We create communities deliberately designed and built to be energy and resource efficient. When we develop new buildings and when we renovate existing ones, we focus on the impact our buildings have on the environment. We make careful design decisions regarding energy efficiency, water usage, and sustainable materials. During construction, we focus on waste reduction and recycling. And when we manage and operate communities, we take an environmentally sustainable approach, improving energy efficiency, limiting the amount of chemicals we use in landscaping, and maintaining our properties well so that they last. The result is communities with a measurably minimized environmental footprint. For us, sustainability is not only about protecting the environment but also about promoting human wellbeing. We design healthy and efficient homes at affordable rents so that residents can live more fulfilling, productive lives. In addition, the energy efficiency measures we undertake often benefit residents directly through lower utility bills. Since 2008, all but one of our new developments have been LEED-certified, receiving multiple certifications that include LEED for Homes Midrise Platinum, LEED for Homes Platinum, and LEED for New Construction Gold. We also anticipate receiving a LEED for Neighborhood Development certification. Beacon has accepted the US Department of Energy’s Better Building Challenge to reduce our portfolio-wide energy usage by 20% over 10 years.