Carpooling – two or more people sharing a ride to and from work or another common destination – came to prominence as a fuel rationing measure in World War II and gained renewed urgency during the energy crises of the 1970s. After waning in subsequent years, the practice is undergoing another renaissance today. The percentage of U.S. workers commuting by carpool dropped from 19.7% in 1980 to 7.8% by 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The figure rose to 8.6% in 2022, about what it is today. Can the once-popular practice gain a stronger foothold among today’s workers? Rising costs driving popularity Some observers think so. With the costs of vehicle ownership, maintenance, fuel, insurance and parking all trending upward, workers and business owners are seeking cost-effective transportation alternatives. Carpooling is one of them. Along with a chance to share cost burdens, carpooling offers an effective way to reduce traffic congestion, a major contributor to air pollution. Transport Canada, a government agency that manages transportation policies and programs, notes that carpooling with just one other person can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by hundreds of pounds annually. It can also significantly cut fuel expenses and support businesses’ sustainability initiatives. “Carpooling is gaining popularity once again and a major factor is that people and organizations are getting more and more environmentally conscious,” reports Pima Assn. of Governments, a metropolitan planning organization comprising local, state and tribal leaders in the Tucson, Ariz., area. Other benefits of carpooling include opportunities to establish social connections, access to high-occupancy vehicle lanes and reduced pressure on parking space. Tech opens new avenues Pima and other organizations utilize specialized technology that helps people find carpool partners, organize schedules, track expenses and reimbursements, plan routes and communicate with carpool partners. “Online carpooling platforms and app-based carpooling services have revolutionized the way people commute. These platforms connect riders with drivers, providing a user-friendly interface for scheduling rides, making payments and tracking journeys in real time,” according to Business Research Insights, a market intelligence firm in Pune, India. As the U.S. workforce continues its post-pandemic evolution, modern carpooling’s confluence of new technology, positive social interaction and environmental responsibility presents opportunities to enrich workers, communities and businesses. “The beauty of ridesharing lies in the fact that it taps into an abundant yet underutilized resource: the empty seats in cars [which] represent a huge source of waste in our transportation system – but potentially also a huge opportunity for improvement,” assert Deloitte researchers Peter Viechnicki, Tiffany Fishman and William D....

Photo courtesy Direct Relief The catastrophic fires in and around Los Angeles could potentially be one of the country’s most expensive natural disasters and are already among the deadliest in state history. Yardi is supporting two non-profit organizations, Direct Relief and World Central Kitchen, that are aiding the evacuation and recovery efforts for victims. Over 150,000 residents were forced to evacuate, at least 24 people have died (at time of publication, rescuers are continuing to search for missing persons), and thousands of homes, businesses and other structures have been damaged or destroyed. Yardi announced this week that its nonprofit arm is making a contribution of $250,000 to Direct Relief and World Central Kitchen. “These remarkable organizations have, once again, jumped to action and are already providing timely support and resources (water, food, N95 masks, and much more) to the first responders and individuals displaced by the fires,” said Sarah Bridich, director of corporate philanthropy at Yardi. Direct Relief Direct Relief, a Goleta, CA-based disaster relief and medical assistance organization, is tirelessly providing essential aid. Direct Relief’s mission is to protect residents, support healthcare providers, and address the immediate needs of those affected. The ongoing nature of the fires underscores the need for sustained support and resources. “Direct Relief has made more than $100 million available in medicines and medical supplies, including 2.3 million high-quality N95 respirators, to community health centers, free and charitable clinics, and other healthcare partners in affected areas,” said Tom Roane, director of corporate engagement and strategy for Direct Relief. Roane continued: “Direct Relief stockpiles wildfire-related kits, PPE, inhalers, and other medical and emergency products in its Strategic Emergency Stockpile so that it can immediately respond to the needs in this type of emergency.”  In addition to delivering highly needed medical aid, Direct Relief is providing emergency operating grants to community safety-net clinics serving evacuated residents and others impacted by fires to sustain ongoing care during the active crisis and support their staff (some of whom have lost their homes). You can support Direct Relief’s fire response efforts here. World Central Kitchen World Central Kitchen (WCK) mobilized across the Southern California region to provide immediate relief, working with restaurant and food truck partners to provide comforting meals. In Santa Monica, WCK is working with Gordo Hibachi, cooking delicious rice and noodle dishes to support first responders working tirelessly to control the blaze and support evacuation efforts. Actress Jennifer Garner recently joined WCK teams in Southern California to support first responders and residents impacted by the wildfires. “Her empathy embodies the spirit that drives our mission—it’s these fast-moving efforts of neighbors that are making a difference in the lives of families impacted by fires,” said the organization. Check out the locations where WCK distributes free hot meals to the public in greater L.A. You can donate directly in support of their work here. Yardi has consistently contributed to Direct Relief and World Central Kitchen in the aftermath of natural disasters and other crises, including the war in Ukraine. If you’re interested in supporting these efforts, you can find more information on the company’s philanthropic efforts on yardi.org and learn how to...

