Sustainable Solutions
– Cleaning and Hygiene in Facilities Management
Maintaining good standards of cleanliness and hygiene is a fundamental part of facilities management. In addition to ensuring a cleaner and safer space, it is also conducive to creating a more enjoyable environment for staff, residents and visitors.
As sustainability becomes ever more important, how do facility managers implement more eco-conscious solutions across their operations without compromising on cleanliness?
In this feature, Brent Stansfield, Director at Bioshield Systems Ltd explores some of the key sustainability challenges associated with cleaning in facilities management, including the products typically used - as well as some of the more sustainable alternatives.
Spotlight On: Sustainability
Sustainability is a hot topic - and one that will only grow in importance over the next few years.
As discussions around net zero and climate change continue to gain momentum, the pressure is on for all industries to reduce their carbon footprint and make more environmentally friendly decisions. This includes facility management professionals, who increasingly, are expected to take a proactive approach in advancing the sustainability credentials of their properties.
Sustainability challenges in the facility management industry include energy, water conservation and waste management - all issues which often are linked to or involve third party service providers. This includes cleaning contractors, who may have the final word on what cleaning products are used, as well as the waste disposal methods deployed.
This can make monitoring sustainability very difficult - as building managers can quickly lose control over the management of a building’s resources. Combined with the daily pressures and duties of running a building, it’s easy for sustainability to become less of a priority and fall to the wayside.
The Importance Of Sustainable Cleaning Products
Waste and resource efficiency are frequently overlooked in many workplace settings, when the impacts of carbon-intensive practices are noticed upon review and assessment of operating costs.
However, implementing more environmentally friendly practices in these areas is integral to ensuring the overall sustainability performance of a building - and cleaning products and methods are often neglected.
This is a missed opportunity to easily improve a building’s green credentials, as switching to more sustainable cleaning products (or asking contractors to use them) is a simple yet effective decision that facility management professionals can make to improve environmental credentials.
The reluctance to switch to more sustainable solutions is rooted in efficacy. When it comes to hygiene and sanitation, results have always been prioritised over sustainability as no one wants to compromise on cleanliness! This has meant strong, chemical-based cleaning solutions being seen as the gold standard of performance and a hesitancy to try, or rely, on natural, ecologically focused cleaning products.
Although chemical cleaning products are effective, many of these solutions rely on harsh and dangerous chemicals, including solutions that contain volatile organic compounds (also known as VOCs). So, whilst these perform well when it comes to sanitation, they can adversely affect the environment and human health.
This should be an important consideration in facility management, as these products are being liberally and frequently used in spaces occupied by people. Whether it’s an office block, residential housing, warehouse, healthcare facility or industrial unit - it’s essential to consider the health and well-being of the people using it and how particular cleaning products might affect them.
So - with this in mind, how can facility management professionals maintain the cleanliness and hygiene of a building without adversely affecting the planet and people?
Natural Cleaning Products – A Sustainable Solution
One solution is by using naturally derived, plant-based cleaning products.
Often referred to as “green cleaning products”, these products contain natural ingredients, which have a reduced or minimal impact on the environment. Unlike chemical solutions, natural cleaners can be biodegradable, so they do not contaminate local water supplies when washed away or contain ingredients which are harmful to the wider environment.
Choosing natural cleaning solutions doesn’t have to mean compromising on performance. Technology has enabled the development of today’s alternative solutions which can be just as effective as traditional chemical-based solutions.
Other sustainable options include using products that are made from waste materials (preferably natural waste). This means that resources are being used to their maximum potential and are integrated as part of a circular economy – which reduces the need for raw resources and is much kinder to the environment!
Considering Costs
One of the perceived barriers to adopting sustainable solutions is the cost – but in cleaning products, this doesn’t need to be a factor.
Choosing sustainable option doesn’t necessarily mean spending more - with some natural products being price competitive, especially in terms of applied costs.
Choosing sustainable solutions can also offer cost-saving benefits over the long term as they can help to keep businesses compliant with ever more stringent sustainability legislation.
Looking Forwards
Facility management professionals are being tasked with addressing sustainability right across their operations, from the repairs and maintenance of a building through to its energy usage and ESG performance.
Whilst cleaning and hygiene may not have an obvious connection to the topic of sustainability, the products and resources deployed in keeping a space clean, tidy and safe all contribute to a building’s carbon footprint.
As the pressure on facility management professionals to create and maintain more sustainable spaces continues to grow, it’s essential that they proactively choose more sustainable solutions - and switching to natural cleaning products is an easy yet effective way to do this.
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