SPREAD DIAMOND OR PLATINUM

ESG is a key part of AMH’s strategy and technology is intrinsically intertwined with it.

“We are already in tune with all of the systems used to monitor that, and we're remediating issues,” says Irby. “We're at the top of our capability on the cybersecurity front. We're also working extensively to understand our energy usage through AI and analytics, gathering information from our communities or our portfolio homes.”

AMH has also built relationships with leading companies like Elevate, which help AMH to get better visibility into its energy consumption.

The way Irby sees it, technology drives sustainability, but AMH is using ESG to transform its technology. The company has established a sustainability group and its technology evolves in accordance with that.

“It's about AI and what we can leverage in terms of our energy usage, especially in HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning).”

75% of

Take this situation: there's a time when there's no one in the HMR home - somebody moves out and then somebody moves in, how are HMR going to make sure that the house is not overusing energy? Currently, somebody comes in during a showing and turns the thermostat down, then it might stay that way until somebody else comes in to change it. This is where automation, smart home technology and IoT come in.

“We're working on a technology right now that will give us the ability to modify the interior HVAC thermostat during the turn,” explains Irby. “We've got a number of different initiatives involving water usage and energy usage. Then, with cybersecurity being a part of ESG, we're at the forefront of that, too. In this industry, we won't compare ourselves to other businesses, but we're doing our best to meet the requirements of the cybersecurity components or questions, and initiatives within ESG.”

75% of the traffic that AMH receives is from mobile devices, because prospective residents are looking at houses in person, away from their computers. AMH has an online platform that will allow renters to log on and take control of their home search.

“The platform is completely responsive,” explains Irby. “Everything we build is mobile-first, and it starts from the shopping experience, with people trying to locate a home or take a tour of one of our homes and then go through to leasing. All of this can be done from a mobile device in a simple way.”

Prospective buyers go through leasing and underwriting. They can interact with AMH property management and maintenance people as a resident.

“The purpose-built communities have amenity centres with pools, gyms and community hubs. Now, we can grant them access to all of those facilities without requiring them to check in with a property manager or get a fob - they can just use their phone.”

AI and automation

Close to 90% of US households have some form of air conditioning. AMH uses AI to keep track of them.

“As an example, if we are monitoring the usage of HVAC and also the behaviour of that HVAC, we can develop an algorithm that tells us when this HVAC unit is about to failimagine the difference this will make to the resident experience.”

For a family that lives in a hotter climate, if their HVAC fails it could be three days before it is fixed. But, if AMH knows that the unit is exhibiting a pattern of behaviour to suggest it’s failing, AMH can contact the residents ahead of time and arrange a servicing of the HVAC before it fails.

“That's a proactive use of technology to improve the experience for residents, so that they don't experience three days of unbearable heat, wondering when someone is going to show up and fix it so they can get on with their lives. Instead, we're showing up ahead of time.”