An Opportunity To Promote Yourself

On a recent trip to Chicago, I stayed at a LEED Silver certified hotel. Aside from the fanfare for organic coffee and tea, there weren't a lot of hints communicating this was an environmentally friendly hotel. Sure, the bathroom and bed had placards asking me to think twice before having my towels or sheets washed, but nowadays, most hotels — LEED or not — have similar signage. If I didn't know ahead of time that this was a LEED building (or know so much about the program from my experience with Contracting Profits) I would have never guessed that this was a green facility.

A follow-up visit to the hotel Web site highlighted carpet made from recycled soda bottles, motion-sensor temperature controls and low flow toilets, but nothing about cleaning. In fact, the only aspect of cleaning I noticed during my stay was a separate waste receptacle for recyclables. While this is definitely a good thing, I think more could have been done.

I'm sure guests would appreciate knowing the chemicals used to clean their room won't emit harsh scents or offend sensitive guests with asthma or allergies. Or, that the vacuums and other machines used throughout the hotel operate at low-decibels and won't cause a disturbance. Cleaning staff should ask to post this kind of information in the room, lobby or even on the hotel's TV channel. I believe guests would take notice — I know I would have.

This kind of communication isn't limited to the hospitality market, either. Building service contractors who clean any LEED facility should market their efforts. As seen from this example, cleaning doesn't get the same recognition as energy efficiency or water conservation, which is unfortunate because green cleaning products do more than protect the Earth, they also benefit the people inside the building. Of course you and I know that fact, but maybe it's time we make sure occupants and tenants are aware of it, too.

To me it's a fair tradeoff, especially considering that contractors are looking for resources to lean on during this tough economy. According to the survey, 73 percent of respondents indicated this recession will make them more likely to work closely with their distributor.

Distributors are a great resource for BSCs to tap into, regardless of the economy, but few vendors will be willing to answer the call for help if all you care about is paying bottom-dollar for products. Instead of asking your supplier how much a product costs, ask how they can help you with green cleaning, safety issues, certification or a host of other issues.