Leading real estate technology provider Yardi® announced today that it has acquired Deskpass (U.S.) and Hubble (U.K.) to meet the evolving and diverse needs of workspace users. As workspace policies continue to evolve post-pandemic, businesses require flexible access to space that best suits their way of working – whether they are remote-first, hybrid, or fully office-based. The acquisitions mark a significant step forward in aligning commercial buildings with the increasingly agile needs of office users. Yardi, as a service provider to building owners, operators and occupiers for 40 years, welcomes the Deskpass and Hubble teams to meet the evolving needs of professionals and businesses. These acquisitions enhance existing Yardi Commercial and Yardi® Kube solutions as the technology backbone for flexible workspace operators, building owners and occupiers to support a wide variety of use for flexible workspace. Deskpass is a leading booking platform in North America for coworking and flexible workspace. Deskpass’ global network of partner locations enables individuals and enterprise clients to instantly book desks, meeting rooms and private offices on demand. Hubble is the U.K.’s leading online marketplace for coworking and flexible workspace. The platform enables individuals and employers to book on demand or flexibly contract for coworking desks, private offices, managed offices, part-time offices, meeting rooms and event spaces. Hubble customers include forward-thinking SMEs and corporates in the U.K. and worldwide. Yardi platform CoworkingCafe is the most comprehensive global marketplace for listing and booking coworking and flexible workspaces. With over 21,000 locations listed, CoworkingCafe provides operators unparalleled marketing reach for their spaces and seamless integration with Yardi Kube’s space management platform to support contracting, membership management, billing, accounting and reporting. Yardi Kube is the largest global platform for managing coworking and flexible office operations by powering end-to-end contracting, membership management, billing, accounting, reporting and more. The Yardi Kube platform seamlessly integrates with CoworkingCafe to provide unparalleled marketing reach, lead generation and on-demand revenue insights. Bringing together market leaders in Deskpass, Hubble and CoworkingCafe to expand the size, quality and ease of booking across the marketplace is critical to meet the increasing need for flexible space driven by professionals and corporations. Yardi will continue to collaborate with space providers and technology partners to deliver an industry-leading experience. “We are excited to build a global infrastructure to connect office users with space from the best office owners and coworking operators,” said Robert Teel, president of Yardi Global Solutions. “The Deskpass and Hubble teams bring a wealth of customer and industry knowledge about flexible marketplaces to help us service this evolving customer need.” “We’ve spent the last decade building Hubble into the UK’s leading marketplace for flexible workspace. As a business, our vision has always been to enable businesses to find workspace solutions that are accessible and adaptable to their teams’ unique ways of working. We’re incredibly excited to continue to scale this vision as part of Yardi,” said Tushar Agarwal, CEO and co-founder of Hubble. “Joining the Yardi family is a monumental step forward for Deskpass,” said Sam Rosen, CEO and co-founder of Deskpass.“Yardi’s vision for the future of our industry, paired with their global reach and deep relationships within the real estate industry, provides the perfect platform to supercharge our mission of offering businesses and individuals access to high-quality, flexible workspace solutions, anytime and...

