Virginia Tech's residential housekeeping and facilities staffs achieve the first CleanZone Level III Certification in a university setting
The residents and employees of Virginia Tech’s residence halls can breathe a little easier knowing that their buildings are cleaned with responsible processes and systems, using only sustainable products that are free from harsh chemicals.
Virginia Tech is the first university to receive the CleanZone Level III Certification from JanPak Inc., the leading supplier of distinctive and responsible cleaning and packaging solutions to the building service contractor, property management, industrial, healthcare, and institutional markets.
As part of Housing and Dining Services’ commitment to sustainability, the housekeeping and facilities staffs worked diligently to attain this certification. To receive the Level III certification from JanPak Inc., the employees adhered to rigorous standards. To meet these standards, necessary changes included modifications to their daily practices and the chemicals used, as well as many physical modifications such as installing touch-free systems in the restrooms, which improve sanitation and cut down on water waste.
“This certification is an important part of our sustainability initiatives for Housing and Dining Services,” said Margie Lawrence, assistant director for housekeeping and furnishings for Housing Services, “I think it is important that we can feel good about the environment we are creating for students and employees within the halls.”
The housekeeping and facilities staff are part of Housing Services and are responsible for maintaining the 46 residence halls that house more than 9,000 students on the Virginia Tech campus.
CleanZone is a certification program designed to create a healthier environment through the implementation of responsible cleaning products, systems, and solutions. This certification benefits students by providing a place to live free of harsh chemicals and environmental hazards and protects the health of employees by making the products they work with daily safer. The next step for the housing program will be to work to obtain the Green Seal Environmental Standard for Commercial and Institutional Cleaning Services GS-42 certification.
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.
