Sustainable facility management has gained great traction over the past decade, and for good reason; its benefits are proving to help the Earth, the employees in the offices, and is even better for budgets.
What Is Sustainable Facility Management?
Sustainable facility management is a term used when describing a company’s actions to minimize their carbon footprint and take progressive steps towards an energy efficient workplace. It requires daily operations to be dissected and evaluated, revealing areas where energy is wasted. These changes may include, but are not limited to: decreasing wasted electricity use, finding sustainable water consumption solutions, and incorporating eco-friendly products and packaging in production operations.
A Safer and More Efficient Business Model
While a huge proponent of sustainable facility management is to have minimal negative effects on the Earth and others, there are some benefits that are directly apparent to the business owners and employees first hand.
To start, eco-friendly cleaning supplies and products generally have much lower levels of toxins that cause skin and respiratory irritation. With the introduction of sustainable products in the workplace, you can rest easy that your employees will be safer and happier because of it.
Another huge direct benefit of sustainable facility management practices in the workplace is the financial impact it can make. So many companies are wasting resources like electricity, water, and left over products without knowing it. A study on energy.gov explains that 30% of energy “used” in commercial buildings was actually wasted. On top of this, sustainable practices will keep utilization optimization in the forefront of your priorities and keep you and others mindful of just how much of a change in waste your business can make.
Consumer Outlook
Not only is it nice to work for a company who cares about their impact on the Earth and societies all over the planet, but consumers have shown an increase in interest in companies’ triple bottom line and environmental impact when seeking products and services. In a survey conducted by First Insight, over 70% of Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z respondents considered sustainability more important than name brands. This shows that not only is business ethics an important topic for consumers, it is especially important to younger generations, whose spending power now reaches over $300 billion. It is more important than ever that businesses do their part to meet sustainability standards and appeal to generations that are entering the consumer market.
Sustainable facility management allows your business to be one who people are excited to support, and we are here to help you integrate this management into your own business today. Check out our website to get connected with a professional team and get started towards a better future for your business and everyone around you.
