Fairfax, Va. schools cut energy costs with team cleaning

FAIRFAX, Va.--Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) saved on night lighting electricity because of Team cleaning, according to Pro-Team. The three-year savings on night lighting amounted to $167,000 in the fiscal year 1998, $95,000 in the fiscal year 1999 and commensurate savings estimated for fiscal year 2000.

According to Pro-Team, team cleaning increases the speed and quality of cleaning using workloading techniques and equipment such as backpack vacuums. The method allows turning off lights sooner during the evening maintenance cycle to save electricity.

Team cleaning is first created on paper, based on a building analysis. From this analysis, workers, tools, skills, and schedules are coordinated to clean buildings at the lowest expenditure of time and energy.

FCPS is the 12th largest school district in the nation, with more than 200 buildings and 153,000 students. Pro-Team is the world's leading manufacturer of backpack vacuums and a sponsor of team cleaning seminars.