How to implement a green cleaning strategy

A successful program means more than using environmentally-friendly cleaning products.

By Paul Wildenberg

Facility managers who are trying to implement a green cleaning strategy typically wait until the new year to do so. The best way to start any green cleaning program is by building a team. Green cleaning involves not only building managers, but also requires effort from distributors servicing the facility, cleaning crews and building users.

Building a team

When forming a ‘green team,’ facility managers should consider what contribution each team member can make. Often, a team member is passionate about green issues and has the best of intentions, but is not skilled enough in building operations to lend much to the program’s success.

Also, when seeking to add tenants to the team, managers should be sure that they understand what kind of commitment will likely be required for the project. Otherwise, they may drop out for lack of time, and these disruptions can negatively impact the entire process.

Defining a program’s scope

One of the first issues the newly founded green team must address is the scope of the program. In some facilities, green cleaning is limited to products, equipment and strategies.

However, some facilities go further and include such measures as: introducing environmentally responsible pest-management programs; starting or expanding recycling programs; composting; and energy, water and fuel reductions.

If this is a facility’s first venture into green and sustainable strategies, it should start with the low-hanging fruit — green cleaning products and equipment — and expand the scope once that program is running successfully.

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