FM’s Green Cleaning Program keeps campus healthy, safe, and environmentally responsible.
A clean classroom or office may seem simple, but the choices behind it affect the air we breathe, the surfaces we touch, and the environmental footprint of every building on campus. Facilities Management’s Housekeeping team has turned these everyday tasks into a meaningful sustainability effort at UMD.
UMD was the first public university to earn GS-42 certification from Green Seal, the national standard for sustainable cleaning. This isn’t just a product checklist — it reflects a campus-wide commitment to healthier buildings and reduced chemical exposure.
Putting Safety and Sustainability First
FM uses about 85% sustainable cleaning products — nearly the highest possible, since disinfectants can’t qualify as “green.” But the real impact comes from how our staff works. Specialized training, HEPA-filtered vacuums, microfiber tools, and careful labeling and storage practices all support better indoor air quality, safer spaces, and a lighter environmental footprint.
These behind-the-scenes choices shape the environment that thousands of students, faculty, and visitors experience every day.
Powered by Partnership, Driven by People
FM partners with Daycon, a leader in sustainable cleaning, to stay up to date on best practices and training needed to maintain GS-42 certification. But it’s FM’s Housekeeping staff who make it real — advancing UMD’s sustainability goals across classrooms, labs, offices, and residence halls.
Their work is quiet but far-reaching, and it positions UMD as a national leader in sustainable cleaning.