Nine years ago, an article in this space asserted that deliveries of products to customers using drones might be “just around the corner.” Google, Amazon and Walmart were among the major retailers developing unmanned aerial vehicle fleets; an Amazon vice president predicted that, pending resolution of various regulatory and technology issues, drone deliveries would become “as normal as seeing a delivering truck driving down the street.” Has the vision articulated in 2016 come to pass? Statistics indicate that drones are indeed becoming more commonly used for delivering products to homes or other locations. PwC estimates that about 5 million business-to-consumer drone deliveries occurred worldwide in 2024. The global drone delivery market, valued at $530 billion in 2022, is expected to grow more than 42% annually between 2023 to 2030, with the U.S. share estimated to reach $830 million this year. “I think after what has been about a decade of a slow start, drone delivery seems to be accelerating both in its technological capabilities as well as the policy and regulatory environment in the United States,” Costa Samaras, director of Carnegie Mellon University’s Scott Institute for Energy Innovation, told NBC News last year. In 2023, for the first time, the FAA authorized commercial drone operators to fly their aircraft long distances without visual spotters in the line of sight. Drones can deliver a range of products, from prepared meals and groceries to medicines and retail items, while avoiding traffic congestion that traditional delivery vehicles must cope with. They also generate fewer emissions than road vehicles, can reach remote or hard-to-access locations, and are useful for such ancillary applications as surveillance, agriculture, aerial photography and environmental monitoring. Concerns surrounding drones include potential job losses for delivery workers, privacy issues, neighborhood noise and the potential for misuse by malicious actors. Growth of the drone delivery market will continue to be driven by such factors as increasing consumer demand for fast delivery, the desire to reduce carbon emissions and advancements in drone technology. “With the increased demand for drone delivery services globally, various countries are implementing favorable policies to support the operation of drones in their airspace,” says Mordor Intelligence, a business market intelligence and advisory firm in Hyderabad,...

Every new year starts with a “new year, new me” plan, which typically fades by the Spring. Let’s discuss how to turn resolutions into habits for an energy-efficient and sustainable 2025. Sustainable resolutions for an energy-efficient year begin with making practical resolutions that anyone can adopt to make their home or lifestyle more energy-efficient. Start by decluttering the physical space with an energy-efficient mindset. Get rid of unused electronics, which can reduce phantom load. Phantom loads sometimes referred to as vampire loads, are any electricity an appliance or device consumes, even when turned off. Reduce phantom load by always remembering to turn off lights and electronics when not in use. Printers, gaming devices, computer monitors, TVs or cable systems pull electricity from the grid even when not operating. Always have devices grouped on a power bar or strip. Recycle or donate old appliances and opt for energy-efficient ENERGY STAR®-rated replacements. Wash clothes in cold water and line dry when possible. Washing clothes in warm or hot water risks shrinking them. Install programmable or smart thermostats. Smart thermostats allow owners to control the temperature using settings on their smart devices. “An ENERGY STAR® certified smart thermostat offers more convenience, energy savings, insight, and control than manual or programmable thermostats. Homes with high heating and cooling bills and unoccupied homes for much of the day can save approximately $100 a year with an ENERGY STAR®-certified smart thermostat.” Reorganize spaces to optimize airflow and heating efficiency. Change air filters out regularly and tune HVAC equipment yearly. Seal heating and cooling ducts. “Sealing and insulating ducts can improve the efficiency of heating and cooling system by as much as 20 percent,” according to ENERGY STAR®. Workplace energy goals. Businesses and employees should collaborate on energy-saving resolutions to promote sustainability. To reduce office energy use, encourage hybrid work schedules. Upgrade to energy-efficient office lighting and HVAC systems. Implement office-wide reminders to power down equipment at the end of the day. Margaret Mead, the esteemed environmentalist, once stated, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” This powerful sentiment rings true for social movements and businesses determined to combat climate change. Host a few sustainability challenges to engage employees in green practices. The power of teamwork is key here, as it engages employees in sustainability and involves them in business carbon reduction efforts. For example, create “green teams” responsible for developing and implementing sustainable practices within the team or department. Organize friendly competitions to encourage employees to adopt eco-friendly habits such as reducing paper usage, carpooling or minimizing waste. Recognize and reward participants for contributing to a positive and engaging ecosystem, fostering a sense of