forum: IIDA Georgia Sustainability
submitted by: Lily Calvert-Dean, LLED AP, National Office Systems - Savannah
additional links: http://www.tersanoprofessional.com/ or http://www.cfcn.info/ade.html
A Sustainable Way to Cleaner Interiors
One of the less glamorous aspects of an interior designer’s job is considering the maintenance of a facility once the installation is over. Cleaning products and practices have to be taken into consideration with selecting materials and finishes and the cleaning supplies themselves can be scary business. Often commercial and healthcare facilities use heavy, toxic chemicals to clean and sanitize and the side efforts of some of these products on our health and environment are hardly known. Recently, there has been a new cleaning system that is being used in commercial, and particularly hospitality, applications with great success and minimal environmental impact. The Lotus Pro uses regular tap water and electricity to convert it into liquefied Ozone that you then simply spray, wipe, or mop on to the surface or area you are cleaning. The website touts “A powerful cleaner, stain remover and deodorizer that sanitizes while it works, it kills up to 99.999% of bacteria, fifty percent faster than chlorine bleach. After its job is done it turns back into water and oxygen”. The Lotus Pro has been proven to quickly kill viruses and bacteria including E.coli, salmonella, MRSA, C-Difficile, and hundreds of other common germs. It is approved for food service areas and for use on a spectrum of surfaces, including fabrics, and is EPA, FDA, and OSHA complaint. Disposal is easy; just pour the water back down the drain.
This new cleaning system is “green” in many different ways. It is a 100% chemical free cleaning system has no toxins, carcinogens, or chemical residues. There is no smell or fumes which mean there are no air quality concerns or lingering odors. Furthermore, because the unit is semi-permanent, the only things you replace are the filter cartridges and the water. This means you are cutting down on extremely wasteful transportation and packaging practices that are associated with conventional cleaning products. By cutting down on packaging you are also eliminating the need for disposal and avoiding significant amount of (mainly plastic) packaging that could otherwise be ending up in a landfill. But truly what makes this product so unique is the fact that, in its most basic form, you are cleaning with water. Once the water has been turned into liquefied ozone, it is still safe to touch, breathe, etc. This means it is safe for people, animals, and the planet. There are no chemical additives or residues and it starts and end ends with water: and that is truly sustainable.
More information can be found at www.tersanoprofessional.com or at http://www.cfcn.info/ade.html . Cleaning with liquefied ozone is something that should be suggested to clients, end-users, and facility and maintenance personnel as a more sustainable option to conventional products that will help preserve the integrity of interior spaces and the health of the people that live and work in them.
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