Harvard Maintenance says having cleaning crews do their work during the day can save energy for building owners.
Harvard Maintenance says the practice is popular in Europe but hasn’t gained as much acceptance with facility managers in the United States. However, the energy savings may advance the practice.
Daytime cleaning saves energy from lights and heat, which can be turned down during the night. As an added benefit, complaints about work-station theft are greatly reduced with day cleaning.
In Philadelphia, the transportation agency SEPTA switched to day cleaning at its offices and said the change helped reduce energy usage by 12 percent, reported Philly.com in 2011.
An executive with SEPTA said one of the best things about day cleaning is that it doesn’t cost anything extra. It’s simply a matter of switching hours for cleaners.
The only challenge is getting office workers accustomed to the change: there may be someone emptying a trash bin or vacuuming while they work. But the Philly.com article said SEPTA employees and cleaners had developed adjustable routines where cleaning crews were careful not to disrupt phone calls or meetings.