Apartment Intercom Systems Can Lower Your Carbon Footprint

Sustainability is an important movement as climate change continues to worsen, affecting millions of people around the world. Unfortunately, the real estate industry is a primary contributor to climate change, emitting significant amounts of greenhouse gasses every year.

Seventy-seven percent of people want to live more sustainable lifestyles. Unfortunately, they don’t always know how to do so. There are a lot of small ways that you can lower your carbon footprint that you probably never thought of.

For those reasons, every step toward sustainable living in the multifamily industry is crucial. One such step multifamily buildings are taking is installing an apartment intercom system. With a modern video intercom system, apartments can support greener living for their residents and communities.

Transitioning From Door Buzzers to Modern Video Intercoms

Modern video intercom systems for apartments have come a long way in recent decades. Traditionally, apartment intercoms would use in-unit hardware for residents to speak with guests at the front door after being notified by a buzzing noise, hence their name “door buzzer system.”

Modern apartment intercom systems ditch the in-unit hardware for smartphones. After all, nearly everyone has a smartphone. In addition to this change, residents can now see and speak with the guest at the front door. Rather than relying solely on the guest’s voice, residents can see who they’re speaking with, thanks to a built-in camera.

Additionally, video intercoms for apartments are designed to take advantage of the cloud, meaning they connect to the internet to transmit video calls. This way, residents can grant access to their guests or delivery drivers remotely. They don’t have to be in their apartment to buzz them in. All it takes is a quick tap or swipe on their smartphone, offering greater convenience for modern renters. This is one of the easiest ways that you can make your apartment eco-friendlier on a budget.

4 Ways Apartment Video Intercoms Support the Environment

While the benefits above are excellent for residents and property managers, how do they support the environment? Let’s explore the four ways apartment video intercoms support sustainability.

1. Better Energy Efficiency

Everyone wants to make their homes more energy efficient. An apartment intercom can do a lot to help.

Traditional buzzer systems utilize hundreds of in-unit hardware substations, each requiring power. As a result, the amount of energy consumed is significant. Video intercoms eliminate these devices in favor of smartphones, improving the property’s energy efficiency.

In addition, apartment video intercoms use the cloud to send and receive signals, which also reduces energy consumption, as there is no need to power multiple devices across a single building.

2. Less Travel Required

In the past, property managers and residents would have to physically be on-site to let in guests, delivery drivers, and service workers. This process would involve travel to the property, producing greenhouse gasses.

Modern apartment intercom systems enable residents and property managers to grant access remotely no matter where they are. This reduces the emissions produced while traveling. Similarly, it reduces the emissions from delivery trucks because it reduces their time idling during deliveries. 

3. Fewer Installation Resources

Old buzzer systems require substantial installation resources, such as miles of wiring and modifications to drywall or electrical systems. Video intercoms only need a few wired connections — to the power, the door, and the internet.

Since the intercom only needs a single device installed at the main entryway, apartments can reduce their consumption of building materials and, in turn, the environment.

4. Less Waste Produced

With the use of fewer materials comes less waste. Installing traditional buzzer systems creates numerous byproducts like old wiring, scrap drywall, and other components — all of which eventually end up in landfills.

Video intercoms don’t use in-unit hardware, so installers will produce less waste when installing the system. Most importantly, video intercoms last much longer than traditional systems, further reducing the waste produced to replace or maintain them.

The Future of Sustainable Video Intercoms

Apartment video intercoms have the potential to support sustainability efforts beyond the few advantages mentioned above. As these systems advance and apartment buildings adopt new eco-friendly technologies, you can expect the following:

• Smart building integrations: Building management systems (BMS) aim to optimize energy consumption from IoT-connected devices. Apartment intercom systems should integrate seamlessly with building management software to provide insightful data to the overall system, allowing it to optimize energy consumption and reduce environmental impact.
• Renewable energy sources: In the future, video intercoms could be powered by renewable energy sources, such as solar panels or wind turbines, making them carbon neutral. However, it’s up to apartment buildings and cities to invest in renewable energy upgrades. 

AI analytics: Integrating video intercoms with AI-powered analytic software enables properties to use energy only when necessary, such as lighting controls. When a resident enters the building with the intercom, the system will automatically turn on the lights and then shut them off when they leave, reducing wasted energy.