developers
Operations: Green Laundry Rooms
Technology: BIM
Kitchen & Bath: Tile Installation
Perspective: Doug Bibby, NMHC

Multi-Housing News - April 2009