Embodied Carbon and Recycling & Reuse
Embodied Carbon At the end of 2025, we kicked off a pilot project on embodied carbon with a leading embodied carbon software platform. The objective of the pilot is to develop embodied carbon baselines for key product types such as garden, mid-rise and high-rise apartment buildings in key markets in the US and UK. Greystar will use the baseline information to identify opportunities to reduce carbon-intensive construction materials and save costs while informing a broader firm embodied carbon strategy and reduction targets.
Recycling & Reuse Across the US, we expanded partnerships that support enhanced recycling practices. These services, which began in California and Washington, continued to grow into markets like Colorado and Arizona in 2025. In these markets, third-party teams help reduce contamination, break down cardboard, ensure proper disposal, and align properties with local mandates. We also strengthened our ability to monitor waste and recycling performance by leveraging new on-the-ground support teams who conduct routine site audits. These teams assess container fullness, identify over or underservicing, and verify that properties are being billed for the correct level of service, a meaningful step toward more accurate waste data for the properties that we operate. By the end of 2026, we plan to develop a resource playbook, informed by our strongest performing properties, that includes regulatory guidance, best practices, and standardized signage and communication materials, to help operations teams improve recycling quality and compliance across diverse markets.
Spotlight: Optimize A major area of advancement in 2025 was the expansion of our Greystar Optimize program, which uses predictive compactor monitoring sensors to improve waste management efficiency. Following the program’s introduction in 2024, participation grew from 75 to approximately 125 properties this year, an increase of 50 sites. The technology continues to demonstrate meaningful operational and financial benefits with the program delivering measurable results across participating properties in 2025:
$336,294 in avoided hauling cost savings
1,014 haul pickups avoided
39% reduction in pickups (compared to 2024)
With up to 65% reductions in pickup frequency at certain locations compared to 2024, the initiative can extend equipment life and contribute to reduced waste transportation activity. Together, these outcomes may support associated emissions reductions and strengthen the initiative’s environmental benefits beyond cost savings. With roughly 30% of eligible properties now participating, there remains a significant opportunity to scale the program across our managed portfolio. In 2026, we plan to grow Optimize’s reach, strengthen the supporting infrastructure built this year, and introduce new analytics, including the use of tilt sensors, to validate pickup accuracy and align service levels with actual container usage.
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