of which are mandated by local and state municipalities — universities, businesses and institutions. Of particular note, those facilities seeking certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings: Operations and Management (LEED-EBOM) rating system must employ green cleaning products as a part of their overall sustain-ability plan. The use of closed-system dispensing equipment is a natural fit, promoting both worker safety and a healthier environment. This practice also can greatly enhance both efficiency and sustainability when used with environmentally responsible cleaning chemical products. Facility managers would be well advised to periodically evaluate the use of chemical proportioning in their buildings and deter-mine which system would best suit their needs. Some points of focus should include: ■ Is my dispensing system maximizing worker efficiency and safety? Be sure that your supplier offers personal-ized on-site training for explaining the proper use of the equipment and chemicals and provides appropriate point-of-use materials such as wall charts and labels for secondary bottles to assure program success. ■ Do the chemical products in use consistently meet the task for per-formance? Perform a test of the equipment and chem-icals in one building or portion of your facility to determine the ease-of-use for your work-ers and if the proposed program increases worker performance and efficiency. ■ If my facility requires the purchase and use of sustainable, green formu-lations, am I addressing that need? Review any state-mandated or locally enforced standards for what products may be purchased at your facility. If seeking LEED-EBOM status, contact the USGBC for assistance with the standard. ■ Based on the in-use dilution cost for the product, does my chemical dispensing system deliver the best value for the cleaning dollar? Evaluate overall costs based on the “in-use” dilution cost of the products. While highly concentrated products will likely be priced higher per case than tradi-tional products, the cost-in-use dilution dif-ference will usually be substantial and a key in reducing overall cleaning costs. ■ Am I using a controlled dispensing system for all appropriate chemical products? Make good judgments on which products are a part of the dispensing program. Any high-volume chemicals used in the building are better candidates for inclusion in a chemical management system. With proper planning and implementation, a chemical proportioning system will have a positive impact on the cleaning of a facility and the staffs assigned to maintain these buildings. CM Product Information no. 214 on page 24 www.cmmonline.com 21
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