How to Make Your Vacation Rental Home More Sustainable

According to a recent survey, 87% of travelers want to travel sustainably, which makes eco-friendliness an important feature of a luxury vacation rental. That’s why OpenAiRE, in collaboration with our property management team at Open Air Homes, has made significant improvements and enhancements to our rental homes over the past two years.

By decreasing your rental’s carbon footprint, we can increase occupancy rates, promote sustainable travel, and increase revenue. Thankfully, you don’t need to take out a hefty loan to make your vacation home more sustainable. Here are a few ways to make it happen through some strategic improvements.

Get on Board with Solar Power

Generating your own power offers many benefits to the environment and your tenants. Adding solar power to your vacation home offers these immediate perks:

• Reduced electric bills: This increases your overall revenue and cuts costs.
• Reduced complaints about power outages: When your rental is more self-sufficient, interruptions in the power grid aren’t as stressful.
• Time-sensitive savings: Strike while the iron is hot! Since solar power is a relatively new technology, property owners can take advantage of the solar installation federal tax break. This may not be available in the future, so make use of this important benefit while you have the chance.

Today’s solar panels are also smaller, more efficient, and easier to install than previous models. This means you won’t have to wait long to reap the benefits of solar power!

Do you have questions about installing solar power in your luxury vacation rental? Feel free to reach out to the OpenAiRE team. We have several properties with solar power panels installed and can show you how they have benefitted from this upgrade.

• Note: By outfitting your vacation rental with the best solar power appliances, your home’s main comforts will be optimized to run on its new power source. This ensures that your tenants can still cook, watch tv, and take care of other needs while using mainly solar power.

Use Non-Toxic Cleaners

A thoroughly cleaned vacation home allows you to increase nightly rates through more positive reviews. Unfortunately, some cleaners can cause your visitors to feel sick due to their harsh chemical compositions and added scents. Minimize this possibility by using non-toxic cleaners that don’t contain irritating chemicals or artificial perfumes. To make sure that your property complies with eco-friendly cleaning, hire a cleaning service that offers organic and natural cleaning options.

Use Decorations Made of Sustainable Materials

It’s no secret that materials like plastic sit in landfills for hundreds of years. Therefore, be intentional in your interior design and use sustainable materials. Anything made with organic elements is a win-win. Whether you opt for a clay sculpture instead of a plastic display, every choice matters. When you’re ready for a change in hospitality design, materials like glass, clay, metal, and wood can be recycled or repurposed, but plastics are more challenging to salvage.

Plants are also excellent decorations that are friendly to the environment. This is why we plant citrus trees at our properties. They are easy to care for, provide a refreshing scent, and greatly boost curb appeal. Plants can also beautify a home’s interior at little upfront cost. Whether you select low-maintenance ivy plants, bamboo, peace lilies, succulents, air plants, or small indoor trees, every plant is natural and has zero impact on your carbon footprint.

Install Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

As the use of electric vehicles (EVs) continues to increase, more guests want car charging stations at their vacation homes. This avoids the nuisance of long wait times at public supercharger stations. Install a wall-based model in a carport or garage so that guests can comfortably charge their vehicle overnight. Though this model might not be as fast as a Tesla Supercharger, simply having one for personal use is a great convenience — and it’s just another way to increase nightly rates.

Reach Out To Our Team

As more travelers are attracted to eco-friendly additions, sustainability will continue to be top of mind this year. If you are curious about how to optimize your rental for sustainability, connect with our team at OpenAiRE. We will be happy to discuss how these eco-friendly improvements enhance both the renter’s experience and your bottom line.