Official language
Implement green cleaning procedures that employ non-toxic cleaning products and practices (e.g. purchasing third-party certified products, reducing disposable products, analyzing options for day/team cleaning to reduce evening lighting and improve worker safety).
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.
BIT User’s viewpoint
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Frequently asked questions
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Online resources
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Implementation toolkit
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Implement green cleaning procedures that employ non-toxic cleaning products and practices (e.g. purchasing third-party certified products, reducing disposable products, analyzing options for day/team cleaning to reduce evening lighting and improve worker safety).
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