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Keeping Your Buildings Clean And Green

By Tim Bench, owner, Galleon Supplies.

As a facility manager, one of your responsibilities is to turn your cleaning programme green and sustainable. In order to survive in the long haul, companies can no longer ignore environmental concerns, especially if they plan to expand and attract young talent.

Sustainable Regulations

Complying with the law is crucial for both legal and sustainable purposes. New regulations are emerging across the UK that focus on day-to-day sustainability and environmental issues such as waste pollution and carbon emissions. Facility managers must keep up to date with the law in understanding which sustainability regulations apply to their organization - that is part of the responsibility that comes along with being a green company.

In order to produce a sustainable workspace, facility managers must undertake measures such as opting for greener products, reducing overall waste and switching to energy efficient appliances.

How To Go Green And Reduce Waste

Using green cleaning products reduces the health and environmental concerns that come along with cleaning. Make sure these products are sold in recyclable packaging, check whether they contain natural fragrances and whether they are biodegradable.

There are many inventive ways to introduce greener cleaning products, something as simple as purchasing eco-friendly and biodegradable cleaning cloths as well as compostable sponges is a good starting point. With all the information available about how a product is produced, protecting the environment has never been easier.

Additionally, monitoring and setting targets are key when it comes to lowering your company’s water footprint. Although investing in water-efficient equipment can be costly upfront, through water and energy savings it can end up paying for itself, proving it is beneficial for your company as well as the environment.

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Updating Equipment

In a report for The Guardian, it was revealed that the average business’ energy bill represents almost 40% of its total turnover. The easiest and most effective way to combat energy usage and waste here is to invest in energy efficient appliances. Doing so will not only help to prevent greenhouse emissions but will also save water and keep costs down. Older equipment consumes more energy and is often made of unsustainable materials, so an investment in equipment can be counted as an easy win when it comes to sustainability.

Having an understanding of your company’s current ‘green’ status level goes a long way towards solving any problems there may be. Conducting an audit can alert you to which areas are lacking attention. Monitoring the status of your equipment regularly allows you to see where your appliances are wasting energy. Preventive maintenance strategies save money and time by helping to identify energy wastage, as well as extending your equipment’s lifespan.

Assets can be updated in many different ways beyond just equipment, such as by considering renewable energy sources like geothermal energy, solar panels or installing lights with motion sensors.

The Importance Of Setting Targets

In order to reach this big, long-term goal of turning your company completely green, as a facilities manager, you should start by implementing small short-term goals and improve upon them. Analyse your company’s current sustainable programme and build upon that. A few maintenance goals that can guide you in creating your own plan is -

• Meet compliance and safety standards
• Create inventory logs
• Lower maintenance costs
• Optimize energy usage

Conclusion

The present is always the right time to assess the sustainability of your organization and to carry out greener practices. By carefully selecting and implementing the right cleaning methods facility managers can preserve the environment and safeguard employees’ health and morale. Make a start on making changes that will win over their increasingly eco-aware customers and help to preserve our planet.