Healthy Buildings Start with Healthy People

Image courtesy of the World Health Organization

By: Briana Smith & Caitlin Dimalanta  |  April 7, 2022 

As the last couple of years have demonstrated, the importance of healthy buildings is essential to the health of the people who occupy them. Today is World Health Day, a day celebrated around the globe to promote the development of well-being societies that strive to prioritize health for all. This year's theme is “Our Planet, Our Health" which focuses on the steps we can take to protect the planet, and the well-being of all who inhabit it.  

We face many health challenges due to climate change, one being access to healthy air. According to WHO, World Health Organization, over 90% of people around the world breathe in polluted air. The process and procedures you apply towards consumables, chemistry and waste diversion can make a difference in the health of your building occupants along with the environment as a whole! 

As facility managers, you have the power to combat this staggering statistic and others that affect our health and safety by purchasing sustainable products and implementing cleaning practices that put the health of building occupants and the environment first.  

Fostering Well-Being Economies 

“A well-being economy has human well-being, equity and ecological sustainability as its goals.” – WHO  

Unsure where to start? No worries, partnering with a reliable source to help you establish a green cleaning strategy makes the process of transitioning from traditional cleaning to green cleaning a lot easier. For example, WAXIE GPS^® Green Partner Support works with you to develop and maintain a sustainable cleaning program that fits your facility and leads to ongoing stewardship by: 

• Using a holistic approach that considers products used, procedures, and impacts on future development  

• Providing training and consultative expertise knowledge of the LEED^® Accredited Professionals and CIMS-GB ISSA Certification Experts 

• Identifying third-party certifications and guidelines to substantiate environmentally preferable product claims 

Purchasing for Good 

“Environmentally preferred purchasing [is defined as] products and services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment...” – US General Services Administration 

After developing a green cleaning strategy, the next course of action is to purchase products that deliver high-quality results while supporting the health of people and lowering your overall environmental impact. 

Here are a few areas to concentrate on: 

• Consumables: Use products that contain recycled content or are derived from renewable resources, such as recycled tissues that require 50% less water, 64% less energy, and produce 74% less air pollution 

• Chemistry: Products with low to zero VOCs lead to better indoor air quality 

• Diversion: Divert waste from the landfill by instituting a waste diversion and recycling program complete with the appropriate recycling containers to hold divertible items such as paper, plastic, glass, light bulbs, batteries and compostables 

Moving Forward with Ongoing Stewardship 

The actions we take today ensure a better tomorrow, not just for us but for all the generations to come. Protecting our planet and the well-being of its inhabitants isn’t a one-and-done job. It is a proactive effort achieved through the work of many.   

Facility managers, along with cleaning and maintenance teams, play an essential role in safeguarding the health of those who live, learn, work and play in the buildings they take care of. Taking a holistic approach toward the introduction of more sustainable solutions and the creation of healthy buildings and indoor spaces will benefit all, as well as committing to continued improvement in your ongoing cleaning maintenance operations. 

WAXIE is committed to helping our customers keep their facilities cleaner, healthier, greener, and safer. That means creating customized cleaning solutions to meet your specific needs, and then providing the ongoing training and support to help you achieve a cleaner and healthier building environment with green cleaning products.  

Please contact your WAXIE Account Consultant today to schedule a consultation.  

Briana Smith is WAXIE’s Social Media & Product Branding Specialist and spends quite a bit of time skimming the news for what’s new in cleaning, sustainability and technology while managing all of WAXIE’s social channels. She especially loves posting about #teamwaxie activities & conversing with customers on Instagram. Briana has a Bachelor's Degree in Communication Design from California State University, Chico. 

Caitlin Dimalanta is WAXIE’s eCommerce Specialist. She enjoys researching and implementing various SEO (search engine optimization) strategies to enhance WAXIE’s eCommerce platform Web@Work. Caitlin has a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing from San Diego State University.