At Invitation Homes, we’re committed to improving the way people live and the communities where they live. And we’re passionate about advancing our business processes so that they’re both innovative and sustainable. Protecting the environment is critically important to us, and we’re taking steps to help limit our carbon footprint and the environmental impact of our homes. That includes investing in the communities where we operate and supporting conservation efforts. These steps are not only in line with our Environmental, Social, and Governance standards, but are part of a larger Invitation Homes effort to be an even better corporate citizen, especially in the parts of the country where we have homes.
Large-scale change often starts at a local level. That’s why Invitation Homes recently announced a new three-year partnership with the Hawes Trail Alliance (HTA) that will focus on maintaining, enhancing, and expanding the Hawes Trail System throughout Arizona. As a Title Sponsor, Invitation Homes will provide $50,000 a year to support the HTA “Master Trail Plan” to develop remaining trails, enhance trail and user safety, and designate official trailheads. The “Master Trail Plan” also includes parking solutions, new signage, and efforts to promote trail etiquette, awareness, and education. This partnership will ensure that Arizona’s outdoor spaces can be enjoyed by bikers, hikers, and other outdoor enthusiasts.
This partnership is just one step in Invitation Homes’ long-term sustainability efforts and launches the company’s Green Spaces initiative. We plan to pursue more partnerships like the one with the HTA and continue our investment in other communities where we operate as we expand our conservation efforts to all of our markets. This will be in tandem with the numerous steps we already take throughout our business to enhance the environmental sustainability of our homes and to encourage our residents to do the same.
Invitation Homes renovates and updates homes prior to the first resident as well as in between residents. Not only does this improve the quality of the home and the experience of the next resident, but it also offers an opportunity to install energy-efficient fixtures, appliances, and Smart Home technology. For example, we install a variety of low-flow plumbing fixtures to save on water consumption, and the carpet products we use are manufactured using recyclable bottles as the primary material. While these may seem like small changes, they can have big impacts. In 2019, we saved approximately 27.6 million 12-ounce plastic bottles from landfills through the installation of this recycled flooring, and we are on track to do the same in 2020.
Effectively communicating with residents is also a top priority for Invitation Homes and key to making sure our operations are as environmentally conscious as possible. This involves educating residents about energy-efficient practices, including how to use our Smart Home technology to help manage certain processes in their homes in order to save up to 15 percent on their energy bills. We also provide an HVAC air filter home delivery program for new residents that helps prolong the life of our HVAC systems and improves air quality both inside and outside the home.
Invitation Homes takes a proactive approach to improving the environmental footprint of our portfolio. We look forward to furthering innovation and advancements in our business and in each of our roughly 80,000 homes to encourage change on a large scale, while working with organizations across the country to move the needle at the local level.