As institutional and commercial facilities continue to feel the impact of environmentally friendly practices, facility managers are looking at each area of responsibility through a sustainability lens, according to an article from Facilities Maintenance Decisions on the FacilitiesNet website.
By revisiting practices, equipment, chemicals and related materials, managers and their staffs can enhance the sustainability of department operations and facilities.
For example, utility vehicles, mowers and handheld power tools — including saws, trimmers and leaf blowers — produce noise pollution and dangerous emissions. Unnecessary water consumption, as well as the application of chemical fertilizers, and weed, pest and disease control products can harm the environment.
For regions that experience winter weather, the use of toxic snow and ice melt products, along with emissions from plows and snow blowers, can have harmful effects.