How Howard Hughes Integrates Sustainability into Community Building

Howard Hughes has a legacy of creating award-winning communities that stand the test of time. Our approach to community building is influenced by global trends, industry best practices, and leaders who sought to make a change, including the forefathers who founded our communities. These figures believed master planned communities should focus on conserving nature and enhancing the quality of life for residents.

Howard Hughes builds on this legacy with acclaimed master planned communities like Summerlin, Bridgeland, and The Woodlands, which are consistently ranked as top-selling communities and best places to live in the nation.

Our next chapter, Teravalis, will not only continue our legacy but also build upon it. Teravalis will be the largest master planned community in Arizona, at the intersection of community, business, and nature.

One Howard Hughes team member collaborating on community-wide sustainability is Gautami Palanki, Senior Vice President of Sustainability. Gautami sheds light on industry-leading approaches to community building here at Howard Hughes.

With a focus on meaningful data, global benchmarks, and transparent communication among our stakeholders, Teravalis aims to be a master planned community that demonstrates the long-term benefits of thoughtful planning.

The Howard Hughes Approach to Sustainability

When Howard Hughes was formed 14 years ago, it brought together some of the nation’s leading master planned communities, collectively focused on a commitment to responsible stewardship and the pursuit of a better quality of life. Today, that vision continues to guide our growth.

This thinking offers an opportunity for a long-term vision for community building, including social cohesion in open and green spaces.

“Open and green spaces are central to environmental sustainability bringing together native vegetation, pollination, water conservation, natural hydrology, the microclimate, noise buffers, and much more” says Palanki, “When thought about as a system, sustainability strategies deliver impactful open spaces, providing residents with access to nature in multiple ways.”

In Teravalis, open spaces play a vital role within the community, not only to preserve the natural beauty of the Sonoran Desert, an ecosystem of over 100,000 acres, but also as a place where residents connect and stay active. This extends the benefits of sustainability beyond traditional topics of efficiency, carbon footprint, or recycling. The health and wellness benefits alone enhance the everyday life for residents. Additionally, in new communities, open and green spaces offer a way to meet residents and neighbors.

“It’s very fulfilling to see diverse people enjoy a park or a trail in HH Communities. When residents meet in public spaces and have like-minded conversations, it offers a happier environment,” says Palanki.

Of the 7000+ acres of open space that will be available in Teravalis, residents will find a wide selection of third places, like parks, trails, sports fields, and gathering areas. In HH Communities nationwide, nearly 20% of the community is dedicated to open and green spaces, including preserves.

Excellence Through Accountability

Our portfolio of award-winning communities speaks for itself. However, it’s essential that credible organizations can independently verify the impact of our sustainability strategies, goals, and results against industry-established global benchmarks.

“Governance is established through third-party verification,” says Palanki, ” Data tells the truth, and third-party verification confirms the impact.”

Howard Hughes communities have implemented best practices and looked to third-party verification systems, such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), to measure impact. HH has one of the largest green community portfolios, covering over 62,000 acres nationwide, certified or certified to LEED.

“LEED gives us third-party verification on interconnected sustainability elements that our communities and buildings consider and implement, from energy, water, materials, human health, and regional considerations within a community,” says Palanki.

Further, our entire portfolio is benchmarked annually through the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB), in which we earned the top ranking in our peer group of Americas Diversified Listed real estate companies. Each year, we keep everyone up to date on third-party verifications, certifications, and scores through our annual communities report.

In Teravalis, we are collaborating with our stakeholders to implement the best practices we’ve learnt in our sustainable communities over the last 50 years. One way we are doing this is by working with local groups like The White Tanks Mountains Conservancy to maintain the area’s vital wildlife corridors. Within the community, we have also pledged to preserve and replant native vegetation to celebrate the area’s natural beauty.

Currently, we have a 98% success rate on native plants salvaged within the Teravalis nursery. Each of these efforts supports the natural cycles on the land and is another example of our efforts towards responsible development.

Altogether, our efforts result in real-world benefits for our residents. For example, homes will pursue ENERGY STAR and WaterSense-rated appliances and fixtures, supporting a lower cost of living for residents. Our commitment to dedicate more than 20% of Teravalis to open spaces will provide a wide range of options where residents can stay active, improving the community’s overall health.

At Howard Hughes, we believe that creating and nurturing the natural connections among people, the environment, and business are essential to our goal of improving the quality of life. Our connections ground us with a sense of purpose and responsibility. Leaders like Gautami bring a grounded optimism to our sustainability platform. At the heart of our approach is recognizing that no single action or decision leads to a sustainable community. Instead, it is an ongoing process representing relationships, actions, and experiences evolving over time.

About Teravalis™

Teravalis is primed to be a 37,000-acre premier master planned community located in the West Valley of the Phoenix metropolitan area, in Buckeye, Arizona. Translating to “land of the valley,” Teravalis is positioned between the White Tank and Belmont Mountain ranges and is committed to embracing the natural High Sonoran Desert beauty. Utilizing innovative technology and sustainable planning, the community will feature unparalleled amenities and wide-open spaces to explore and discover.

Teravalis is a community of Howard Hughes®, known for its mission to curate vibrant communities that elevate the everyday, creating meaningful moments in great places where people can live their best lives – and thrive for generations to come.