made to date and look forward to continuing to strengthen our impact as part of the successful operations of The Monthly Dividend Company
®
.
Environmental Responsibility
We place a high priority on the protection of our assets, communities, and the environment. Based on our business model, the properties in our portfolio are primarily net leased to our tenants, and each tenant is generally responsible for maintaining the buildings, including controlling their energy usage and the implementation of environmentally sustainable practices at each location.
Activities at our Headquarters
Our focus on environmental responsibility is demonstrated by how we manage our day-to-day activities at our corporate headquarters. Our headquarters was retrofitted according to the State of California energy efficiency standards (specifically following California Green Building Standards Code and Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations). We promote energy efficiency with features such as an automatic lighting control system with light-harvesting technology, a building management system that monitors and controls energy use, an energy-efficient PVC roof and heating and cooling system, LED lighting, and also by encouraging practices such as powering down office equipment at the end of the day, implementing file-sharing, adopting an electronic approval system, and encouraging a paperless environment.
Water conservation practices are important to the San Diego, California region. We partner with a leader in wireless, real-time irrigation for precise water management. This increase in water efficiency coupled with drought-tolerant landscaping helps us minimize water usage at our corporate headquarters. With the goal of lowering the carbon footprint of our employees day-to-day operations, we partner with two meal delivery services, provide on-site dry-cleaning services, and encourage carpooling to our headquarters.
We implement waste diversion strategies focusing on recycling paper waste, batteries, and light bulbs, adoption of compostable break room products, reduction of single-use petroleum products, and recycling education. The company also recycles or donates cell phones, wireless devices, and office equipment whenever possible. In 2018, we sent more than 28,500 pounds of paper to our off-site partner for recycling.
Realty Income also has an internal Green Team that encourages our employees to focus on environmentally-smart choices to further reduce our environmental impact as a company. The Green Team, which includes executive and officer-level employees, works to positively impact the environment through education and engagement within the company and local communities, focusing on waste, energy, and water management.
Activities within our Portfolio
Many of our tenants demonstrate focus on positive environmental and social impacts through their comprehensive Corporate Responsibility programs. We support their operations and work with them to promote environmental responsibility at the properties we own and to reiterate the importance of energy efficient facilities.
In 2018, we initiated engagement with our top 20 tenants based on revenue (representing over 50% of our annualized rental revenue) to better understand the strategic sustainability decisions being made in the operations of our properties. This ongoing dialogue confirms the long-term goal we share with our tenants to reduce the negative environmental effects of our portfolio.
Our Asset Management and Real Estate Operations team engages with renewable energy development companies to identify assets that would maximize energy efficiency initiatives throughout our property portfolio. These initiatives include solar energy arrays, battery storage, and charging stations. In addition, we continue to explore regional opportunities with our tenants in order to qualify for city and county renewable energy or energy efficiency programs.
In addition, Realty Income is a member of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (Nareit) Real Estate Sustainability Council. Our participation in this council allows us to share information and learn about the best practices of other REITs to further advance our efforts in this area.
Additional information on environmental and social responsibility initiatives can be found in the Corporate Responsibility section of the companys website at www.realtyincome.com/corporate-responsibility.