Environment

Environmental responsibility is core to our business and a critical part of developing sustainable communities. This is why we integrate our sustainability initiatives with our design, development, construction and operations processes. It is also why AvalonBay has set science-based emissions reduction targets, which have been approved by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Our 2021 Science Based Targets, established with a 2017 baseline, are to reduce our scope 1&2 emissions intensity by 53% and scope 3 emissions intensity by 47%. Our other environmental goals include a 20% reduction in waste and we are currently in the process of renewing our water goal. In 2016 we launched a new “Building Certified” policy requiring all new mid- and high-rise developments to pursue a 3rd party environmental certification (e.g., LEED, EnergyStar). We have also developed a Green Bond Framework. To learn more about how we approach environmental responsibility, view our Environmental Management System (EMS).

Beginning in 2016, we have also had our energy, emissions, water and waste data as well as the data collection processes and procedures independently verified by Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance (LRQA). LRQA, a part of Lloyd’s Register Group Limited, is a leading provider of independent assessment services including certification, validation, verification and training across a broad spectrum of standards and schemes, with recognition from over 50 accreditation bodies around the world.

AvalonBay CY 2020 - Assurance Statement

AvalonBay CY 2020 - Verification Report

AvalonBay CY 2019 - Assurance Statement

AvalonBay CY 2019 - Verification Report

AvalonBay CY 2018 - Assurance Statement

AvalonBay CY 2018 - Verification Report

AvalonBay CY 2017 - Assurance Statement

AvalonBay CY 2017 - Verification Report

AvalonBay CY 2016 - Assurance Statement

AvalonBay CY 2016 - Verification Report

AvalonBay CY 2015 Assurance Statement

AvalonBay CY 2015 Verification-Report

At the end of 2020, we have a total of 60 certifications across all our apartment communities: 42 LEED, 9 Energy Star, one Fitwel certified, one NAHB Green, two NGBS and one NJ Energy Efficient Home.

We are currently pursuing an additional 36 new environmental certifications.

LEED CERTIFIED COMMUNITIES

AVA 55 Ninth (LEED Gold)
AVA Ballard (LEED NC Silver)
AVA Capitol Hill (LEED NC Silver)
AVA DoBro (LEED NC Silver)
AVA High Line (LEED Gold)
AVA Little Tokyo (LEED for Homes Gold)
AVA North Hollywood (LEED for Homes Gold)
AVA North Point (LEED Silver)
AVA Queen Anne (LEED NC Silver)
AVA Theater District (LEED NC Silver)
Avalon Alderwood I (LEED for Homes)
Avalon Alderwood II (LEED for Homes Silver)
Avalon Baker Ranch (LEED for Homes Silver)
Avalon Chino Hills (LEED for Homes Silver)
Avalon Dogpatch (LEED for Homes Gold)
Avalon Dublin Station II (LEED for Homes Silver)
Avalon Edgewater (LEED for Homes Gold)
Avalon Edgewater II (LEED Gold)
Avalon Esterra Park (LEED NC Silver)
Avalon Glendora (LEED for Homes Gold)
Avalon Green III (LEED for Homes Silver)
Avalon Hayes Valley (LEED for Homes Platinum)
Avalon Huntington Beach (LEED for Homes Gold)
Avalon Irvine II (LEED for Homes Silver)
Avalon Irvine III (LEED for Homes Gold)
Avalon Maplewood (LEED for Homes Silver)
Avalon Mission Bay III (LEED NC)
Avalon Morrison Park (LEED for Homes Silver)
Avalon North Station (LEED NC Silver)
Avalon Ocean Avenue (LEED for Homes Gold)
Avalon Piscataway (LEED NC Silver)
Avalon Potomac Yard (LEED NC Silver)
Avalon Princeton (LEED for Homes Gold)
Avalon Public Market (LEED Gold)
Avalon Teaneck (LEED NC Silver)
Avalon Towers Bellevue (LEED NC Silver)
Avalon Vista (LEED for Homes Silver)
Avalon Walnut Creek (LEED NC)
Avalon Walnut Creek II (LEED Silver)
Avalon West Chelsea (LEED Gold)
Avalon West Hollywood (LEED for Homes Gold)
Avalon Willoughby Square (LEED Certified)
The Park Loggia (LEED Silver)

CITY AND MARKET PARTICIPATION

As the cities where we build and operate plan for climate change and its related effects, we are opening dialogues with each to discuss how AvalonBay can lead the way on resiliency planning and in support of a low carbon building efficiency future. In addition, we have joined a number of efficiency and carbon reduction challenges, including:

Boston: Joined the Mayor’s Carbon Cup in 2015 and are members of the Green Ribbon Commission. As Mayor’s Cup participants we are committing 1MM square feet of our Boston properties to a 35% reduction in energy use intensity by 2020.

New York: Joined the Carbon Challenge in 2017, committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across selected buildings in our portfolio by at least 30 percent, and are participating in the Retrofit Accelerator program. With this program we are committing two buildings to a deeper efficiency retrofit in support of the city’s bold goal to reduce citywide emissions by 80 percent by 2050.

Los Angeles: Joined the LA Better Buildings Challenge in 2016 with a commitment to reduce our energy consumption of the LA property portfolio.

Environment

ENERGY STAR CERTIFIED COMMUNITIES

LEED CERTIFIED COMMUNITIES

FITWEL CERTIFIED

NAHB GREEN CERTIFIED COMMUNITIES

NJ ENERGY EFFICIENT HOME CERTIFICATION

NGBS CERTIFIED

CITY AND MARKET PARTICIPATION