community and shared responsibility. Form sustainable energy routines to build new habits. If daily habits do not change, you will never have a new year. Start with setting reminders or automating tasks like adjusting the thermostat when leaving home. Use apps to track electricity consumption and set usage goals. Energy Tracker on Apple IOS or Google Play is a good app to easily add, manage and evaluate meter readings and record electricity, water, gas and heat consumption. Make it fun for the family and create a rewards system for household members who consistently practice energy efficiency. One must better understand the psychology to break old habits. Habit formation is the process where repeated actions become automatic over time. This happens because the brain creates neural pathways that make these behaviors easier to perform without much thought. When a behavior is repeated enough, the brain learns to conserve energy by turning it into a habit. Patience is needed to overcome bad habits since solidifying them takes 18 to 254 days. Focus on consistency and avoid getting discouraged if instant results don’t happen. Keep tracking progress, stay committed and give yourself and others grace and time to let the...

As 2024 comes to a close, let’s take a look and reflect on Yardi’s achievements and accomplishments. Here are a few of the highlights.   A Milestone Anniversary 2024 was a milestone year for Yardi as we celebrated the company’s 40th anniversary. Clients that attended our Yardi Advanced Solutions Conference (YASC) events and employees worldwide received a special anniversary silver coin. These commemorative coins signify the milestone anniversary and mark Yardi’s four decades of real estate industry leadership. We look forward to another 40 years of providing outstanding products, services and support to our valued clients. Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award Starting 2024 with a bang, Yardi was again named a winner of Glassdoor’s 16th Employees’ Choice Awards, honoring the Best Places to Work 2024. This recognition is evidence of the positive work environment and culture we have collectively built at Yardi, making each of us a part of this success. The Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award is based solely on the input of employees who voluntarily provide anonymous feedback by completing a review about their job, work environment and employer on Glassdoor, the worldwide leader in insights about jobs, work environments and companies. “We are humbled to be included with so many great organizations and by the consistent, positive support of our global employees, which resulted in this honor,” said Kevin Yardi, vice president at Yardi. “For over 40 years, we have achieved steady growth by taking care of our customers, employees and communities. If you are looking for a great place to grow your career, Yardi is hiring in many offices worldwide.” Find career opportunities at careers.yardi.com. ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year In the spring, Yardi was honored to receive the 2024 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy for the sixth consecutive year since 2019. The Sustained Excellence Award, presented to Yardi for the fourth time this year, is a prestigious acknowledgment of the company’s consistent leadership and ongoing commitment to energy efficiency in real estate. “We are proud to have played a pivotal role in benchmarking and certifying buildings across the industry and worldwide in 2023. As a witness to our clients making progress toward and achieving their efficiency and reporting goals, we continue to advocate for the value of the ENERGY STAR program for building owners and managers,” said Joe Consolo, industry principal at Yardi. Forbes Cloud 100 Streak Continues In the summer, Yardi was named again to the prestigious Forbes Cloud 100 list, the definitive ranking of the top 100 private cloud companies in the world, published by Forbes in partnership with Bessemer Venture Partners and Salesforce Ventures. Yardi was a member of the inaugural Cloud 100 in 2016 and was No. 36 this year, making the list for the ninth straight year. “We’re honored that Yardi continues to rank among the top private cloud companies worldwide,” said Joel Loewen, vice president of cloud services at Yardi. “Since the inaugural list, this inclusion has reflected the continual efforts of our employees to create innovative and impactful solutions for our customers. We take pride in being one of the oldest companies on this prestigious list as well as one of the few that has no external capital.” Hurricane Helene Relief In the Fall, Yardi was there to help hundreds affected by Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in the Big Bend area of Florida, ravaging parts of Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas with flooding, storm surge and dangerous winds. Yardi pledged $250,000 to Direct Relief and World Central Kitchen for post-hurricane relief. These funds enabled both organizations to provide crucial emergency medical supplies, food, and water to those in need, demonstrating Yardi’s dedicated support for the affected communities. Our contribution made a significant difference in the lives of hundreds affected by Hurricane Helene, showcasing our commitment to social responsibility and community support. Sarah Bridich, Yardi’s director of corporate philanthropy,...

