OS1 Cleaning System Improves Air Quality in Wake Forest Facilities
Operating Systems 1 (OS1) is a standardized approach to cleaning management in housekeeping — one that results in a safer, healthier work environment with improved air quality. By centralizing the cleaning system, upfront costs are quickly offset by long-term savings in efficiency and effective cleaning. This cleaning system is safer for both occupants and custodians, as it replaces harmful cleaning products with Green Seal certified alternatives.
The Callaway Center (including Manchester Hall and Kirby Hall) served as the initial data-gathering site for this pilot program. Air quality testing began in this building on September 9th, and was compared to later air quality testing on October 26th, after six weeks of cleaning under the new system. There was a dramatic improvement in air quality, with more than a fifty percent reduction in TVOCs- total volatile organic compounds. By the summer of 2011, the entire campus is expected to be converted to OS1 cleaning, with Greene Hall already under transition and monitoring this month. By installing OS1, Wake Forest University reflects its concern for improving human health and well-being, an integral part of campus and community sustainability.