Tempe Is One Of The Greenest Cities In The U.S.: Apartment Guide

TEMPE, AZ — The city of Tempe was named one of the greenest cities in America by Apartment Guide earlier this month.

The Valley city ranked sixth overall on the guide's top 10 list, thanks in large part to the influence of Arizona State University.

Apartmen Guide cited ASU and Tempe's Native American roots as two key reasons for the city's place on the list.

"Sitting in the heart of the Sonoran Desert, Tempe has always had to have an eye out for green living and environmental care," Apartment Guide's Michael Hochman wrote. "Along with its Phoenix neighbor, the city has learned to conserve water to fight desert droughts, limited rainfall and scorching temperatures. Green living initiatives include a proliferation of solar panels, water catchers, natural and shade cooling and urban agriculture.

"In such a harsh climate getting harsher, both owned properties and rental units are well equipped with sustainable and conservative measures," he added.

Apartment Guide's survey found that 23.3 percent of Tempe's communities featured green development, which included items such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, solar panels, electric vehicle charging stations, smart thermostats, etc.

Tempe ranked behind the likes of Tacoma, Washington; Austin, Texas; Plano, Texas; Richmond, Virginia; and San Antonio — which earned top honors in Apartment Guide's listing.

San Antonio led all cities with nearly 28 percent of its communities rated green, followed by Richmond (27 percent), Plano (25.7 percent), Austin (23.8 percent) and Tacoma (23.5 percent).

Read more at Apartment Guide.