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How much does it cost to become a Green office or Green Building? One of the challenges is that businesses have been encouraged to “Go Green,” but they have not been told what Green represents unless you consider a rambling list of environmental and ecological changes an answer. In truth, it seems that the concept of a Green building has been hijacked and taken to every extreme possible.

The basis for a Green office or building comes down to improvement of the health issues of the building for the people that work there. While it is helpful to change the light bulbs, reduce energy, conserve water, and recycle the trash; the best place to start a Green office is in the janitorial service.

There are three factors in a janitorial Green building. The first factor is what we call the Green Agenda. This is where the decision-makers establish polices. The second factor is to make sure that Green products are used, and the third factor is to require the janitorial service for your building be trained and certified.

The importance of a Green building is the improvement of the health factor for those who do the cleaning and those who put their eight hours in every day. Studies should that there are acute and chronic influences based on the cleaning of the building. This reflects in the cost of manpower and the loss of profitability through absenteeism, lost productivity, and increased medical costs.

The Green practices of the janitorial service are just as important as the Green products. For example, the use of microfiber cloths reduce chemical use, and also decrease the bacteria and dust moved around the building. New sanitizing methods must break the old “Spray and Wipe” routine to allow for a “Dwell Time” of the product. Disease spread is greatly reduced through change of cleaning tools and methods. It is not enough to toss a Green product into the mix and declare the whole project Green.

During the bid or quote process for your building, you should include a “Green Practices Clause” that gives preferential treatment to janitorial services that not only offer a line of Green products but also boast a Green trained and certified workforce. It makes ultimate sense that the operator is equally as valuable as the tools of the operation. A set of tools does not make an average guy into an expert mechanic. Why should this not be true of the people protecting the health of the building for your employees?

Companies are encouraged to seek out a Green Clean Institute Certified janitorial service in their area. At least require that those seeking to provide janitorial services for your building are Green Clean Institute Certified. You will make the world and your office a better place, and this is the foundation of getting your building Green Clean Institute certified as well.

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