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CSP senior housing requirements

CSP process

Requirements per
property type

IREM certifies office, medical office, multifamily, senior housing, retail, industrial and self storage properties.

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Prerequisites

  • At least 25 units
  • At least 18 months since substantial completion or repositioning
  • At least 75% occupied
  • Smoke-free community
  • In compliance with all environmental laws

Baseline requirements – All properties must complete

Management Perform a sustainability market analysis
Management Discuss sustainability and investment goals with owner or supervisor
Management Commit to monitoring the effect of sustainability on property financials
Management Hold meetings with your staff team, at least quarterly, to discuss progress on sustainability program
Management Establish a plan for marketing your sustainability success
Energy Establish an energy management policy
Energy Benchmark energy use
Water Establish a water management policy
Water Benchmark water use
Health Establish an IAQ management plan
Health Conduct an IAQ walk-through
Recycling Assess your recycling practices and options
Recycling Conduct a waste and recycling container audit
Purchasing Establish a sustainable purchasing policy
Purchasing Assess your purchasing practices and options

Options for each category

  • Earn a minimum of 2 points in each category
  • Accumulate at least 62 total points by completing the activities of your choice
  • Download the senior housing checklist to track the points you earn

Click on each category to view your options

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  • Energy
    • Commit to ongoing training on energy management for facilities or maintenance team
    • Conduct a walk-through to detect opportunities for improving energy efficiency through operational and equipment adjustments
    • Provide basic energy conservation guidance to residents and visitors
    • Provide green transportation options for staff, residents, and visitors
    • Conduct an energy meter inventory
    • Determine if onsite renewable energy installations are feasible for the community
    • Reduce energy consumption by 5% over baseline
    • Reduce energy consumption by 10% over baseline
    • Commit to selecting ENERGY STAR® appliances and equipment
    • Achieve an ENERGY STAR score of at least 60
  • Water
    • Commit to ongoing training on water management for facilities or maintenance team
    • Check for water leaks
    • Provide basic water conservation guidance to residents and visitors
    • Establish a plan for improving water efficiency in landscaping
    • Install high-efficiency fixtures in common areas and commit to installing high-efficiency fixtures in units during rehabs and unit turnovers
    • Conduct an inventory of water meters
    • Reduce water consumption by 5% over baseline
    • Reduce water consumption by 10% over baseline
    • Replace 25% of existing planted area with native vegetation/xeriscaping
  • Health
    • Establish a green construction policy for rehabs and unit turnovers
    • Distribute information to community staff on the health and wellness impacts of indoor environments
    • Increase participation in health and wellness activities
    • Provide filtered water for residents and visitors in common areas
    • Provide at least 3 healthy food choices in each alternative dining option (e.g., vending machines, snack bars, bistros)
    • Conduct or obtain initial indoor air quality testing
    • Host or participate in regular events that engage residents in the broader community
    • Use healthy, low-emitting materials for rehabs and unit turnovers
    • Employ green cleaning practices
    • Conduct or obtain annual indoor air quality testing
    • Record optimal measurements for key indoor environmental quality indicators
    • Use integrated pest management (IPM) (3 pts.)
  • Recycling
    • Install recycling signage throughout the property
    • Provide recycling best practices to all staff and basic recycling directions to residents and visitors
    • Establish a construction waste management policy for rehabs and unit turnovers
    • Establish a policy for staff and resident recycling of e-waste, batteries, light bulbs, and bulk items
    • Set diversion rate goals for the property
    • Establish a plan for reducing food waste
    • Achieve a minimum diversion rate of 20% for the property
    • Establish recycling services
    • Hold regular donation drives for residents and visitors
    • Achieve a minimum diversion rate of 25% for the property
    • Achieve a minimum diversion rate of 30% for the property
    • Reduce food waste by at least 15% through a combination of measures
  • Purchasing
    • Use green-certified products in community management operations
    • Use sustainable products for copier operations
    • Eliminate the use of Styrofoam kitchen products (cups, plates, food containers, etc.) at the community
    • Work with vendors to decrease packaging materials for orders
    • Include sustainability clauses in vendor contracts
    • Purchase green power, carbon offsets, or renewable energy credits

Additional resources

Here you can find additional resources to help you finish applying for the Certified Sustainable Property certification.

CSP diversion rate calculator

This diversion rate calculator allows you to obtain an estimate of a property's diversion rate - the amount of waste material produced in property operations that is diverted from the landfill through recycling and other waste management strategies.

Download calculator

Outreach templates

As a part of the application, you may want to reach out to tenants to inform them of steps you have already taken in sustainability and any sustainability goals for the property. These templates include the aforementioned categoires: energy, water, health and recycling.

Outreach templates

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