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Sustainability efforts center around three important aspects: people, planet and profits. According to an article on CIO Applications, new technology in the commercial cleaning industry is driving sustainability efforts.

The article points to two emerging technologies specifically: robotics and Internet of Things.

By using robotic floor care equipment, building service contractors and cleaning departments can ensure only the proper amount of cleaning is being done. This automated approach reduces overuse of chemicals and water.

For example, BEST Service Pros in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada, uses robots to clean the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and British Columbia Institute of Technology. According to a recent case study, by switching to a robot autoscrubber, the BSC experienced up to 85 percent chemical and water savings each shift.

Internet of Things technology is available on a wide variety of cleaning products, including restroom fixtures, floor care equipment, waste receptacles, laundry dispensers and even janitor carts. IoT-equipped products use sensors to track supply usage. When anomalies occur, for example, a laundry dispenser using too much chemical or a toilet using too much water, managers can be alerted to the problem.