The company was just recognized as the Sector Leader in Residential Large Cap in North America by Netherlands-based Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark. The designation is the result of Equity having the highest overall score for multifamily properties in North America. Judging includes seven aspects of sustainability, including management, monitoring & environmental management systems, and performance indicators (energy, GHG, emissions, water and waste), just to name a few. Here's Equity First VP of Investments John Hyjer at the company's 1,800-unit Woodland Park Apartments in East Palo Alto.

Equity installed smart irrigation systems in most of its communities to battle the drought, in addition to solar photovoltaic (PV) panels in eight existing communities in NorCal. One of the properties highlighted by Sustainability Benchmark was Equity's Skyline Terrace in Burlingame (above), which features both photovoltaic panels, which produce electricity, and solar thermal panels, which provide hot water.