This document provides information on sustainable solutions that Unisource provides for colleges and universities. It discusses case studies of towel, tissue, and garbage bag switches at three universities that saved costs while meeting student and faculty expectations for sustainability. Unisource helps design green cleaning programs, conduct cleaning assessments, and provide reporting tools to track sustainable product purchases and help schools achieve LEED certification. Unisource understands the challenges of pursuing sustainability in higher education and provides program management, dedicated customer support, and a variety of facility products and solutions.
1. Tools for a Smart and
Sustainable Campus
Spring 2014
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2. 62% of potential students indicate
that having access to information
about a college’s commitment to
environmental issues would
contribute to their decision to apply
or attend a school.
The Princeton Review’s
2013 College Hopes & Worries Survey
www.princetonreview.com
3. Unisource helps colleges and universities across
the country meet student and faculty expectations
for using sustainable products and resources.
Without compromising their budget.
See how these solutions worked for these
esteemed educational facilities – and how they can
work for you, too.
http://learn.unisourceworldwide.com/highered
5. A simple towel and tissue switch
made students happy and resulted in
a cost savings of 32%.
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6. Sustainable Solutions at Duke University
Student complaints about one-ply tissue led Duke to
explore other options – while keeping budgets in mind.
Even though bottom-line concerns led Duke to “do more with less”,
with the help of Unisource, they soon realized that a switch in their
towel and tissue could result in a cost savings.
» Two-ply tissue, by the case, is slightly more expensive than one-ply tissue;
however, the cost-per-use is lower as people typically use more sheets of
one-ply tissue.
» Roll towels, in an automated dispenser, reduce the potential for waste as
only one towel at a time is dispensed (overcoming the users temptation
to grab more than they need.)
Learn more about this solution at
http://learn.unisourceworldwide.com/highered
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7. Can liners made with post-consumer
waste are now the preferred solution
for NC State University.
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8. Sustainable Solutions at NC State University
Students often request that housekeeping use sustainable
products, but can liners had always been a challenge.
While the university consistently seeks out sustainable options for use
on the campus, can liners had been out of reach due to performance
and cost. Until Unisource provided a solution.
» As the first complete line of can liners with a high percentage of post-
consumer waste* (that were no more expensive than bags made of virgin
resin), Revolution Bags were an ideal solution for NC State.
» After a several-month trial, the new liners were adopted for use across the
university. The strong sustainability story was embraced by the facilities
office and sustainability office, not to mention by students and faculty.
The change was promoted through the campus newsletter and
highlighted at the State Conference.
Learn more about this solution at
*third-party certification by SCS Global Services
http://learn.unisourceworldwide.com/highered
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10. Sustainable Solutions at Orange Coast College
Orange Coast College has a 40+ year history of
sustainability efforts; green cleaning was the next step.
OCC’s “Healthy School” campaign led them to convert the school to
green cleaning chemicals and cleaning solutions.
» OCC was executing a multi-faceted plan to implement a series of
sustainable solutions, such as water-efficient toilets and water faucets,
energy-efficient lighting, and utilizing recycling containers around the
campus. Through Unisource, they saw that green cleaning was the perfect
compliment to those efforts.
» Through an audit of the campus, the Unisource team found more than 30
different chemicals in use. Those were consolidated to just six items, all
with sustainable certifications, resulting in an estimated savings of around
$12,000 per year.
Learn more about this solution at
http://learn.unisourceworldwide.com/highered
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12. How can Unisource Help?
We can design your green cleaning program for you.
We can conduct custodial effectiveness
assessments for you.
We can provide you the reporting and monitoring
tools necessary to allow you to track your purchases of
sustainable cleaning supplies and materials, through our
proprietary Green Gauge cleaning tool.
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13. How can Unisource Help?
Green Gauge IEQc3.3 Reporting Tool
Easy-to-read analysis of
Sustainable Cleaning Product
purchases against LEED®:EB-O&M
standards
View results for your entire
building portfolio and individual
delivery locations
Identify products not meeting
LEED® standards for easy
conversion to more sustainable
options
Subscribe to a monthly YTD report
or request reports to match LEED®
performance periods
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14. Who Is Unisource Worldwide?
Unisource Worldwide fully understands the unique and
complex challenges that come with evolution and the
continued pursuit of excellence when pursuing sustainability
initiatives in higher education facilities.
We understand that properly maintained
environments can help create lasting brand
confidence while helping to reduce risk and cost.
» Our solutions include program management, customer specific
solution design and support, dedicated customer service
representatives, and innovative communication tools, and a broad
assortment of facility products.
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15. Where To Find Us:
Contact Us:
www.unisourceworldwide.com
www.unisource.ca
1-800-UNISOURCE
Access Green Gauge
Access our white paper,
A simplified path to
LEED® EB-O&M success
Follow us on Twitter @Unisource_Clean
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