MilliCare : A Partner in Maintenance with LEED-EB
LEED and MilliCare
The United States Green Building Council (USGBC)’s certification programs for sustainable buildings, called Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design or “LEED,” rewards companies for building and operating green. Companies can earn points in specific categories for sustainable initiatives, all with the goal of achieving certification for a building.
Facility managers must take a variety of steps to achieve LEED certification. However, no individual product or service, no matter how green, can earn LEED points for customers.
But if sustainability is the goal, MilliCare ’s textile and carpet cleaning service can help you get there. Our proprietary system directly supports three of the six LEED EB:OM categories. Using MilliCare can be one tactic to reduce overall energy use, water use, and preserve your building’s investments.
We can even help you earn specific points in a fourth category, Indoor Environmental Quality, and provide documentation to send in with your LEED report. Best of all, we’re proven effective, as well as green.
Alignment with LEED EB:OM
LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (LEED EB:OM) is the only certification program with a focus on continuing operations. It’s about how you maintain, not just how you build. The program awards points to structures retrofitted green, with sustainable procedures and maintenance plans in place.
MilliCare ’s contribution to four of the six categories in LEED EB:OM, including tools you can use to earn points in Indoor Environmental Quality.
Water Efficiency - Category Intent: “Maximize water efficiency and reduce the burden on water supply and wastewater systems.”
- Choose MilliCare ’s dry anchored system instead of hot water extraction to save an average of 50 gallons of water for every 10,000 square feet of carpet cleaned.
Energy and Atmosphere - Category Intent: “Conserve energy, control refrigerant use reduce ozone and explore renewable energy sources.”
- Choose MilliCare to operate more efficiently and use less energy than traditional hot water extraction systems. Hot water extraction uses up to 319 percent more energy to clean the same square footage as MilliCare .
Materials and Resources - Category Intent: “Reduce construction waste, use materials with high-recycled content and consider local materials to minimize transportation costs.”
- Choose MilliCare to prolong the good appearance of textiles and carpet. Reduce wear and tear to keep carpet out of the landfill.
Indoor Environmental Quality - Category Intent: “Green materials and green cleaning procedures that are healthier for custodians, occupants and the environment.” MilliCare , an environmentally preferable carpet and textile maintenance company:
- Uses safe, low emitting and nontoxic cleaners.
- Removes up to 99 percent of indoor allergens to improve indoor air quality.*
- Earned the Carpet & Rug Institute’s Seal of Approval as a Deep Cleaning System
- Teaches its technicians intensive courses from the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC).
*When used with a properly functioning HVAC system.
Choose MilliCare to contribute directly to these points in the Environmental Quality category.
Green Cleaning Policy: “Establish a green cleaning standard operating procedure and green cleaning policy.” MilliCare provides a customized plan to serve as the soft floor covering portion of this overall standard operating procedure, and MilliCare technician teams will track and implement it.
Green Cleaning - Custodial Effectiveness Assessment: “To reduce the levels of chemical, biological, and particulate contaminants, which can compromise human health, building finishes and systems, and the environment, by implementing effective cleaning procedures.” MilliCare conducts surveys after each cleaning to make sure the job was done satisfactory. MilliCare can provide records for its cleaning chemicals to prove they are nontoxic and safe to handle, and MilliCare ’s customized plans can serve as a component of the overall high-performance program.
Green Cleaning - Products and Materials: “Reduce the environmental impacts of cleaning products, disposable janitorial paper products and trash bags.” MilliCare ’s core carpet cleaning products are Green Seal GS37 certified.
Green Cleaning - Equipment: “Reduce exposure of building occupants and maintenance staff to potentially harmful contaminants with superior vacuums and other certified equipment.” MilliCare uses only Carpet & Rug Institute certified vacuums and extractors.
Enhanced Indoor Air Quality Strategies: Have in place permanent entry systems at least 10 feet (3 meters) long in the primary direction of travel to capture dirt and particulates entering the building at regularly used exterior entrances. MilliCare Franchisees are certified dealers of Milliken's Obex®, a high-performing entryway system. Mats are designed to work in tandem with MilliCare ’s customized maintenance plans.
Conclusion
MilliCare can serve as a skilled partner in the LEED EB:OM certification process and can provide tangible results for your customized LEED certification plan.
