Our Environmental Stewardship

Conserving Natural Resources

Sustainable timber resources: Southern Yellow Pine, farmed throughout the Southern U.S., is among the most sustainable timberlands in the world—and the type DLP Capital relies upon for the majority of our lumber requirements.

Timber recycled: When necessary to remove timber for a project, we recycle by selling the timber to local firms such as Robbins Manufacturing, which produces 1 million utility, marine, and barn poles annually and 1 million fence posts. This maintains Florida’s timberland lifecycle.

Heritage tree preservations: We preserve historic trees vital to a community’s character, such as 100-year-old oaks at DLP’s 50 Oaks development on St. Simons Island, GA (tree criteria includes canopy spread and trunk diameters).

Grass-block and pervious paving: In low-trafficked areas, we use permeable grass pavers for tree-root protection, preserving topsoil and vegetative root zones.

Sourcing Raw Materials

Locally sourced: A large portion of our raw building materials are sourced locally, minimizing our carbon footprint by reducing the need for transportation of materials.

Crushcrete: When possible, DLP reuses concrete disposed from other area development sites, crushing it as a base for new roads or foundation stabilization. This reduces waste and carbon footprint by lowering transportation needs. Example: St. Simons Island, GA.

Diverting construction materials: DLP reuses excavated dirt from other area development sites by importing it for infill. An example is our Sevierville, TN, multifamily development. This reduces heavy transportation costs and carbon footprint.

Protecting Ecosystems & Biodiversity

Wildlife conservation: DLP participates in gopher tortoise conservation—a threatened species that can live up to 60 years—relocating them from development parcels to specially created on-site preserves or off-site gopher tortoise “certified recipient sites.”

Adopting Clean Technology

Charging stations: DLP is installing electric-vehicle charging stations in the majority of all new multifamily developments to lessen carbon footprints and we’re retrofitting other sites.

Combustion-elimination: DLP is out in front of the trend of residences relying on electric energy, not natural gas (a problematic greenhouse gas and contributor to respiratory diseases, including childhood asthma).

Green Building Practices

Minimizing HVAC needs: Our architecture seeks to optimize north-south orientation and shading to minimize HVAC use and lower carbon footprint.

Maximizing natural light and air: We use open breezeways in community designs to reduce HVAC use while maximizing fresh air and natural light.

Whenever possible: We rely on low-flow fixtures, such as toilets and faucets.

Whenever possible: Pervious paving is used to allow natural irrigation of vegetation.

Whenever possible: Wiring and copper piping is recycled.

Whenever possible: Solar, drip irrigation systems, etc. are used.

Energy Efficiency

House/building wrap: We wrap new construction with Tyvek enveloping material that controls air leakage, prevents water infiltration/mold, and cuts energy costs. (Like a wrapping paper that covers seams between plywood panels.)

Smart energy: Our new communities incorporate smart sensors and LED lighting into developments for less energy consumption.

Thermostatic mixing valves: In-unit initiatives include single blended hot/cold faucets to minimize hot water waste.

Whenever possible: Smart thermometers are installed.

Reducing Water Pollution

Pollution prevention: Our stormwater pollution-prevention measures, such as creating lakes/retention ponds, minimize sediment/pollution collecting in drains or pollutant runoff from impervious surfaces.

Minimizing volatile organic compounds (VOC): We avoid materials with VOC, such as carpets with protective chemicals that evaporate into air, reducing clean air quality.

Reducing Solid Waste

Minimizing paper waste: DLP Capital is cloud-based which minimizes the use of paper. Pulp and paper industries account for 4% of the world’s energy use, and a ton of paper uses 24,000 gallons of water to produce.

Asphalt recycling: We use recycled asphalt for creating new community roads, preventing the material from accumulating in landfills.

Whenever possible: Our multifamily properties have recycling programs.

Reducing carbon-intensive practices: DLP Capital has a hybrid work model that reduces our carbon footprint by reducing building energy needs and staff vehicle use.

Flooding protection: DLP creates wetland buffers in community developments, preserving pine and other ultra-absorbent trees that are natural flood-mitigators, such as conservation easements in our Darby, FL, development.

Decrease city carbon-contributors: Our urban developments focus on walkable streets, slowed-down traffic (two-way vs. one-way streets), and 24/7 multifamily/retail amenities that reduce the need for cars.