Your Partner in LEED Certification

The United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC) certification programs for sustainable buildings, called Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design or “LEED,” rewards companies for building and operating green buildings.  Companies can earn points in specific categories for sustainable initiatives.  Earn enough points, and earn your building’s certification.

Facility managers must take a variety of steps to achieve LEED certification.  The program’s position is that no one product or service, no matter how green, can earn LEED points for customers.

But if sustainability is the goal, a non-toxic, dry powder approach to cleaning and maintaining your building’s carpets and textiles can help you get there much more quickly than traditional hot water extraction systems.  Dry carpet cleaning technology directly supports three of the six LEED-EBOM categories: a reduction of your overall energy use, a significant reduction in water use, and preservation of your building’s materials.

Non-toxic, dry powder cleaning of carpets and textiles can help you earn specific points in a fourth category, Indoor Environmental Quality.  Be sure to choose a partner who will work with you to provide documentation you can submit with your LEED report. 

Remember, you want a partner whose cleaning is proven effective, as well as green.

Alignment with LEED-EB

LEED for Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance (LEED-EBOM) is the only certification program with a focus on continuing operations.  It’s about how you maintain, not just how you build.  The program awards points to structures retrofitted green, with sustainable procedures and maintenance plans in place.

Choose a partner able to contribute to these four critical categories in LEED-EBOM.  Your partner should be able to provide you with tools you can use to earn points in Indoor Environmental Quality:

Water Efficiency – Category Intent: “Maximize water efficiency and reduce the burden on water supply and waste water systems.”

Look for: a maintenance partner who will use a dry anchored system instead of hot water extraction to save an average of 50 gallons of water for every 10,000 square feet of carpet cleaned.

Energy and Atmosphere – Category Intent:  “Conserve energy, control refrigerant use reduce ozone and explore renewable energy sources.”

Look for: a partner who is dedicated to bringing your buildings a responsible clean and green environment through alternatives to traditional hot water extraction systems.  Hot water extraction uses up to 319% more energy to clean the same square footage as does the non-toxic, dry powder method.

Materials and Resources – Category Intent:  “Reduce construction waste, use materials with high-recycled content and consider local materials to minimize transportation costs.”

Look for: a maintenance partner with a proven track record for prolonging the good appearance of textiles and carpets through maintenance practices which are proven to reduce wear and tear, keeping your carpet out of the landfill.

Indoor Environmental Quality – Category Intent:  “Green materials and green cleaning procedures that are healthier for custodians, occupants and the environment.”

Look for: an environmentally-focused carpet and textile maintenance company, identifiable by the following:

Its use of safe, low emitting and nontoxic dry powder cleaners.

The ability to remove up to 99 percent of indoor allergens to improve indoor air quality. *

The Carpet & Rug Institute’s Seal of Approval as a Deep Cleaning System.

Technicians who have been trained through intensive courses from the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC).

*When used with a properly functioning HVAC system.

Your partner in maintenance must be able to help you earn points toward certification in each of these Environmental Quality categories:

Prerequisite 3 Green Cleaning Policy: “Establish a green cleaning standard operating procedure and green cleaning policy.”  Your maintenance partner should provide a customized plan to serve as the soft floor covering portion of this overall standard operating procedure and should both track and implement it.

Credit 3.1 High Performance Cleaning Program:  “Reduce exposure of occupants and maintenance staff to potentially hazardous chemicals which adversely impact indoor air quality and other factors.”  Ask your maintenance partner to provide complete Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) records for its cleaning chemicals to prove they are nontoxic and safe to handle. These records can serve as a component of the overall high performance program.

Credit 3.4-3.6 Sustainable Cleaning Products and Materials:  “Reduce the environmental impacts of cleaning products, disposable janitorial paper products and trash bags.”  Ask your maintenance provider to supply you with documented proof that its cleaning agents are environmentally preferable and nontoxic.

Credit 3.7 Sustainable Cleaning Equipment:  “Reduce exposure of building occupants and maintenance staff to potentially harmful contaminants with superior vacuums and other certified equipment.”  The best cleaning practices use only Carpet & Rug Institute certified vacuums and extractors.

Credit 3.8 Entryway Systems:  “Reduce building occupants’ exposure to airborne contaminants with entryway mats or grills.” Entryway systems are often overlooked, but are vital components of your building’s overall environmental mechanism. Look for a partner who can provide you with a high-performance entryway system. 

Choosing a partner in maintenance who can also serve as a skilled partner in the LEED-EBOM certification process will provide tangible results for your customized LEED certification plan.