Use Energy-Efficient Equipment

Not every customer is going to experience reduced energy costs by switching to a day cleaning program, says Mabrey, and it may be getting harder to quantify the savings.

“I don’t see a lot of benefit to day cleaning when it comes to energy consumption,” he says. “Most modern buildings, and even ones that have been retrofitted, have occupancy sensors so that after about 10 or 15 minutes, the lights automatically shut off.”

Rather, BSCs can focus on purchasing and using energy-efficient equipment, and actively marketing that. Property managers will be more impressed by a vacuum that helps save electricity than any other vacuum, no matter the hype.

“If they know their competitors are using Brand A vacuum cleaners, and those use a certain amount of electricity per hour, then they can say, ‘We use brand B, which is just as good and uses a lot less electricity.’ That gives a competitive advantage in the mind of the property manager because you’re saving him or her money with electricity savings,” Mabrey says.

Vacuum cleaners are just one of many equipment choices that can help BSCs offer energy savings, but they’re an important piece of the puzzle.

“When it comes to equipment, vacuum cleaners are key. In an environment like commercial property management, you don’t necessarily need the most high-powered vacuum cleaner because you’re talking about light office traffic on a day-to-day basis,” Mabrey says.

Instead, vendors should be challenged to provide different levels of vacuuming equipment, some of which caters to sustainability-minded customers that are focused on energy consumption.

Battery-operated equipment also offers BSCs an opportunity to cut down on energy consumption. Charging batteries during off-peak hours by setting a timer to begin at midnight ensures a lower cost, Spencer says. Equipment used on Saturday mornings will also cost less than weekday days and early evenings, he adds. Battery-powered equipment also encourages staff to turn equipment off when it is not being used — something that may not be top-of-mind when using corded machines.