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Saving Energy By Monitoring The Thermostat In many homes, staying comfortable in any season or weather depends greatly on adjusting heat or air flow with the thermostat.  But is there a proper way to utilize the thermostat?  Below are three green ways to use the thermostat and reduce excess energy: 1) Adjust before leaving : Not adjusting the thermostat before leaving the house for a long period of time, for work, trips, or appointments, is one of the easiest ways to waste energy.  Adjust the thermostat to a few degrees higher or lower (depending on the season) when leaving the house or even turn the thermostat off completely. 2) Find a comfortable setting : Instead of cranking up the heat or air conditioning, try to find a setting that is personally comfortable.  For instance, a person may just turn on their air conditioning set at 70 degrees.  However, that same person may still feel comfortable and cool in a home that is 74 degrees.  Finding a comfortabl...

In Focus: East of Market Apartments in Frederick Maryland Learn About Frederick City's First LEED Certified Community As a real estate management company, Grady Management actively cares about GreenLiving and promoting an eco-friendly lifestyle for our valued customers: clients and residents.  Alongside this weekly blog, Grady Management tries to promote an eco-friendly lifestyle in a variety of ways, such as allowing Grady's Green Initiatives and Green Tips to be accessible to current or perspective residents on the official Grady Management Inc. website.  Further, several Grady managed communities, such as 3350 at Alterra in Hyattsville, Maryland, hosts a community recycling program  for residents. One Grady managed community, East of Market Apartments in Frederick, Maryland, that opened in 2015 received recognition throughout the last year for green initiatives.  For example: 1) LEED Gold Rating : In December 2015, East of Market was honored with a "Gold Rating"...

Geothermal Heat Pumps A Guide To Understanding Heat Pumps and Utilizing Heat Pumps More Effectively Last year, a GreenLiving blog post detailed important facts about heat pumps that apartment renters and homeowners alike should know to be better able to understand the heat pump and how the device impacts a home. Essentially, heat pumps are energy efficient devices that pump air from one location to another.  Read below to find out more about how heat pumps work: What Are Heat Pumps? A heat pump is a device that provides heat energy to a specific and desired location.  This procedure is referred to as "heat sink".  In the process, heat pumps absorb heat, or the thermal energy, from a cold location and release that energy to warm space. Air conditioners and freezers are common examples of heat pumps.  A common heat pump is an "air source heat pump" which shifts air from inside to the outside.  Thus, heat pumps are effective in moving hot air in the home ...

Eco-Friendly Alternatives For Your Holiday Tree This is the season to decorate a holiday tree and bring some festive cheer into your home.  Decorating can be both fun and eco-friendly, just remember the following tips and tricks to prepare any home for this holiday season: 1) Artificial vs. Real : When purchasing a holiday tree it is important to know that artificial trees are actually very dangerous for the environment.  Artificial trees are often made from a type of plastic.  Oftentimes, artificial trees are made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and other chemicals, and as such are non-recyclable and eventually just become cumbersome waste.  Real trees produce oxygen and rid toxins from the air.  Another option would be an organic tree. 2) Alternative Trees : This year, alternative holiday trees are all the rage.  People can make trees of recyclable materials or even supplies found around the house.  Try a tree made out of coffee filters, shredded...

Montgomery County Energy Benchmarking Click here to read more about how Grady Management was recognized for energy benchmarking. Grady Management was founded in 1965 and continues to provide a full service residential, commercial, and consulting real estate firm in the greater Washington and Baltimore metropolitan area.    Learn more about Grady Management on our  website  or  Facebook  page.