How To Spot Green Floor Maintenance Equipment

There are no green certifications for floor maintenance equipment. How do you know if a machine is considered green?

For scrubbers you should analyze specifications related to water flow, chemical dilution ratios and sound levels. Also scrubbers that afford you the possibility of an onboard chemical dilution system are much more green than pre-mixing water and chemical in the solution tank. While it’s nice to reduce water and chemical usage if you are unable to actually remove dirt from the cleaning surface you are not really achieving a “green” facility. 

- Scott Keller, Education/Commercial Buildings Vertical Market Manager, Nilfisk–Advance, Inc., Plymouth, Minn.

I always recommend to clients that they can follow the guidelines established by the U.S. Green Building Council as part of their LEED certification for green buildings. Some examples include purchasing floor equipment that uses environmentally preferred gel batteries, and using propane equipment that is EPA and CARB certified.
- Paul Lewandowski, Equipment Product Manager, Betco Chemical Corporation, Toledo, Ohio

For equipment to be green involves several factors: labor reduction, improved indoor air quality (IAQ), reduced impact on the environment and a safer environment for workers and building tenants. You can also look at GS-42 standards for some guidelines on cleaning programs for cleaning service providers.
- Eric Hickman, Product Manager, Powr-Flite, Fort Worth, Texas

To find machines that can be classified as “green” you must first determine what is meant by the use of the word. What are the customers’ expectations? Sometimes they will want equipment that meets the qualifications for the equipment specified in the LEED program. More often, they are looking for equipment that uses less water and chemicals. In that case, address leaning processes in the building that use less water and chemicals, such as encapsulation and top scrubbing, instead of restorative maintenance cleaning processes like extraction and floor stripping.
 - Richard “Bo” Bodo, Director of Business Development, Windsor Industries, Englewood, Colo.