The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced revisions to its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for existing buildings certification.

Under the new name LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance, the revisions include a green cleaning prerequisite and a new credit for companies willing to conduct an audit.

Under the new requirements buildings looking to attain certification must practice green cleaning before being evaluated for LEED.

The other significant change is the Custodial Effectiveness Assessment credit. Taking the audit is worth up to two points for companies. This will reward facilities that have outstanding cleaning programs and will create an incentive for others to improve.

According to Ashley Katz from the USGBC, the revisions magnify the importance LEED is placing on green cleaning.

The initiatives are meant to decrease the exposure that buildings occupants and workers have to hazardous chemicals and containments that are harmful to humans and the environment.

The revisions in the certification place greater emphasis on green cleaning products according to Bob Nagel Jr., of the Bob Nagel Distributing Co., Portland, Ore.

“This green standard is going to have more people talking about cleaning as a leading component to green standards. The cleaning process is a small part of the puzzle but there is a great level of awareness and this will certainly create a buzz.”

The revisions also allow distributors to serve as consultants for companies looking to practice in accordance with green cleaning standards.

“This will hopefully drive people to distributors for expertise in putting together things on the cleaning end,” said Nagel.

“Our approach at first will be more consultative in terms of helping customers understand and utilize the green cleaning standards.”

These revisions additionally open the door for companies not seeking LEED certification. They now have a blue print to follow in accordance with green cleaning practices.

“This helps because even people not seeking certification might still want to adhere to LEED standards,” said Nagel. “It gives them the chance to say they are cleaning on par with the standards even if they are not LEED certified.”


EPA Issues Emission Standards
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently implemented national emissions standards for ethylene oxide sterilizers which some hospitals use to sterilize medical devices.

Effective December 28, 2007, the standards require hospital ethylene oxide sterilization facilities to sterilize full loads of items to reduce hazardous emissions. Exceptions include when central services staff, a hospital administrator or physician determine that a less than full load is necessary.


Green Procurement Policies Proposed On Federal Level
The Office of Federal Procurement Policy is proposing to issue a policy letter on green procurement policies and strategies.

The policy letter proposes the government give preferential treatment to green cleaning products and services.

The policy letter would address general responsibilities of agencies for the procurement of green products and services. It requires agencies to first consider mandatory and preferred sources to obtain green products and services that meet their performance needs, and where these sources are unable to meet their needs, to purchase green products and services from other sources.

The letter also mandates agencies to implement automatic substitution policies for the purchase of functionally equivalent green products and services ordered through central supply agencies.

According to Bill Balek, Director of Legislative Affairs for ISSA, the policy confirms a trend of the commitment to green cleaning products.

“We see it on a state and local level, but this is a commitment on a federal level for green cleaning products," Balek said. "It gives more specificity to the order.”

Central supply agencies would be required to supply designated green products and phase out any competing non-green products from their catalogues and on-line ordering systems. Agencies are encouraged in their comments to identify anticipated needs for non-green products listed in federal catalogues and on-line ordering systems.


NEWS MAKERS

New Standard Evaluates Impact On Carpeting
The Carpet and Rug Institute partnered with NSF International, an accredited American National Standards developer (ANSI) to publish the NSF/ANSI 140-2007, “Sustainable Carpet Assessment,” a certification system for sustainable carpeting. The goal of the publication is to encourage the use of sustainable materials and reduce the environmental impact caused by the manufacturing of floor coverings.

The goal of NSF/ANSI 140-2007 is to educate and engage the entire supply chain, encouraging the transition of the carpet industry toward more sustainable practices.

The new standard was produced by end users, architects, government officials, academics and manufacturers who measured the environmental footprint of carpet products into the five following categories: public health and environment, energy and energy efficiency, bio-based, recycled content materials (MALTS), or environmentally preferable materials, manufacturing and reclamation and end of life management.

The new standard specifies certification levels of silver, gold and platinum on a points-earned basis to manufacturers. Points are earned by: minimizing the use of pollutants; using renewable energy and implementing energy conservation measures; using bio-based materials, renewable agricultural materials or recycled materials; minimizing the generation of waste materials during production; and adhering to the Memorandum of Understanding for Carpet Stewardship which states that by 2012, at least 40 percent of the total amount of the carpet produced will be taken from landfills.

The standard was developed over a five-year process and applies to carpets of all types of buildings including commercial office, education, government, healthcare and hospitality.


MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

DEMA Acquires Viking
DEMA Engineering Co., St. Louis, has purchased Viking Injector, Neshquehoning, Pa.

Viking will remain at its current site and operate under the name: Viking LLC, A DEMA Co. DEMA will continue to operate out of its St. Louis headquarters.




POSTED ON: 2/1/2008