Ashkin continues to call for color-coded sustainability

BLOOMINGTON, IL — Stephen Ashkin, chief executive officer (CEO) of Sustainability Dashboard Tools LLC, once again called for the adoption of an industry-wide, sustainability color-coding system at the just completed ISSA trade show in Chicago, according to a press release.

A sustainability color-coding system would allow building managers and cleaning professionals to place unobtrusive colored dots that stick on to a variety of power sources and power using devices in facilities, the release stated.

According to the release, Ashkin offered the following color coding system as an example:

• A red dot would be placed on lights, equipment and power sources that should be turned off at the end of each workday and on weekends
• A green dot would be placed on items that should be left on
• A yellow dot on a power source or piece of equipment would signify that building management or a designated person should be notified these systems are on
• A blue dot would indicate an item, such as a vending machine, should be turned off only on the weekends.

"Color-coding systems are not new to the professional cleaning and building industries. This is just a new use for the concept…and considering that 'plug load' represents 10 to 20 percent of a building's electricity consumption, turning these devices off when unneeded can save money and reduce environmental impacts," said Ashkin.

Click here to read the release in its entirety.