HONOREE SIZE & INDUSTRY: Mid-Size  – Architecture, Design, and Development

Texan by Nature is excited to recognize American Campus Communities in the 2020 TxN 20. American Campus Communities was also recognized in the 2019 TxN 20 for their efforts in conservation and sustainability that positively impact Texas’ communities, economic prosperity, and natural resources. Read their 2019 write-up.

COMPANY OVERVIEW

American Campus Communities (ACC) is the nation’s largest developer, owner, and manager of high-quality student housing communities. ACC’s mission is to consistently provide every resident with an environment conducive to healthy living, personal growth, academic achievement, and professional success. With 2,966 employees nationwide and 375 employees at their headquarters in Austin, the ACC team works to develop, manage, and own both on- and off-campus student housing for universities across the country. The company owns and/or manages more than 200 communities that include approximately 138,000 beds for students. In every community design, American Campus Communities prioritizes sustainability not only for operational efficiencies and cost savings but also for the well-being of the students they serve. 

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS STRATEGY 

American Campus Communities sees the integration of sustainable features into their communities as a critical component of delivering the best experiences for students. ACC believes it is important to create a healthy, comfortable, and socially responsible living environment for ACC residents and for the future of the planet. 

Doing the right thing has always been a core value for American Campus Communities. This value is deeply embedded in their culture at every level, from field-level employees to the board of directors. It guides how ACC conducts business, treats their fellow team members, and serves residents and communities. This ethos also extends to their stewardship of the environment, on behalf of this generation of students and the next.

ACC believes the proper focus on materials and specifications helps them reduce operational costs, such as $4.25M saved with lighting updates. This translates into affordability for their residents and long-term value for their company, investors, and other stakeholders.

EMPLOYEE LEADERSHIP

In 2019, ACC developed their internal multi-departmental Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) task force to manage and implement structure around the company’s environmental, sustainability, and social initiatives. ACC conducted a materiality assessment to identify their most relevant ESG issues and further formalized their ESG programs. ACC’s ESG principles remained unwavering and a priority even throughout the unfolding of this year’s unprecedented pandemic.  

ACC’s work to empower young people starts in their communities, but it doesn’t end there. Through the American Campus Charity Foundation, as well as the individual efforts of their team members, ACC has raised nearly $6.2 million to help community organizations make a difference in the lives of young people in their hometown of Austin and in the communities where they operate.

• Boys and Girls Clubs of Austin Area (BGCA) is Austin’s leading youth development agency. In 2019 it opened its first dedicated clubhouse, which provides 1,000 at-risk youth with STEM education, sports programs, and other after-school enrichment. ACC donated development and construction management services totaling approximately $935,000 in the construction of the BGCA’s new 32,000-square-foot headquarters and services facility. ACC also continues to support BGCA through volunteering and supply drives.
• The Rise School of Austin is Austin’s first and only school dedicated to inclusive early education for children with and without disabilities. The ACC team has provided Rise with pre-development and construction management services totaling approximately $350,000 and fundraising support for their new school. In 2019, they also hosted and sponsored the school’s annual carnival.
• Explore Austin empowers youth to reach their full potential through mentoring, leadership, and outdoor adventure. ACC is a proud sponsor and also hosted an employee volunteer event in July 2019.
• ACC is a proud partner of the Hi, How Are You (HHAY) Project, a non-profit organization created to fund research, events, thoughtful media content and comprehensive training programs to start new conversations around mental health issues. HHAY is a guiding tenet for ACC’s Residence Life program, which offers events and information on health and wellness as key topics across all of their communities.

ACC complements their financial donations by giving their time and expertise to local charities. In 2019, their corporate office in Austin hosted 26 volunteer and giving events including the Rise School Carnival, Central Texas Food Bank Volunteer Day, ACC Charity Golf Tournament, and seasonal highway cleanups. Employees receive paid time off to participate in these events. ACC also hosted quarterly blood drives and regular collections for food, supplies, and toys. ACC also encourages their communities to host events, and in 2019 they hosted more than 250, with a focus on Earth Day beautification events and Thanksgiving food drives.

CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

Collecting & Analyzing Metrics

In 2020, ACC is analyzing their 2019 energy use, water use, and waste diversion data. They are also planning the implementation of an energy management system across their portfolio of owned real estate. ACC anticipates that this program, by streamlining and automating many aspects of their resource management, will enable them to reduce their overall usage of electricity, gas, and water. ACC expects to use this data to complete a greenhouse gas inventory and to establish their usage baselines for external reporting and goal setting.

