On the Cutting Edge: Innovation and Sustainability Go Hand in Hand

Congratulations to Jenny Vallimont who recently joined Charlotte-based developer Crescent Resources as director of innovation and sustainability. And kudos to Crescent for recognizing the importance of having a green expert in house to champion the cause and keep everyone on the same page. It’s a sign of the times that Vallimont has also been tasked with facilitating the innovation effort along with sustainability. With so many moving parts and new information emerging all the time, green practices and innovation clearly go hand in hand. It’s no easy task staying abreast of green trends or figuring out how to deliver what matters most to apartment residents. Crescent has 5,400 multifamily units under construction and in pre-development, and is currently implementing a new brand called Circle® apartment communities that the company says are designed with a focus on the environment and green living. They offer “a place where neighbors connect and become stewards of the larger community.” In this month’s special “green” issue of MHN, we find out what a director of sustainability does (“Selling Sustainability”), delve into some of the hottest green amenities (“A Bicycle Share Built for You”), report on a rooftop hydroponic farm (“Local Report”), and reveal what residents really think about the green features in their apartment communities (“Renters’ Choice”). We also take a look at some of the commercial real estate sector’s most eco-conscious companies (“Greenest Companies Changing the CRE World”). As MHN Senior Associate Editor Mike Ratliff notes, the concept of being a green owner has come a long way. “An enlightened culture has emerged in the commercial real estate world, and many firms, especially our survey respondents, have evolved to produce a dedicated squad of sustainability professionals, sometimes even led by a chief environmental officer, a job that scarcely existed five years ago.”

Diana Mosher
Editorial Director
[email protected]