“Green” products and approaches are popular today in many arrays of product offerings. But are the companies offering these products also observing environmentally sound practices in their own businesses?

“For us, it’s not enough just to make better products. We are green in the day-to-day ways we run our business at Continental,” said Bob Gail, president of Continental Commercial Products.

“We’re constantly striving to find ways to make operational changes that follow our mission of preserving, conserving, and protecting the planet and resources we are entrusted with.”

The company, a manufacturer of maintenance and storage products for janitorial, food service and retail use, has seven manufacturing plants in North America, including Missouri, California, Georgia and Ontario. Continental Commercial Products has a long list of green practices at their plants.

“Throughout all of our planning, building, operations, manufacturing, packaging, and distribution, we work diligently to preserve, conserve, and protect our natural resources,” said Gail.

Conserving water and electricity is a major priority. The company has a new, closed-loop primary water treatment facility that reuses a major portion of the water that is used in cleaning the production equipment.

Low flush urinals, designed to use far less water than conventional ones, have been installed in Continental manufacturing plant locations.

To reduce the use of electricity and gas, programmable thermostats are used throughout Continental’s facilities. Traditional mercury-vapor lighting in the warehouse is being replaced with energy-saving T-5 bulbs, reducing Continental’s light bulb electricity usage by an estimated 40 percent.

Landfill wastes are reduced in a number of ways. Employees recycle aluminum, paper, and plastic materials, using the same recycling containers that are sold to customers. Wooden pallets and corrugated materials are re-purposed.

Waste oil is collected by outside services and reused. Mop yarn, which in many cases is already manufactured from recycled materials, is again recycled when there is waste generated during the mop manufacturing process. Continental is also protecting the environment.

Oven exhaust in the plastics plants is treated with a regenerative thermal oxidation system that eliminates contaminants that would otherwise enter the environment.

Sewer losses are reduced by a recapture process that decreases the amount of residual waste that leaves the plant. Freon has been eliminated in air conditioners, and hydrocarbons that have been replaced by organic “natural” fillers, thus helping to reduce air pollution.

“At Continental, we are introspective about being ‘green.’ We challenge ourselves to do everything we can to be leaders in the way we manage environmental resources, and we have a strong commitment to the environment. We basically said that if we are going to sell green products to our customers, we need to be ‘green’ and make sure that our own actions and operations are environmentally responsible,” said Gail.

Saying it’s time to recognize and grow the most sustainable companies in the U.S., Green Seal has launched its new Laureate Program, which involves regular monitoring to ensure ongoing high performance.

In an economy where green is the new buzz word and misleading claims (green washing) are not only discouraging for customers but dangerous for brand integrity, solid proof of sustainability is key. Green Seal identifies and recognizes companies that are truly environmentally responsible.

Green Seal Laureate recognition will align consumer product companies with the impeccable reputation of Green Seal, a 20-year-old, thirdparty, seal-of-approval recognized by Fortune 500 companies, retailers and consumers alike. Green Seal uses science-based standards and the power of the marketplace to create a more sustainable world.

In keeping with Green Seal’s longstanding approach to environmental recognition and labeling, acceptance into the Laureate Program is open and transparent. Requirements are life-cycle based and focus on energy use, air and water impacts, waste, toxic chemicals and other areas.

A company’s key product lines must be certified where environmental standards exist. Laureate recognition is not a one-time award, but a rigorous program that involves regular monitoring to ensure ongoing high performance.

Companies that receive Laureate recognition will be recognized as environmental stewards, and will enjoy the benefits of being a proven green leader.

Facility managers are increasingly following a master plan when implementing sustainable practices and are tying their efforts to measurable goals and business strategy, according to the results of a new International Facility Management Association survey.

The study, “Green Practices 2008,” shows that while recycling and energy conservation initiatives are being practiced by the vast majority of facility practitioners, financial challenges still present the biggest impediment to going green.

Based on a survey of 573 professionals from around the world, the new research report examines the forces driving sustainability, the green practices being employed and the challenges facility managers face in implementing sustainable initiatives.

While most survey respondents say they are implementing green building concepts without a master plan, 17 percent say they are adhering to one — an increase of 9 percent over similar data from 2002. The percentage of respondents who say they have not implemented any green strategies and do not plan to fell from 16 percent in 2002 to only 5 percent this year.

Ninety-two percent of survey respondents say they are working to make their facilities more sustainable and the same percentage say they have measurable goals related to sustainability. Seventy-nine percent say these goals are linked to their organization’s business strategy.

“For years facility managers have been advancing sustainable practices with the aim to lower operating costs and improve efficiency,” said IFMA Director of Research Shari Epstein. “This study demonstrates the gradual shift toward incorporating sustainability into the overall business strategy in addition to the overall design and operation of the facility.”

Results of the survey were presented at the World Workplace 2008 Conference & Expo during the Global FM Sustainability Project, which seeks to compile and share the sustainability initiatives and best practices of leading organizations and businesses around the globe.

For more information, go to www.worldworkplace.org.

Responding to the growing demand for sustainable building expertise and related technical skills, Green Building Services Inc., a facility management practices consultant, has moved its Orlando office to a larger space and welcomes Robert Ramage to its team.

In four years, Florida has gone from a handful of certified green building projects to more than 40, and a staggering 633 are registered in the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program.

“We’re excited to see the escalating trend toward environmentally responsible design and construction,” says Wendy Landry, GBS associate principal.

“With Robert’s arrival, our southeast office has been strengthened to help architects, developers and building owners in Florida and neighboring states create better buildings. Robert’s extensive experience in building commissioning allows us to offer the breadth of services in this region that GBS clients have come to expect nationwide.”

Verifying that buildings actually perform at the anticipated level is critical, and with building commissioning so important, GBS hired Ramage to provide this service to Southeast region clients from a local base. A Senior Technical Consultant, Ramage brings 25 years’ experience in engineering design, construction administration, and building commissioning.

GBS identified Florida as an emerging green building market and established its Orlando office last year partly in response to the State of Florida’s new sustainable building initiatives.