Breathing Easier With Green Cleaning

Green cleaning minimizes the environmental and health concerns associated with conventional cleaning practices, and it also provides a positive return on investment for schools that are saddled with tight budgets.

Robert Owens, co-founder and president of O,R&L, has more than 22 years of experience in the real estate management and construction industries. Under his leadership, O,R&L Facility Services has become an industry leader in facility management, property management and janitorial services for properties and companies.

If you can imagine the “perfect” setting for learning, it might include a room full of energetic, enthusiastic students focused intently on a dynamic teacher who sets high standards and understands the importance of creative interaction. The classroom itself would have natural light coming through big windows, and the overall atmosphere would be one of cleanliness and functionality. It would be a great place for students, teachers and school staff to spend many hours a day.

In the United States alone, schools directly touch the lives of 82.2 million people, and a healthy learning environment is a critical component of a student’s ability to learn and a teacher’s ability to teach. Unfortunately, according to the U.S. Department of Education, our schools (especially K-12) are failing in this regard — challenged to serve growing populations and rising community expectations with aging buildings, constrained budgets and ever-increasing energy bills. Each year, taxpayers spend about $6 billion on energy alone for schools — about 25 percent more than needed. That $1.5 billion could be redirected to hire 30,000 new teachers or purchase 40 million new textbooks annually.

In light of these facts, it’s important for schools to adopt industry best practices when it comes to green cleaning, maintenance and facilities management. By doing so, they can save valuable budget dollars in the long run and increase productivity across the board. For academic professionals, however, operating large physical structures can be extremely challenging. These responsibilities, therefore, should be outsourced to facilities managers who are trained to implement the appropriate practices and continuing education programs that will ultimately benefit the school.

The Benefits of Green Cleaning

Recent research suggests that one out of three cleaning products contains ingredients known to cause human health and environmental problems. A study conducted by the Janitorial Products Pollution Prevention Project found that the average janitor uses 48 pounds of hazardous chemical per year. Some of the ingredients in conventional cleaning products can cause cancer, mutate genetic material, sensitize the skin and cause chemical burns. According to the European Respiratory Journal, even short-term exposure to cleaning agents can trigger asthma attacks. The floors may sparkle, countertops may shine, and the air may smell fresh, but there’s a cost to the lungs and overall health of our children, teachers and custodial staff.

“Green cleaning” uses safer, less toxic products while achieving a cleaner and healthier school and releasing fewer harmful particulates and toxic substances into the environment. It combines these products with dirt-reduction strategies and advanced technology, such as microfiber mops and cloths, high-filtration vacuum cleaners and vacuum attachments for other floor-care equipment, two-chamber mop buckets and multilevel walk-off mats. Important components of environmentally preferred cleaning, these high-performance tools are designed to prevent dirt and soil from contaminating surfaces, thus reducing the amount of chemicals required for cleaning.

According to a study conducted by the Ashkin Group, implementing green cleaning practices and janitorial training programs led to increased productivity in office buildings, schools and other facilities. For occupants of office buildings, total illness declined 24 percent, the number of doctor visits declined 34 percent, and the amount of antibiotics used declined 24 percent. School children also benefited, as attendance increased 4.5 percent, and passing math scores on standardized tests increased 49 percent.

Despite these benefits, many school districts are encumbered by tight operational budgets and maintenance staff who, although well-intentioned, don’t have the training required to implement eco-friendly and energy-efficient management systems. They also have a limited understanding of what goes into operating a large structure (such as a school). As a result, administrators typically don’t allocate budget dollars to outsourcing these services, which equates to neglecting their largest assets — the physical buildings themselves. It’s the responsibility of facilities managers, who possess expertise in these areas, to convey the cost and health benefits associated with green cleaning.

A Cost-Effective Solution

Only when school districts and government officials recognize the size, scope and complexity of their buildings do they realize that the maintenance and management should be placed in the hands of high-level experts. Cost-effectiveness becomes a high priority when a school’s asset value and depreciation costs are considered. By outsourcing these services to a company whose core business is asset management and operations, administrators can tap into industry best practices and training. And it doesn’t necessarily cost more to go that route.

Jason Luke, associate director of Custodial Support Services at Harvard University Medical Center, recently suggested that although green cleaning products have historically been more expensive, that isn’t the case anymore. At minimum, he said, the decision to use green cleaning products will be cost-neutral, and a strong case can be made for cost savings. According to the Connecticut Foundation on Environmentally Safe Schools, many schools and universities that have adopted green cleaning products and practices have experienced no increased costs — and in some cases have even experienced significant cost savings. For example:

• Harvard University Medical School reported saving $11,700 a year when it realized the number of conventional cleaning products being used was excessive and switched to a smaller, core group of green cleaning products.

• After the Palm Beach County School District saved more than $500 in one school during a three-month pilot project, it began phasing in green cleaning programs in all of its 180 schools and realized annual district-wide savings of $360,000.

• For one of our clients, we recommended — and the school district approved and purchased — the use of a robotic floor cleaning machine. Paying the one-time cost of the robot ($30,000) instead of a salary ($34,000 annually) turned out to be a fiscally prudent decision.

The current shift towards green cleaning in schools will continue to grow, in large part, because of its direct environmental and health benefits, which include reduced absenteeism, lower health care costs and improved productivity. Collectively, that positively impacts school budgets. Measured in terms of lower operating costs — both in the short-term and during the entire life of the building, its equipment and other key features — these advantages make green cleaning a wise investment.