LEED certification has significantly impacted commercial cleaning, with thousands of LEED-certified facilities equaling 100’s of millions of square feet. Imagine how you could set your business apart from the competition by meeting the highest environmental standards in the industry. Let’s take a look at what it means to be LEED-certified. Understanding these requirements will help you better serve this client base.
LEED is an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Established by the United States Green Building Council in 1994, LEED is the leader in determining environmental building standards. Buildings seeking LEED certification or LEED accreditation are rated based on prerequisites that address things like:
Achieving LEED certification reflects the building's environmental impact. Buildings receive credits (points) toward their LEED score. These credits fall into seven categories with different percentages weighted in each category:
The LEED rating system considers efforts in all categories, and a building is certified based on the total score. There are four levels of LEED certification:
LEED certification demonstrates a company’s dedication to the environment and the people they serve. While the list of benefits is long, here are three reasons a business pursues LEED certification:
Thirty-five percent of a company’s LEED score hinges on climate change. Fighting climate change requires reducing pollution and waste. LEED-certified buildings have smaller carbon footprints than those that don’t.
Healthier environments naturally lead to healthier inhabitants. LEED certification improves indoor air quality because of fewer allergens and toxins.
While LEED certification improves health, it also results in financial savings. Buildings that meet LEED standards use significantly less water and electricity, which means lower utilities over the building's lifetime.
When commercial cleaning companies embrace LEED standards or green cleaning, they set themselves apart from the competition. Ensure your company can help LEED-certified buildings maintain their status using green chemicals and equipment.
A simple place to start is with vacuums. LEED-approved vacuums must meet or exceed the requirements of the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) for efficiency, have HEPA of high filtration, and have a noise level below 70 decibels. Fortunately, there are plenty of vacuums that meet these criteria.
ProTeam offers a full line of commercial-grade vacuums that meet LEED requirements. To find a vacuum to help you service your LEED-certified clients, visit https://proteam.emerson.com/en-us/vacuums.