As we ring in the new year, we’re celebrating the community cheer of our senior living clients! We hope these highlights of positive stories from the 2024 holiday season fill your cup of kindness and inspire you for 2025. Decking the halls at Radiant Senior Living Radiant Senior Living shared a bright and joyful video on social media from The Village Senior Living in Tacoma, Washington. Residents and team members decorated the “It Takes a Village” tree with ornaments from their personal collections, which Radiant describes as bringing their family traditions to life. “We believe in creating an atmosphere for our team that encourages them to bring their whole selves to work, and the ‘It Takes a Village’ tree demonstrates that value beautifully!” Singing joyous all together at Maplewood Senior Living Maplewood Senior Living communities host several festive gatherings, shared on social media including a tree-lighting ceremony at Maplewood at Orange and a piano performance at Maplewood at Princeton with an opportunity for everyone to join in singing. Making spirits bright at Sagora Senior Living At Sagora Senior Living, residents are treated to holiday-themed group events, festive dining experiences and holiday activities tailored to individual needs. Sagora shared a blog post about how Sagora celebrates and how others can make the holidays special for seniors. “At Sagora Senior Living, the holidays are a time to celebrate the spirit of community. Our dedicated team goes above and beyond to create festive experiences that bring residents together and make them feel at home.” Dressed in holiday style at Merrill Gardens Merrill Gardens chose to collect warm Christmas gifts for youth, as shared on social media: “We are honored to once again support Treehouse with the R.D. Merrill Holiday Hoodies Drive! We are gathering new hoodies for foster children and if you would like to help you can send hoodies to our office!” Happy New Year from team Yardi We hope this post gave you a spark of holiday magic, and we look forward to seeing what happy moments our clients and their communities share throughout 2025! If you’re looking to connect with us in the new year to learn more about how we support our clients, reach out...

Yardi offices worldwide came together this month for fun-filled celebrations, bringing laughter, comfort, and joy to all. It was a time to relax, unwind, and enjoy the good times and successes of the year. Here’s a look at a few joyous moments we shared. Atlanta, GA had its holiday party at Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves baseball team. The group commemorated the occasion with food, drinks, dancing and a casino night. Using funny Yardi bucks to gamble that entered them with raffle prizes at the night’s end. Atlanta also participated in an ugly sweater party in the office. Congratulations to the winners: Gerald Valentine, Kenneth Middleton and Amber Brown! Cleveland, Ohio, also had fun with casino night with exciting games of Rush and Roulette, craps and blackjack. New York Long Island office made merry with a lavish dinner, lively dancing and talented caricature artists to capture the essence of Yardi employees. Some offices preferred more action for celebrations. Denver, CO office gave a few random “axe of kindness” at an axe-throwing club. Jacksonville, FL, office rolled over to the bowling alley with strikes and spares. In the UK, Milton Keynes and London offices rejoiced with shuffleboards and karaoke. Cluj-Napoca, Romania had a ball in an upscale Black and White Gala with 700 attendees, which made this party the highest attendance thus far. Sydney, AU our Sydney office also delighted in the holiday season with noteworthy guest Neal Gemassmer, vice president of international for Yardi. Dubai and Santa Barbara, Calif. celebrated Diwali several weeks ago. Founder and CEO Anant Yardi joined in Santa Barbara’s lunchtime festivities. That’s a wrap for #TeamYardi holiday celebrations for 2024. We hope you enjoyed the highlights as much as we did. Check out more photos on Facebook. As we bid farewell to this year, we eagerly look forward to more such joyous moments and achievements in...

