Report Shows Majority of Schools Are Implementing Green Cleaning

Chicago – Healthy Schools Campaign, a nonprofit organization working to ensure all students attend schools that support their health and wellness, partnered with ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, to survey schools and universities across the country to better understand what they are doing and determine the type of resources and tools schools need.

The 2018 National Education Facilities Cleaning Survey found that 96.7 percent of schools have implemented green cleaning to at least a small extent, and nearly one in three schools

has implemented green cleaning to a very large extent. The report also found that the presence or absence of an official state or organizational policy influenced a school’s likeliness to implement a more comprehensive green cleaning program.

“This report shows just how far schools have come in making sure their cleaning programs are safe for the health and children and staff,” says Healthy Schools Campaign President + CEO Rochelle Davis. “We are encouraged by the results of this survey and look forward to working with the green cleaning industry and schools across the country to continue this movement.”

The report also highlights how schools view the importance of a green cleaning program. Three in four schools view cleaning as essential and deeply value its importance in ensuring health and safety for students and staff. 

“This collaborative effort between ISSA and Healthy Schools Campaign is a great example of a partnership that brings light to a truly important subject: improving our school environments to ensure students and teachers can educate and learn in safe, healthy surroundings,” said John Barrett, Executive Director of ISSA. “We look forward to continuing these efforts to enlighten all schools—and the public at large—to the importance of green cleaning practices.” 

This report is available to download at greencleanschools.org/report.

 

Featured

  • Photo credit: Elkus Manfredi Architects

    University of Virginia Selects Design-Build Team for New Residential Complex

    The University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va., recently announced that it has selected a design-build team for a new upper-class residential development on campus, according to a news release. Capstone Development Partners—in partnership with Elkus Manfredi Architects and the Hoar Construction/Hourigan construction team—will move forward with the three-building, 310,000-square-foot housing facility.

  • University of Arizona Approves New Residence Hall

    The Arizona Board of Regents recently approved plans for a new residence hall at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., according to a news release. The new facility is scheduled to open in fall 2028 and have the capacity for more than 1,200 students, enforcing a new university expectation that all first-year students live on campus.

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.

  • Niles West High School Natatorium Renovation

    Natatoriums are highly specialized spaces, and luminaires in this setting face several unique challenges. Perhaps the most significant is corrosion, which is exacerbated by high indoor humidity, condensation, and pool chemicals, often resulting in material degradation in luminaires not certified to perform in corrosive environments.