By Ron Segura
Green and Sustainability Issues at the Top of the List
San Francisco, CA – The concerns of large facilities are always evolving, according to Ron Segura, president of Segura Associates.
His company helps organizations, such as Stanford University, Adobe Systems, Stryker Medical, and others, operate their facilities in a healthier, more sustainable, and efficient manner.
“Sometimes their focus is on cost reduction,” Segura says. “This was very true during the recession but now these larger organizations are more focused on other issues.”
Segura says it is important that jansan industry professionals are aware of this so they can better address the changing needs of their clients. Invariably, the concerns at a major university, for instance, will in time filter down to smaller colleges and educational facilities, he adds.
So, midway through the year, what mega trends does he see evolving in 2015?
Among them are the following:
Water. There is a much greater emphasis on water conservation and efficiency. “Facilities throughout the country are now looking for ways to reduce water consumption on a long-term basis and not just during a drought.”
Beyond green cleaning. More organizations are looking into green cleaning strategies that go beyond traditional green cleaning programs. Cleaning with engineered or chemical free water, for example, is attracting greater interest.
Worker morale. At one time, cleaning workers were rarely thought of when it came to building operations. Today, not only are they respected for the contribution they make in keeping a facility healthy, “major organizations want them to know they are ‘a part of the [organization’s] family.’ Improving morale has been tied to enhanced building performance and reducing [worker] turnover.”
Streamlining purchasing. This is becoming a crucial issue. Large organizations purchase millions of dollars in cleaning products every year. However, referring to one organization he worked with, Segura says, “They had more inventory than many supply houses [purchased from several] distributors and manufacturers.” Streamlining purchasing helps clients better keep track of their purchases, cut costs and, in this case, “reduced supplies from 24 different chemicals to just four.”
New RFPs. Many large building owners/managers are finding that the entire request for proposal (RFP) process needs revising so that it is more specific to the needs of the facility. “The [RFP] models used for decades just don’t work anymore.”
