Official language
Purpose
To minimize the exposure of toxic chemicals to building occupants and reduce the adverse effects of those chemicals on the environment.
Objective
Create and implement a green cleaning policy that establishes consistent and effective cleaning procedures for all spaces within the project management’s control that utilize cleaning products and practices that are least harmful human health and the environment.
Submittal Requirements
BIT Building:
- Standard operating procedures that include:
- Green cleaning goals and practices.
- Cleaning product and materials inventory, including a list of all products/materials approved for use in the building, and where applicable, the environmentally-preferred attribute(s).
- Excerpt of green cleaning training materials.
- A narrative describing any areas of your property that are not being cleaned according to the Green Cleaning Program requirements, with an explanation of the obstacles/challenges.
BIT for Tenants:
Provide any of the following:
- 1) Inventory of cleaning products approved for day-to-day use in the tenant space and/or under tenant control AND 2) documentation of how approved cleaning products are communicated to occupants and, if necessary, cleaning vendors; OR
- Documentation from owner/management regarding the building-wide cleaning policy including 1) summary of approved cleaning products AND 2) Any energy and/or water use saving initiatives achieved through janitorial processes; OR
- Participants that use a contracted service vendor, documentation of vendor certification under, at least, one of the following: ISSA CIMS-GB (International Sanitary Supply Association Cleaning Industry Management Standard for Green Buildings); GS-42 (Green Seal’s Environmental Standard for Commercial Cleaning Services); or a local equivalent for participants outside the U.S.*; OR
- If ownership/management is unwilling to engage, documentation of request to ownership/management for a building-wide cleaning policy.
Implementation Guidance
BIT Building:
Implementation Requirements: Establish an inventory of cleaning products and materials approved for use in the building by cleaning providers. Optimize the use of those products that have environmentally-preferred attributes, such as:
- Products certified by:
- Green Seal Cleaning Products & Services
- EcoLogo
- EPA’s Safer Choice Program
- Other appropriate certifications that are nationally or regionally credible, such as those listed on the Global Ecolabelling Network.
- Recycled content
There is no requirement that 100% of products approved for use meet these criteria, though buildings should target green products and materials whenever possible, given product availability, potential benefit, and cost considerations.
BIT for Tenants:
- Tenant: Provide to employees a list of cleaning products approved for day-to-day use in the tenant space by tenant staff/employees (the occupants of the space) for personal and immediate cleaning needs.
- Management Engagement: formally request from property Ownership/Management a summary of all cleaning products in use in the tenant space (including all those used by building-level custodial service provider) and their performance vis a vis BIT sustainability criteria.
BIT Building:
- Eliminate the use of antimicrobial products, except where required by health codes and other regulations (e.g., food service and health care requirements).
BIT for Tenants:
- Same as BIT Building.
BIT Building:
- Evaluate opportunities for energy and water consumption savings through janitorial processes, such as shifting to day/team cleaning, using cleaning staff to ensure lights are switched off, etc.
BIT for Tenants:
- Management Engagement: formally request property Ownership/Management to evaluate opportunities for energy and water consumption savings through Janitorial processes, such as shifting to day/team cleaning, using cleaning staff to ensure lights are switched off, etc.
BIT Building:
- Establish written standard operating procedures that summarize green cleaning goals and practices.
BIT for Tenants:
- Same as BIT Building.
BIT Building:
- Train janitorial staff on green cleaning goals and practices at least annually.
BIT for Tenants:
- Tenant: Communicate annually with occupants the list of cleaning products approved for day-to-day use.
BIT User’s viewpoint
Log in for full access to BIT User
To join the conversation and access BIT Building’s resources, sign up here!
If you already have a BIT account, sign in now.
Frequently asked questions
Log in for full access to BIT User
To join the conversation and access BIT Building’s resources, sign up here!
If you already have a BIT account, sign in now.
Online resources
Log in for full access to BIT User
To join the conversation and access BIT Building’s resources, sign up here!
If you already have a BIT account, sign in now.
Implementation toolkit
Log in for full access to BIT User
To join the conversation and access BIT Building’s resources, sign up here!
If you already have a BIT account, sign in now.
Purpose
To minimize the exposure of toxic chemicals to building occupants and reduce the adverse effects of those chemicals on the environment.
