Schickerling Sustainability - SustainabilityTracker.com

Proud partners of The Hunger Project Australia.

We have a Grant Agreement with The Hunger Project whereby a portion of our commission from the sale of each property is donated to The Hunger Project. The Hunger Project’s goal is to end world hunger. We understand first-hand the powerful impact the work of The Hunger Project has to end world hunger on a global scale and are passionate advocates for their incredible work. The Hunger Project believes in empowering people to become owners of their own development. Not based on handouts, but built on female empowerment through education, generating knowledge, capacity and capability that has a long-term sustainable impact. Women in rural disadvantaged arrears are trained to be elected to represent their communities over a 5 year term to become effective, respected leaders in their communities. As a result, they bring water, electricity, sanitation, education and more, to their villages.

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Paperless Office | Electronic Documents & Cloud Storage

We have invested in cloud technology and have implemented state of the art electronic systems and software to reduce the amount of paper we use, receive and store. All documents and forms, including legally binding agreements and contracts are transacted and stored electronically.

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Electronic Business Cards

Rather than hand out business cards on premium card, we prefer to use our digital business cards. One tap and we can share our digital profile with everyone - contact details, listings, links to our website and social media channels.

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Electronic Document Signing

We have implemented secure state of the art software to have legally binding documents signed electronically. This saves an enormous amount of paper (up to 300 pages per contract/lease), and also significantly reduces petrol consumption because it means that documents are sent electronically rather than hand delivered to clients for signing.

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Sustainable Marketing Campaigns | Electronic Marketing

In Real Estate, it is very difficult to move away entirely from print media. Marketing campaigns have traditionally included newspaper advertising, cardboard brochures and flyers and business cards. We utilize state of the art software platforms that allow us to provide electronic marketing with downloadable brochures. We use QR codes for all listings (both sales and rentals) to send marketing materials and property details to potential buyers and renters electronically. This reduces the amount of paper products we use.

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Sustainable Sign Boards

Here at Schickerling, we have a selection of different sign board options, depending on the type of property we are marketing. ALL sign choices are as sustainable as possible - we don't offer the nasty vinyl ones that use toxic adhesives and end up in landfill. Our sign boards are glue free.

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Ethically Sourced Paper

We choose stationery and office paper-based products that are native forest free, 100% recycled and FSC® certified. For upmarket listings, it is imperative that we provide beautiful brochures as part of the sales campaign. These are all printed on ethically sourced paper.

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We Implement Responsible Waste Removal

We educate landlords and tenants on the importance of recycling, aiming to foster a culture of responsible waste management and resource conservation. We actively advocate for responsible waste management through: 1) ACTION - we ensure ALL properties under our management are provided with a full suite of council bins to allow tenants to dispose of waste thoughtfully. 2) EDUCATION - we provide information to all tenants as part of their welcome pack that details what rubbish goes in what bin. We actively monitor this at inspections to ensure they are doing the right thing. We do all that we can to get the 'reduce, reuse recycle' message across.

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We Participate in Government Energy Upgrade Programs

We actively initiate participation in government schemes such as Victorian Energy Upgrades Program so our landlords and tenants benefit from energy saving products and services, as does the planet. The Victorian Energy Upgrades program helps households and businesses save energy and money with a range of discounts and special offers on selected energy-saving products and services. Discounts and special offers are only available from accredited providers as detailed on the Victorian Energy Upgrade products' pages. The program can help you with the cost of purchasing efficient appliances and products including: - chimney dampers and vent covers - clothes dryers - double-glazed windows - fridges and freezers (including help with recycling old fridges) - heating and cooling - hot water systems - lighting - pool pumps - showerheads - standby power controllers - TVs - weather-proofing strips.

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We advocate for Energy Efficient Property Upgrades

We advocate for our vendors, landlords (and tenants) to make environmentally friendly upgrades to reduce resource consumption and waste, decrease carbon emissions and energy consumption, recycle rainwater and make the house more appealing and valuable. By fostering a culture of sustainable building practices, energy-efficient technologies, and the use of eco-friendly natural materials, we aim to create awareness and a positive environmental impact that extends beyond our property portfolio to create properties that prioritize energy efficiency and sustainability.. Examples include but are not limited to replacing broken appliances with a higher energy star rating model, installing more energy efficient lighting, more effective window furnishings such as blinds or curtains to better insulate the property, and water-saving fixtures. This can significantly reduce energy and water consumption. With the implementation of 'Minimum Standards' from March 2021, there is onus on all Landlords to ensure compliance of their investment property - we ensure properties under our management meet these Minimum Standards and encourage landlord's to choose the most energy efficient options to do so.

