Sustainable Facility - November 2008 - (Page 18)

The Case for Daytime Cleaning Janitors Lead Green Trend at Janitors Lead a Green Trend at the EPA Region Headquarters the E PA Region 8 Headquarters.. BY AMY C. SMITH ■ The skylights in the EPA atrium feature white sails that are programmed to turn throughout the course of the day to bring maximum daylighting into the building, reduce glare in ofﬁce spaces on the upper ﬂoors of the building and to cut down on the need for electric lights. The sail concept utilizes sails made of authentic sailcloth material and hardware. >> Photo courtesy of Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects LLP, (c) Robert Canﬁeld Photography. hile bright lights make for an attractive nighttime skyline, have you ever wondered just how much energy is used each night to illuminate skyscrapers and ofﬁce towers? A simple but monumental cleaning and maintenance practice adopted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 8 Headquarters in Denver has the lights going dark at the end of the work day, shrinking the building’s carbon footprint and saving nearly a quarter of a million dollars in energy costs each year. During the EPA building’s pre-occupancy phase, Opus Northwest Management, L.L.C., the building’s property management company, proposed instituting a daytime janitorial service. 18 S U S TA I N A B L E F A C I L I T Y NOVE M B E R 2008 W “When we heard the idea of using daytime janitorial services, we quickly realized it was a way we could align our new headquarters with the EPA mission of environmental protection,” said Paula Smith, EPA deputy assistant regional administrator. The EPA’s daytime janitorial service revolves around an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. workday, during which janitors work side-by-side with ofﬁce professionals. The concept is far ahead of the curve as far as janitorial practices go, but it presents an easy, realistic cleaning and maintenance solution for bringing new and existing buildings closer to sustainability. The 292,000-square-foot EPA building is automatically “put to bed” every night between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. as the lights and HVAC system turn off only the security lights remain on through the night.

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Sustainable Facility - November 2008

Sustainable Facility - November 2008 Contents Editorial Industry Watch Web TOC New and Notable The Case for Daytime Cleaning Commitment to Energy Effi ciency and Sustainability Finding the Green Solar for the Commercial and Industrial Sector: What’s Hot Now? Connecting Sustainability and Green Cleaning Recycling Rechargeable Batteries Sharing Best Practices The Consultant Conundrum Sharing the Facilities Management Burden The Building Owner’s and Operator’s Sustainability Solution: Energy Audits Greenbuild: Green Product Buzz Guide Product Focus Marketplace and Classifieds Advertiser’s Index Initiatives

Sustainable Facility - November 2008

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