Objective
Create and implement a green cleaning policy that establishes consistent and effective cleaning procedures for all spaces within the project management’s control that utilize cleaning products and practices that are least harmful human health and the environment.
Implementation Requirements
BIT Building:
Implementation Requirements: Establish an inventory of cleaning products and materials approved for use in the building by cleaning providers. Optimize the use of those products that have environmentally-preferred attributes, such as:
- Products certified by:
- Green Seal Cleaning Products & Services
- EcoLogo
- EPA’s Safer Choice Program
- Other appropriate certifications that are nationally or regionally credible, such as those listed on the Global Ecolabelling Network.
- Recycled content
There is no requirement that 100% of products approved for use meet these criteria, though buildings should target green products and materials whenever possible, given product availability, potential benefit, and cost considerations.
BIT for Tenants:
- Tenant: Provide to employees a list of cleaning products approved for day-to-day use in the tenant space by tenant staff/employees (the occupants of the space) for personal and immediate cleaning needs.
- Management Engagement: formally request from property Ownership/Management a summary of all cleaning products in use in the tenant space (including all those used by building-level custodial service provider) and their performance vis a vis BIT sustainability criteria.
BIT Building:
- Eliminate the use of antimicrobial products, except where required by health codes and other regulations (e.g., food service and health care requirements).
BIT for Tenants:
- Same as BIT Building.
BIT Building:
- Evaluate opportunities for energy and water consumption savings through janitorial processes, such as shifting to day/team cleaning, using cleaning staff to ensure lights are switched off, etc.
BIT for Tenants:
- Management Engagement: formally request property Ownership/Management to evaluate opportunities for energy and water consumption savings through Janitorial processes, such as shifting to day/team cleaning, using cleaning staff to ensure lights are switched off, etc.
BIT Building:
- Establish written standard operating procedures that summarize green cleaning goals and practices.
BIT for Tenants:
- Same as BIT Building.
BIT Building:
- Train janitorial staff on green cleaning goals and practices at least annually.
BIT for Tenants:
- Tenant: Communicate annually with occupants the list of cleaning products approved for day-to-day use.
Submittal Requirements
BIT Building:
- Standard operating procedures that include:
- Green cleaning goals and practices.
- Cleaning product and materials inventory, including a list of all products/materials approved for use in the building, and where applicable, the environmentally-preferred attribute(s).
- Excerpt of green cleaning training materials.
- A narrative describing any areas of your property that are not being cleaned according to the Green Cleaning Program requirements, with an explanation of the obstacles/challenges.
BIT for Tenants:
Provide any of the following:
- 1) Inventory of cleaning products approved for day-to-day use in the tenant space and/or under tenant control AND 2) documentation of how approved cleaning products are communicated to occupants and, if necessary, cleaning vendors; OR
- Documentation from owner/management regarding the building-wide cleaning policy including 1) summary of approved cleaning products AND 2) Any energy and/or water use saving initiatives achieved through janitorial processes; OR
- Participants that use a contracted service vendor, documentation of vendor certification under, at least, one of the following: ISSA CIMS-GB (International Sanitary Supply Association Cleaning Industry Management Standard for Green Buildings); GS-42 (Green Seal’s Environmental Standard for Commercial Cleaning Services); or a local equivalent for participants outside the U.S.*; OR
- If ownership/management is unwilling to engage, documentation of request to ownership/management for a building-wide cleaning policy.
Log in for full access to BIT User
To join the conversation and access BIT Building’s resources, sign up here!
If you already have a BIT account, sign in now.
Log in for full access to BIT User
To join the conversation and access BIT Building’s resources, sign up here!
If you already have a BIT account, sign in now.
Log in for full access to BIT User
To join the conversation and access BIT Building’s resources, sign up here!
If you already have a BIT account, sign in now.
Log in for full access to BIT User
To join the conversation and access BIT Building’s resources, sign up here!
If you already have a BIT account, sign in now.
BIT User experts
Keith Schneringer
LEED® AP O+M, CIMS-GB ISSA Certification Expert
WAXIE Sanitary Supply
Director of Channel Marketing + Sustainability
Steve Ashkin
The Ashkin Group