Sustainability - Generation Green 

Homes and Community Buildings

• Home builders within Telfair are required to meet ENERGY STAR® standards for construction and to be members of the Greater Houston Builders Association Green Builders program.
• Community buildings are planned to be built to the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-New Construction standards including the Palmetto House and Telfair Central Hall.
• The existing vacant Central State Farm building within Telfair, was donated and is being renovated, making it a true focal point for the community and a future proposed satellite location for the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

Community Open Space and Landscaping 

• Over 250 acres of land has been preserved permanently as open space.
• Organic fertilizer, which is safe for plants and soils and doesn't contaminate area waterways is used for the landscaped right-of-way and common areas in Telfair.
• Wetland shelves make up the banks of the lakes in Telfair so that rainwater runoff enters a natural filtering system through the plants before returning to the lake.
• Wildflower reserves border the large lake in Telfair because wildflower beds require less fertilizer and other chemical supplementals than turf grass.  The wildflowers are all native species adapted to local weather, resistant to pests and need little irrigation.
• Surface water from Oyster Creek is currently used to fill the lakes in Telfair.  Lake water is then used to irrigate the landscaping around the lake.
• In newer phases of Telfair, home lawns feature Bermuda grass, which requires less water than other common types of grass.  Homebuilders within Telfair are required to include a minimum of one tree in backyards, increasing shade and decreasing water use among residents.  Planting beds around homes have also been increased in size by almost 20% to reduce the amount of irrigation needed.

Health and Well-Being 

• The design of Telfair emphasizes walking trails and gathering places. Miles of walking trails and pathways surround the community and connect all of the recreation centers so that residents can travel easily around the community without having to get in their car.
• The planned Telfair Central Hall community recreation center will offer exercise equipment, a pool and tennis courts, giving residents who choose to use the facility a place close by to exercise and live a healthier lifestyle.

Recycling Programs 

• Within Telfair, curbside recycling is available for plastics, aluminum and paper for all homes.
• Hazardous waste recycling programs are currently provided for Telfair residents allowing them to safely dispose of paint cans, batteries and old electronic components which are not appropriate for landfills. 

Education and Learning 

• TelfairLife.com, the neighborhood network, was developed to provide residents important information quickly about their community, eliminating the need for a paper newsletter.  TelfairLife.com also features articles about green practices to help residents lead a greener life.
• To help residents of all ages learn about the important benefits of planting and protection of trees, TelfairLife plans annual Arbor Day celebrations offering education sessions. Trees are distributed and planted during these events making a significant contribution to the communities' year-round tree planting and reforestation efforts.
• To educate residents and help prevent storm sewer pollution, educational identification stickers have been put on community storm sewer inlets to help discourage liquid or solid substance disposal.