Sean Taylor photograph Saskatoon Search and Rescue (SSAR), a Yardi-supported nonprofit organization established in 2008 in Saskatoon, SK, is a 100 percent volunteer organization that provides emergency response services throughout the province. Established to assist local authorities in search and rescue operations, it specializes in locating missing persons, supporting community safety initiatives, and offering disaster response for major snowstorms, flooding and wildfires. Members are equipped with essential navigation, first aid and incident management skills. “In the past five years, we have been activated more than 70 times and spent more than 4,500 hours searching for missing persons. This does not include thousands of hours of training and administrative work to operate a thriving and 100% volunteer organization,” explained Sean Taylor, fundraising director, searcher, team leader, search manager, and electronic search specialist instructor for SSAR. SSAR’s mission is to protect lives and support those in distress through dedicated service and teamwork. It engages in public education and outreach programs, promoting awareness about safety and preparedness in their community. SSAR collaborates with local agencies, ensuring a coordinated response during crises. With a commitment to continuous training and improvement, SSAR aims to enhance its capabilities and foster community resilience, ensuring they are always ready to respond effectively. SSAR has just finalized a new strategic plan, and a few key priorities include: Increase team capacity to respond to emergencies while ensuring this effort can be sustained. Expand its capacities by involving more SSAR members in a broader range of activities, mentoring, succession planning, and encouraging committee involvement to help share the workload in fundraising and administrative tasks required to operate a busy and thriving volunteer organization.   Maintain existing partnerships and establish new ones with funding sources to ensure the long-term financial viability of SSAR as a leading search and rescue organization. Funding from Yardi significantly boosts the SSAR team’s ability to meet goals and priorities. The funds are allocated towards training programs and specialized equipment still needed for its Rapid Response and Wilderness First Responder Teams and any other new initiatives they decide to implement. This may include advanced training courses, essential gear, or certification/re-certification programs that enhance their skills and effectiveness. These funds also assist SSAR when applying for grants that require an investment from SSAR or to show that they have funding available from other sources to fund a larger project. “This is the third year in a row that Yardi has supported Saskatoon Search and Rescue,” said Taylor. He continued, “We are humbled by your generosity and the trust you have placed in us to use these funds wisely. Your belief in the importance of our work in the community means a great deal to us.”  Project Lifesaver In 2018, SSAR saw a need to be proactive and preventative regarding people who are prone to wandering (e.g., elderly people with Alzheimer’s or other dementia and younger people with autism), so they became a Project Lifesaver agency. Project Lifesaver clients wear a transmitter or “personal locator unit” on their wrist or ankle that emits an individualized radio frequency. If the client goes missing, the caregiver immediately notifies the police and identifies the person as a Project Lifesaver client. In addition to regular police resources, members of Saskatoon Search and Rescue who are trained and equipped “Electronic Search Specialists” are immediately activated. The missing person’s individualized radio frequency number is programmed into a receiver, and the search begins. SSAR strives to provide these services free of charge to prevent financial barriers for people needing this program’s benefits. Because of strong community and corporate support, they can continue to provide the services without cost to all of their clients. Saskatoon Search and Rescue is the province’s most prominent and busiest SAR team and the only Project Lifesaver agency.  “We currently have 46 clients wearing transmitters, and 125 families have been supported by the program since 2018. During this time, we have been activated 30 times...