ACC’s development and operations standards are designed to minimize their usage of natural resources. The company is committed to measuring and transparently reporting their resource usage so they can reduce it even further. ACC published their first ESG Summary Report capturing their accomplishments in 2019 and outlining objectives for the future.

Sustainable Infrastructure

ACC has built 37 LEED-certified projects across the country, more than any other student housing provider. 2019 projects targeting LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards from the U.S. Green Building Council include:

Plaza Verde at the University of California, Irvine – Plaza Verde is UCI’s first large-scale, 100% electric, green living community. The 1,441-bed, five-story tower community is targeting LEED Gold certification.

• Consumes 72% less energy than a standard building
• Uses 50% less water than a standard building
• 766 bike racks plus EV charging stations
• Locally sourced, recycled-content and low-impact materials

LightView at Northeastern University – LightView is the first developer-led, equity-financed student housing project in the city of Boston. ACC developed this 825-bed, 20-story LEED Platinum community. It also marks a key milestone for the “Housing A Changing City: Boston 2030” initiative, which aims to improve the quality and quantity of student housing in Boston. Additionally, LightView helps free up housing needed for the local community workforce.

• Low-flow showerheads, faucets, and toilets
• ENERGY STAR® appliances
• LED lighting and room occupancy sensors throughout 

In 2019, ACC recycled over 1,000 tons of waste at their communities. That’s enough to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool plus 20 concrete mixer trucks. Waste diversion efforts include: 

• Touchless hand dryers (replace paper products) 
• Recycling programs
• Durable, long-lasting floors and countertops

 Indoor Environment quality measures include:

• Low VOC paint
• Ceiling fans in each bedroom
• Safer choice cleaning products (meets U.S. EPA safer product standards)
• Dilution control system (ensure proper mixing of cleaning chemicals) 

Since 2015, ACC has completed 125 LED lighting retrofit projects. These projects have saved an estimated 32 million kilowatt-hours of electricity. That’s enough to power 3,831 homes for one year and has saved approximately $4.25 million!

American Campus Communities’ commitment to students includes a commitment to protecting the future of their environment. Here are ACC’s recent achievements and goals:

• Plaza Verde, the University of California, Irvine: National Apartment Association Sustainable Living Innovator Award Finalist 2020
• Great Place to Work Certification 2020
• LightView, Northeastern University: LEED Platinum Certification 
• UA Honors Village, the University of Arizona: LEED Silver Certification
• 2020 Gold Nugget Award of Merit for Best Student or Faculty Housing: Plaza Verde 
• 2020 Architizer’s A+ Higher Education People’s Choice Award: Academic and Residential Complex

BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE 

ACC’s team is inspired by the passion for sustainability they see across university campuses, and the innovation unfolding in classrooms and corporations. They understand that no one entity can change the world alone, however, ACC is determined to do their part in shaping a brighter future for students, employees, communities, and the planet.

ACC considers environmental opportunities and challenges at every stage of a community’s lifecycle, from design to construction to everyday use. Some factors ACC evaluates during design and development include: 

• Site planning and circulation: Prioritize walkability/distance to campus and select sites to minimize heat loads and facilitate natural ventilation. 93% of communities are within ½ mile from campus.
• Building specifications and design: Apply innovative design principles to conserve water and energy, protect indoor air quality, and create healthy living spaces.
• Integrated design process: Employ energy models that lower environmental effects while increasing operational efficiencies and long-term savings.
• Materials selection: Utilize regional and recycled products and responsible waste management processes to conserve valuable resources and to fuel the local economy.

As ACC moves into the future, they will continue to focus on achieving maximum operating efficiency in resource usage for their portfolio and plan to use their data to inform good operational decisions that benefit the environment and their industry.

TEXAN-LED CONSERVATION

In 1993, American Campus Communities was founded with the management contract of Dobie Center, next to The University of Texas in Austin. Not only is Texas strategically located to allow ACC to easily travel to their projects all over the country, they have strong relationships with Texas Systems of Higher Education across the Lone Star State. In fact, over 200,000 Texas college students have called an American Campus Communities a home. Additionally, the company has developed 37 projects in Texas since 1993 totaling 20,303 beds and valued at nearly $930 million in total project cost. ACC is proud of the deep roots they have planted in Texas.

Learn more about American Campus Communities’ commitment to building sustainable environments.

Definitions:

– LEED or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is the most widely used green building rating system in the world.

– kWh or kilowatt-hours is the measure of electrical energy equivalent to the power consumption of 1,000 watts for 1 hour

– VOCs or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects.