A well-designed healthy building does not have to be complex or expensive. In schools, universities, hospitals, hotels, office buildings and other facilities, focusing in environmental stewardship can make a significant difference in the quality of the indoor environment while reducing risk to cleaning personnel and occupants.Billions of dollars annually are dedicated to labor, products and equipment to clean and maintain schools, hospitals, hotels, offices and other facilities. Protecting the built environment has a profound impact on our natural environment, economy, health and productivity.
The US Green Building Councils rating system addresses the environmental and health impacts associated with design, construction and building operations. Their LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building certification includes cleaning requirements and standards that are being adopted by public- and private-sector organizations that are committed to environmental stewardship.A major benefit of green cleaning is that it minimizes the environmental and health concerns associated with conventional cleaning practices. Many traditional products are derived from non-renewable natural resources and can be toxic to human health and cause long-term environmental problems.
It is critical to recognize that the solution to these problems is not to clean less, as cleaning is essential to protecting occupant well being and safety. Rather, the solution is the selection and use of appropriate cleaning and maintenance products.
Using cleaning technologies that utilize rapidly renewable derived resources without sacrificing quality, performance, or adding additional cost has tremendous life cycle advantages
