Green Cleaning:
Your Health Matters to Us
General Building Maintenance Texas "green cleaning program" offers a flexible 3-step approach for all types of customers. By choosing to apply either one or all of these steps, your facility can become a little bit "greener" than yesterday, or, we can bring your building into full compliance with LEED Certification Standards.
- Step 1 - Request the use of green chemicals. We have all heard it before... "I want my office to smell good". Anyone can spray deodorizers but proper chemical selection should concentrate on your health and not on leaving harmful components behind. We outfit all 5-day cleaning facilities with chemical management systems for accurate product dilution, thereby using less chemicals and less water.
- Step 2 - Request the use of adequate equipment. The janitorial industry has seen a true revolution in terms of the tools used for cleaning. By using equipment outfitted with the right filters, we assist in ensuring better air quality. General Building Maintenance Texas uses Hepa filter equipped vacuums and microfiber rags and mop-heads for daily cleaning tasks.
- Step 3 - Request the implementation of a comprehensive Green Cleaning Program. General Building Maintenance Texas can analyze your current usage policies to minimize conflict with cleaning schedule. Sometimes inadequate cleaning is the result of conflicting schedules inside the facility that could be resolved with proper communication and a joint scheduling program. Examples of this are:
- Choosing the correct entryway mats. This is your first line of defense against dirt and debris entering your building.
- Choosing the right paper and liners. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed guidelines with recommended levels of recovered and recycled content. General Building Maintenance Texas can assist in the selection of suitable dispensers throughout the customer's facilities.
- Creating a communication program whereby the customer becomes an important part of the process. This typically involves prompt notification of spills, reducing clutter at workstations and minimizing eating on desks.
- Focusing on preventive measures. This means focusing on points-of-contact such as door handles, bright fixtures, light switches, telephones, and other areas people come in contact with.
- Ensuring LEED Certification. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. A LEED building is a healthier building. Cleaning is an important part of meeting these standards and General Building Maintenance Texas can assist in this process. For more information on how to proceed, visit the United States Green Building Councils website at www.usgbc.org.