Survey Finds Facility Managers Working Toward Sustainability

The approach of Earth Day, held annually on April 22, is a time set aside for people to consider how their actions affect the environment. But sustainability is a year-round concern for facility mangers, as revealed by those who participated in CMM’s 2023 In-House/Facility Management Benchmarking Survey.

Approximately 70% of the survey’s respondents reported working toward improving sustainability practices and decreasing their facility’s carbon footprint. Respondents listed various sustainability practices, such as recycling and composting waste, using native plants in landscaping, and switching to LED lighting and Green Seal^®-certified products. Some reported replacing gasoline-run service vehicles with those that run on electricity, as well as installing solar panels on their facilities. Others use of high-efficiency systems and monitor their water consumption.

About 37% of survey respondents said their facility has achieved or is working toward Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. Almost 40% listed energy management as a top priority in their facility.

When choosing cleaning products, however, only 8% of respondents said that sustainability was their priority. Most (73%) listed effectiveness as their top consideration, while 15% cited price.