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The advancement of green cleaning programs in Boston and California has coincided with a green cleaning alteration to legislation in Missouri.
The “Green Building Maintenance Order,” was signed by Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino to reduce costs and toxic chemicals from city buildings and improve operations. The executive order increases the purchase of environmentally preferred products such as green cleaning supplies, expands the recycling programs in city facilities and advances other green policies across the city. The order will cover close to 400 buildings and facilities throughout the city.
In California, the state has adopted the Green Building Standards Code. The standards will take effect July 1, 2009 and requires green building practices, including energy efficient measures to be implemented for all new construction in the state. The code requires a detailed building and operation maintenance manual to be made available for all occupants moving into the facilities. In January 2011, air quality, moisture control and resource conservation standards will take effect.
The city of Oakland, Calif., instituted the “Environmental Preferable Purchasing Policy.” Among the policy qualifications, the city has to purchase products that minimize environmental impacts, toxics, pollution, and hazards to work and community safety to the greatest extent practicable.
The policy was instituted to protect the health and safety of workers and citizens, eliminate or reduce toxics that create hazards to workers and the community, increase the use and availability of environmentally preferable products that protect the environment and establish guidelines for purchasing environmentally preferable products that encourage other purchasing managers in the community to create a similar procedure.
To implement the policy, purchasers have to include relevant businesses for competitive bids certified by the Bay Area Green Business Program in requests for products and services. Vendors, contractors and grantees have to comply with sections of the policy for the products and services provided to the city with reporting, where practicable.
Finally, a Missouri bill similar to the Illinois Green Cleaning Schools Act that established green cleaning requirements for schools was altered before Missouri Governor Matt Blunt signed it into legislation. Instead of establishing requirements, the legislation proposes guidelines and recommendations for green cleaning in schools.
LEED Standards Set For Modification
The U.S. Green Building Council ended its 30-day online public comment period on June 22 for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. The new version “LEED 2009” is scheduled to debut in January.
“LEED 2009 will reorganize the commercial ratings system by consolidating, aligning and updating them into one system that is simpler and more elegant and committed to continuous improvement,” said USGBC spokeswoman Ashley Katz in a news release.
In the program, points will still be awarded for specific practices in areas such as chemicals used and indoor environmental air quality, but points will be allocated and weighed differently. The process will be flexible and account for regional differences and encourage innovation.