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We Green Properties

Schickerling provides an in-house landscaping and garden maintenance service that focuses on promoting the greening of the properties we sell and manage. We actively encourage landlords to provide a maintained garden area for tenant's to enjoy, and encourage the harvesting of rainwater to support gardens. Through sustainable landscaping practices, including native plantings and water-efficient irrigation systems, we enhance biodiversity and create environmentally friendly outdoor spaces that benefit both residents and the surrounding ecosystem. This adds value to the property from a valuation perspective and makes it more appealing and enjoyable to tenants. Furthermore, it increases the tree canopy cover and is a driver to create a cooler, more climate resilient community with a lower carbon footprint. Trees and vegetation is critically important to both mental and physical health as cool and green environments encourage people to recreate and socialise outdoors. As the climate changes and we experience hotter, drier and more extreme weather conditions, our community will be more impacted by heat stress and flood risk. Healthy urban gardens are one of the most effective ways to mitigate urban heat and improve health outcomes in the community. We provide sustainable gardening and landscaping techniques that slow future warming by reducing carbon emissions and increasing carbon storage in soil and plants. Water is critical to creating and maintaining much needed green, cool, and climate-adapted gardens, and we aim to help increase the amount of rain-water collected for garden use.

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We provide a Hard Rubbish Removal & Recycling Service

We offer a Hard Waste Removal Service to our clients. Any components of hard waste that can be recycled or upcycled, we ensure get taken to the local transfer station, metal recyclers or to a community group to avoid landfill.

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We discourage unnecessary home upgrades

A common misconception is that homes need to be upgraded prior to marketing them for sale or lease. This is not always the case. A big part of our role as Sales Agents is to recommend ways to present a property in its best possible light to attract more buyers, and ultimately achieve the best price. Many vendors replace tired carpets, wallpaper, dated window furnishings and do other upgrades that do not necessarily improve the value or appeal of a home. More often than not, purchasers come in and make their own changes. Where appropriate, we suggest vendors leave the home as is - this prevents unnecessary costs, and potentially saves carpets, window furnishings etc from landfill. Instead we provide marketing photos of properties in their current state, as well as renders of what it could look like if it were updated. This helps potential buyers envisage a property's potential. This method works particularly well with older period homes that will more often than not be purchased and renovated to the new owners taste. This approach reduces construction and demolition waste that goes to landfill, aligning with our commitment to sustainability.

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We are advocates to Local & State Government

Jodie Schickerling, Director and Officer In Effective Control is an active participant at local government level. Jodie is part of the Moonee Valley City Council Community Advisory Group providing recommendations to Council on 'How can Council achieve biodiversity in open spaces'. Jodie participates in community events such as 'National Tree Day Planting Event' to support the Victorian Government's 'More Trees For a Greener West' Program which will see more trees planted in Melbourne’s west. The program aims to plant trees in urban areas with the lowest tree canopy cover. This is a low-cost option to help address problems of the urban heat island effect as part of cooling and greening Melbourne.

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We Purchase from businesses that value sustainable practices

In Real Estate, we provide branded promotional products to gift to clients to celebrate, as investing in Real Estate is a very significant (and expensive) event in people's lives. Our gifts are mindfully sourced from local Australian suppliers who are environmentally aligned and certified ISO 14001 (environmental management). We don't buy junk that ends up in the bottom drawer or landfill!

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We are active members In Community Environment Groups

Jodie Schickerling, Director and Officer In Effective Control is a member and active volunteer of Moonee Valley Sustainability (MVS). She was elected to the committee on 29/08/2023. MVS is a collective of local volunteers, supporters, and community groups in Moonee Valley who promote, support, enable and advocate for sustainable living in the local community. MVS grow community capacity to prevent further climate impacts and build climate resilience through education, campaigns, events, innovative projects, research and enabling community connection. MVS constructively engages in and encourages evidence-based action on climate change and sustainable living, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, waste, and resource use. Successful sustainable living is about growing food and making products the community needs, to nurture a local, sharing, and circular economy in Moonee Valley.

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Schickerling Sustainability Actions